The drought is dead. Long live the drought.

by pevans on May 27, 2010 9:53 AM EDT

As much as I liked Fleet Fox's cogent piece on why he didn't understand the rationale some Leaf fans have for having strong rooting interest against certain teams in these playoffs, with the Finals about to begin, I find myself wondering how all of this fits into my life as a Leafs fan.

The Flyers/Hawks series hasn't started yet, but one thing we alreay know is that when the dust has settled, a lengthy Stanley Cup drought will have ended for one of the NHL's marquee markets. The Hawks hold the current record for the longest Cup drought, having not won since 1961, but even the Flyers have an ignominious 34-year drought of their own. Either way, a long-suffering fan base is going to feel pretty good about itself.

If the Hawks win (and I have a strong feeling that's what's going to happen, although the Flyers will be able to hit their way to a few wins) then the Leafs will have the NHL's longest Cup drought. Many fans I've seen as terrified of this possibility, but I'm one of the minority that's welcoming it. To paraphrase something PPP said a few days ago round here, most people probably assume we already have it, so we may as well own the damn thing.

In 1994, the New York Rangers were more than a half-century away from their last Championship when Mark "greatest leader ever, and totally not an overrated, coattail-riding dick" Messier led the Blueshirts to the promised land. People thought it would be impossible to end the Rangers stigma in the pressure cooker of NYC but a bunch of stiffs named Leetch, Richter and Graves did it.

In the mid-1990s, the Detroit "perennial contenders who never make mistakes and draft superbly well" Red Wings were choke artists, bumbling around with Tim Cheveldae in net, in a puerile attempt to end their 40+ year Cup drought. And then, in 1997, they did. Before winning a handful more over the next decade.

So if, in early-June of 2010, I'm watching Jonathan "I dont' care what you guys say, my team isn't in cap hell, Campbell is totally worth it" Toews become the youngest Cup-winning captain in NHL history and ends a 49-year drought for Chicago, I won't be running away from my Leafs' owning yet another dubious record. These former fallen stars met their demons face-first, slayed them, and moved on. If the Leafs will soon own the longest Cup drought in the league, I'm not afraid of it. And I don't think Brian Burke is either.

So go Hawks. And not just because my man-crush on Duncan Keith knows no bounds.

PensionPlanPuppets.com is a fan community that allows members to post their own thoughts and opinions on the Toronto Maple Leafs and hockey in general. These views and thoughts may not be shared by the editor of PensionPlanPuppets.com.

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by Chemmy on May 27, 2010 10:21 AM EDT reply actions

Well said.
If anything, it becomes even more of a rallying point for the organization and its fans. Im not afraid of it, it just means that the payoff at the end will be even better.

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on May 27, 2010 10:33 AM EDT reply actions

Exactly. It’s like the Leafs have owned it anyway. No one could even tell you which two other teams have a drought from 1967 let alone how long Boston (72) or Philly (75) or Vancouver and Ottawa (Forever) have been waiting for a Cup.

Hopefully the team Burke puts together takes it as a challenge and a chance of greatness instead of a millstone.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.

by PPP on May 27, 2010 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

I say we just focus on the team getting better every year from now on out and not give a shite about the past.
Unless of course we can use it to mock our rivals

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs

rec’d

Leaf, the universe and everything.

by 1967ers on May 27, 2010 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Can we start dating things B.B and A.B?

The Guess Who sucked, the Jets were lousy anyway

by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on May 27, 2010 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

B.B and AJFJ

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on May 27, 2010 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Alright

you’ve finally convinced me.
Also, you are brilliant:

Mark “greatest leader ever, and totally not an overrated, coattail-riding dick” Messier

"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky

by Karina on May 27, 2010 10:49 AM EDT reply actions

Gretzky put up all those points to keep Messier from stealing his ice time, or so Doug MacLean says.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

thats a knee slapper

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on May 27, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

I don’t get the hate-on for Messier, other than his stupid Lays commercials where he just laughed.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

His time in Vancouver was an unmitigated disaster and since then he’s been a pretty big self-promoter.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.

by PPP on May 27, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, he seems like a doucher.
But I don’t think he was overrated or riding coat-tails. He was just getting old. meh, doesn’t really matter

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

he gets ALL the credit for 94
sure he scored some big goals, but without Richter and Leetch that team was dead in the water

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

But, he made a guarantee.

The Guess Who sucked, the Jets were lousy anyway

by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on May 27, 2010 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

only idiots make guarantees about results

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I needed one of those sarcasm punctuation marks for that comment.

The Guess Who sucked, the Jets were lousy anyway

by Plea From A Cat Named Felix on May 27, 2010 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

He was the Captain and scored some giant goals. He’s their Wendel Clark. I dunno, I don’t think he’s over-rated or rode anyones coat-tails.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

We don’t ignore the contributions of Gilmour and Potvin when talking about how good Clark was, and that’s the difference.

Leetch won the Conn Smythe.

Resident Capologist

by clrkaitken on May 27, 2010 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Rangers fans I know, all 2 of them, don’t ignore the contributions of Leetch and Richter. They even loved Kovalev. One once said, swear on my life, No Kovalev, No Cup. Take that for what it’s worth, because it’s all 2 of them.
We still deify Clark like no other.
I don’t think he’s over-rated in the least. His time in Vancouver made him look like a plug, but he had great years before that.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think as a player Messier is overrated.

As a captain, and more specifically the fact that he has a Leadership Award named after him, I think he’s completely overrated.

Resident Capologist

by clrkaitken on May 27, 2010 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

ah yes, perhaps

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s also arguably a douchebag. He’s one of those guys who nobody hit because if they did, he’d cross-check them in the face. I don’t know, to me that isn’t tough. Take a hit like a man.

by The '67 Sound on May 27, 2010 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

He definitely seems like a douchface, but it doesn’t make him over-rated or a coat-tail rider.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Messier was a very good hockey player, but just based on what I saw with my own eyes during his heyday, he didn’t deserve to be named among the greatest ever.

If he didn’t happen to end up on that Oilers team with all those other stars, he woudn’t have won all those Cups, nor would he have racked up points. But the Oilers could have won them without him, I’d argue.

Maybe it’s just my own bias. Mainly i just hate that he’s universally credited with being a “good leader” without question, apparently because the man can give a sneer that puts Clint Eastwood to shame.

Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs

by pevans on May 27, 2010 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

“apparently because the man can give a sneer that puts Clint Eastwood to shame.”

haha, I’ve heard the same. And that he calls out other players in the change room louder than any other captain. This comes from players who played with him. 89-90 he won the Hart and Lester B and the Cup on a Gretzky-less Oilers team.

He captained 2 teams, minus Gretzky, to Stanley Cups. Anyways, not arguing just trying to understand the dislike for Messier around here.

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Made a Rangers’ prospect the back-up for Team Canada at the Worlds instead of a real goalie.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.

by PPP on May 27, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Made Chris Mason the starter for team canada when he sucks

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh no! We can’t lose in THAT tournament. I sure hope Canada made up for it by winning Gold in that other international hockey tourney, where the best play against the best and the NHL takes a 2 week break in February.

So far he sucks as a GM.

by MapleLeafMole on May 28, 2010 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

terrifically apt

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

added bonus

Actually winning a Cup is the only thing that could somehow have the Hawks be even-more cap squeezed, as their 2nd-tier RFAs and UFAs who have to sign might benefit from a Championship bump. Which increases our odds of shaking something useful out of that tree.

Kane rubs me the wrong way sometimes (his “chew on the mouthguard” things grates on me, for some reason) but besides that, there are ton of likeable Hawks.

Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs

by pevans on May 27, 2010 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Kane I would absolutely love if he was a Leaf.
I have a thing for Cocky Swagger.

"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky

by Karina on May 27, 2010 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

well of course

you’re a woman :)

Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs

by pevans on May 27, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Kane reminds me of that douche in highschool who was an absolute tool, but was really good at sports and cool JUST because of that,
Just some gifted asshat with no other good features but his sports prowes

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions

He’s got the “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mentality – which works until you no longer “got it”

Leafs Nation: A drinking team with a hockey problem.

by nhlcheapshot on May 27, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions

yeap, and he’s pretty good too, he’s just a tool that if i met at a party I’d have a hard time not punching his face

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m not sure you want him giving you the cabbie treatment, pythons or no pythons.

Glory glory Man United, AND the other MU, AAAAnd the Leafs. I think I need a drink now.

by Wan Ihite on May 27, 2010 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Phil Kessel?

Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on May 27, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Phil Kessel strikes me as a kid who is just too fucking awkward to be cool no matter how hard he tries or how good he is at things

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Just some gifted asshat with no other good features but his sports prowes

Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on May 27, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

asshat

I just don’t see Kessel looking down on anyone / going out of his way to be a dick.

by Bower Power on May 27, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Kessel has an adorable accent and he plays for the Leafs
thats two other good features!

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Phil Kessel would have a job digging ditches in Minnesota if he weren’t so damned good at hockey.

I've always wanted to be a PPP Princess. You see kids, you can be anything you want to be; so long as Jay Leno doesn't also want to be that.

by SkinnyFish on May 27, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I was thinking more of Burger king assistant manager

My Fan Base Can Beat Up Your Fan Base

by JaredFromLondon on May 27, 2010 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions

how about an awkward ronald mcdonald? ok maybe not....

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on May 27, 2010 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

This is the same impression I have

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Taxi cab drivers would be skured.

Keep Firing, Assholes!

BROCKLESNAR's #1 Fan.

by Ubernoober on May 29, 2010 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t really know who I want to win this year.

I’ve never liked Philly, even though I like some of their current players like Richards, Carter and Giroux.

I do also like a lot of players on Chicago (Toews, Keith, Seabrook, Bolland, and others), and the Cup drought thing doesn’t bother me as much as it used to (and pevans makes some good arguments why we shouldn’t worry about it so much). My problem is that the Hawks are my brother-in-law’s favourite team, and agreeing on anything with him just makes me feel… dirty.

Oh well, that’s my own issue to deal with. Basically I just hope for good hockey, and either team winning won’t cause me to lose too much sleep.

leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.

by stucky on May 27, 2010 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

Ps. This post was rec’d. Nice little piece

by MapleLeafMole on May 27, 2010 12:18 PM EDT reply actions

Yup

Also, I am still hearing ‘too bad Montreal didn’t make it, would be good if a Canadian team won a Cup.’

I wonder if these people truly understand why I yell at them…

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on May 27, 2010 5:10 PM EDT reply actions

And these aren’t necessarily Montreal fans saying it either. Even Sens “fans” randomly say it too. A true Sens fan (ya, I’m assuming they exist, I could be wrong) shouldn’t like it when a team in their own division is doing better than they are, or when they (theoretically) could win the Cup.

Truculence...starting 10/1/09

by LeafBoy on May 27, 2010 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes but

How many of those people would actually cheer for the Leafs if they made the finals? Answer: Approximately zero. Which is another reason why they should expect no sympathy from us.

Blue and White has been alive and well in Ottawa since waaaaay before 1992.

by Adzbass on Jun 1, 2010 8:32 PM EDT reply actions

although it really doesn’t really matter, if the blackhawks win, we share the drought with the few 1967 expansion teams that never won a cup. That’s no excuse though, just wanted to point it out

by toskalatheghost on Jun 5, 2010 11:54 AM EDT reply actions