CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

This isn’t written to the majority of Leafs’ fans who attended the Vancouver vs. Toronto game on saturday night. It’s not to those of you who: stood up and applauded, stayed seated and applauded, or didn’t stand or applaud.

It’s to the minority of you who booed.

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You see, I’m a bit slow sometimes – which a few ex-wives will attest to.

But, I finally get it. I now get the picture.

You booers wanted Mats to be Ray Bourque.

He should have requested a trade to San Jose, Detroit, Philly, Pittsburgh, etc. – a Cup contender.

Bourque later said: ”I had some great years with the Bruins, but I’d never come really close to Stanley … But to touch this, we felt there was a move that had to be made.”

Had Mats asked to break his contract a year early – had said that “a move that had to be made” – you wouldn’t have a problem. After all, contracts are written to be unwritten.

Your team would have received a bunch of players. Boston gave up Bourque – and former Leaf Dave Andreychuk – and received Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson and New Jersy’s 1st round pick – Martin Samuelsson – selected in the 2000 Entry Draft.

Mats could have won the Cup last June – actually it took Bourque two playoffs with the Avs – and brought the Cup back to Toronto and then you would still love him.

According to the Beantown police, a crowd of 15,000 cheered wildly as Bourque raised the Cup in Boston’s City Hall Plaza.

So Toronto would have received – or would receive – some players and some indirect honour.

No booing then.

Now, I have a few questions for you.

Had Mats still refused Cliff Fletcher’s trade and re-signed with the Leafs in July, would you still be booing him? You wouldn’t have received those players, but would have had your captain back.

Had Sundin refused the trade and retired last June – and you wouldn’t have received any players – would you still boo him when he came to have his number retired?

Had Toronto made the playoffs last spring, and then Mats signed with another team last summer, would you have booed him when he returned to Toronto?

Had Mats done a Brian Campbell and taken a Fletcher trade to Philly – let’s say – and then signed on with Chicago last summer, would you still boo him?

Would you have booed him if he had signed on with Detroit – like Marian Hossa – trying to win the Cup like Bourque did?

I don’t have to ask if you would boo him if he was playing for Montreal or Buffalo this season. But, had Cliff Fletcher traded him to either of those two teams last spring – had Mats waived his contract – would you still be booing?

Do you like him any more or less because he signed to play on a Canadian team?

Now, some questions about Mats the person.

Sundin was ethical and didn’t break his contract – for his or the Leafs’ particular gain. Don’t you have any respect for this?

Pavel Kubina said a day ago: ”I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to leave this team just for a shot at the playoffs with someone else. That’s not who I am.”

Are you going to boo him now?

He didn’t quickly grab the $10 million from Vancouver last July, and signed for less money to leave some cash on the table for a Canucks’ trade later on. Do you respect that?

Do you not respect the fact that he didn’t return earlier – in the 2008-09 season – because he didn’t know if he still had the proverbial gas in his tank?

“It’s about motivation,” Hašek said when he retired. “I don’t feel today that I’m ready to compete on the highest level … not because of the physical things, but because I need motivation every day.  Right now I don’t feel it’s there.”

Does it matter to you that Mats was very emotional when he returned to TO?

“I was probably crying a little bit,” he said. “Thirteen years in the city, a lot of ups and downs and emotions, a lot of great teammates, a lot of great fans. It was a very emotional ride … The ovation from the fans was very special. I’ll remember that the rest of my life.”

Do your wish your former captain well? Do you hope that he plays poorly this season?

For those of you who booed, take a look at yourselves – your ethics – your loyalties.

You have shown the rest of Canada – and the world – what you really are.