NHL’s Best Meets Toronto’s Worst
Posted February 8, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There was a time when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings were fierce rivals who frequently met, with each showdown seemingly more venomous and entertaining than the one that preceded it. Those days are long gone.
Today, the Leafs are at the bottom of the standings, while the Red Wings maintain a secure foothold at the top, and thanks to controversial scheduling, the two teams are now virtual strangers. They’ll meet for the first and only time of the season on Saturday, for a rare matinee.
“You just don’t get out here enough,” admits Detroit’s Kris Draper. “You know, I have my son in for the weekend and my nephew’s here to watch practice and the game tomorrow and being in for Hockey Day in Canada, I mean it doesn’t get any better than that for a Canadian kid. You know, especially for someone playing in Detroit for an Original Six and the rivalry that it once used to be. It’s just not enough.”
“When I first came into the league, we played them 8 or sometimes 9 times,” adds Nikolas Lidstrom. “And I really miss the rivalry we had. And I like the tradition, too, of two Original Six teams playing each other.”
Throughout the years, the Wings have consistently found themselves battling for Lord Stanley in the playoffs, while Leaf fans have had to suffer through years of mediocrity and unfulfilled expectations.
Veteran Defenceman Chris Chelios tried to explain why the Wings remain red hot.
“Well, we’ve got a lot of skill obviously. It’s not like two or three guys are carrying us, but we get a lot of contributions,” he said.
