Music: {allcanada} Toronto Maple Leafs preview: Meeting fans' expectations

Monday, October 4, 2010

{allcanada} Toronto Maple Leafs preview: Meeting fans' expectations

Imagine if the fanatics of the Toronto Maple Leafs reacted the way their counterparts who passionately follow Toronto FC did in the past 10 days.

In matches against the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake, BMO Field was half empty. The fans who did attend expressed their displeasure.

One of the more creative shots directed at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment ownership was a sign that read MLSE: Making Losing Seem Easy. The soccer supporters also held up $ signs because they weren't happy the average ticket price for TFC games has increased after four playoff-less seasons.

Down the road at the Air Canada Centre, however, there has been no such revolt, even though the Maple Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967, are the only Canadian team that hasn't made an appearance in the final in 43 years and have been one of two clubs - the Florida Panthers is the other - not to have made the playoffs since the lockout.

Expectations and the boisterous nature of soccer supporters are a couple reasons that make the Maple Leafs and FC situations different, according to MLSE Chief Operating Officer Tom Anselmi.

"Soccer fans seem to be the most expressive in any sport," he said. "Our [FC] fans are terrific. They're the best in the league, both in the numbers they show up in and how they express themselves.

"What we really saw is that people were disappointed in the team and they should be. The team didn't live up to expectations this year. I was as disappointed as they were. They have a right to express themselves and they did.

"Different fans in different sports just express themselves in different ways. When the Leafs aren't going well we hear about it. It's all a function about expectations. We clearly had a soccer team that was supposed to take the next step."

Toronto FC missed the playoffs on the final day of the 2009 season. Expectations were high this year and the club took a step backwards.

The Maple Leafs on the other hand? Well, the expectations simply aren't high. General manager Brian Burke is entering his second full season. He has fortified his roster during his time in Toronto, but is this team good enough to make the playoffs? Anything is possible, but there still is a huge uphill climb from 15th spot to eighth in the East.

Still, people will still fill the seats at the Air Canada Centre. Even though MLSE has been advertising that luxury suites are available at Maple Leafs games, Anselmi confirmed there is a waiting list of 3,000 strong for season tickets.

"The Leafs have the greatest fan base in pro sports maybe anywhere," Anselmi said. "They are very loyal. The economy the past two years has been tough on everybody. It has impacted us a bit.

"Our support is fine. They see the plan with Brian and what his team is up to. They believe in it."

Off-season development - Burke's big acquisitions over the summer were forwards Colby Armstrong, Clarke MacArthur and Kris Versteeg. Armstrong will provide feistiness on the third line. MacArthur, 25, will likely get a shot at second-line duty, but has never scored more than 17 goals in his first two full NHL seasons. Versteeg, 24, primarily a third-line right-winger with the Chicago Blackhawks, will now have to increase his production with first-line duty alongside Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel.

Key player - Goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere arrived in Toronto and provided some instant stability last season. But after he posted back-to-back shutouts in his first two outings he managed to win only four of his final 13 starts. The 33-year-old is in the final year of his contract and needs to be better than .500 for the Leafs to thrive.

Telling stat - There are many with the Maple Leafs. But their lack of efficiency on special teams stood out last year. They wound up 32 goals in the hole on special teams. They scored only 44 power-play goals and four short-handed markers, but yielded 73 on the penalty kill and gave up seven short-handed goals to the opposition.

Prognosis - The Maple Leafs have a decent tandem in goal and a strong group on the blue-line. But up front there are too few front-line players. With Bozak and Mikhail Grabovski as the club's top two centres, it is going to be difficult to compete against other top teams in the East: Pittsburgh (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin); Philadelphia (Mike Richards, Daniel Briere); Washington (Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Laich) and New Jersey (Jason Arnott, Travis Zajak). Toronto will be in tough to advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.