Читать книгу Hope and Heartbreak in Toronto. Life as a Maple Leafs Fan онлайн

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That Macoun and Murphy became lightning rods for criticism was understandable, because fans tend to want to apportion blame when things aren’t going well. But the fact that so many out-of-favour Leafs moved on and often did very well when they appeared to be on their last legs in Toronto is a phenomenon that has had me screaming Craig Muni’s name since the late 1980s.

“Jamie Macoun is the worst defenceman in the NHL,” said a young kid of about seventeen beside me during my last game at the Gardens before I left on my trip. It was just one of thousands of comments I’ve heard from people around me in my time attending Leafs games. Most are instantly forgotten, but I’ve always remembered this particular barb because I had attempted to defend Macoun before the young man convinced me otherwise. That sentiment stuck with me and the negative thoughts never left me after watching live that night how much Macoun struggled to keep up with an Ottawa team that wasn’t exactly flush with talent.

Bali’s famous Arak drink tends to blur the lines between reality and fiction. That afternoon, watching the grainy television pictures of the three former Leafs well on their way to winning the Stanley Cup, I poured back the Arak to keep myself from crying. I was spurred on by the liberal amounts of beverage, the game, and Murphy, Macoun, and Rouse’s presence in it, and so I decided it was time for a mental overview of what had happened to the Leafs over the past two seasons since I had been away.