Leafs Hope To Avoid Slump That Spelled Doom Last Season
Posted November 17, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
They have a new coach, some new faces on the ice, and by most accounts, they’re a vastly improved hockey team. But statistically, the Toronto Maple Leafs have garnered only two points more than they had last season after their first 20 games under Pat Quinn and his outdated system.
Last year’s Leafs, however, soon began their slow and steady decline, ultimately costing them a playoff spot. It’s a mistake this year’s version of the Buds know they can’t make again.
“We can’t have that losing streak like we had in January last year,” Leafs centre Matt Stajan said. “We can’t go in a funk like that. We have to keep winning hockey games. But it’s a different team here.
“I think if that happens we have the guys in here that can lead the charge and pull us out of any trouble we get into.”
Most of his teammates seem to agree.
“Our makeup is quite a bit different,” adds Darcy Tucker. “I think you look at a guy like Michael Peca (signed in the off-season) and his leadership for starters.
“I just find that when we do not play as well as we wanted to, there’s a level of intensity that our team takes on that we didn’t have last year.”
Coach Paul Maurice knows anything is possible, and doesn’t want his squad building a false sense of security.
“I don’t think there’s any guarantees that it won’t (happen again),” Maurice said.
“… (But) I like a lot of what we’re doing. I think the foundation is slowly beginning to be there. Every team is going to go through that (losing) stretch, how long that stretch goes usually in my mind depends on how solid your foundation is, your basic game. So when we walk into the dressing room after dropping three in a row we say: `We got to get back to this.’ To our game.
“I think we’re building a foundation that will help us get through those times but there is never a guarantee.”
