Interest in Maple Leafs This Season Focuses on Development, Not Playoff Spots

Heard on Episode 4.1 of A Foot In the Crease Quite a stark contrast from just one year ago: As the Maple Leafs gathered to prepare for the 2007-08 campaign, then-head coach Paul Maurice proclaimed that his team would “make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup.” Fast-forward one year and you see that the current version of the Maple Leafs only sparsely resembles the version from 365 days ago, and that includes the organization’s expectations. General manager Cliff Fletcher did not try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes when he spoke to a group of reporters earlier last week, suggesting this would be a season that will likely be quite lean in terms of success and include many, as he put it, “rough spells.” The coach and GM from a season ago are long gone, Maurice and John Ferguson Jr. now replaced with Ron Wilson and Fletcher. Star forward Mats Sundin is not likely to return, but who really knows at this point? Former core players from years gone ... (link)