Montreal vs. Toronto is a classic hockey game. Since the NHL added the Toronto franchise in 1917, the rivalry between these two Canadian metropolises has never waned. The last time Leaf fans saw TML win a season opener on home ice was against Montreal on October 7, 2000.
Montreal vs. Toronto - Hockey Rivalries
The Habs-Leaf rivalry is the oldest in the NHL. From 1944 to 1978 these two teams has met in the playoffs fifteen times and faced off in five Stanley Cup finals. While the on-ice competition is fierce, the Habs-Leaf rivalry was seen as symbolic of a much deeper issue in Canadian history, that being the rivalry between English and French Canada.
In 1759 the British conquest of Quebec at the Plains of Abraham did not sit well with the French. The chief tension that developed from this historical event that crept through the centuries was that the English were primarily conservative and Protestant and the French were mostly liberal Roman Catholic.
When the NHL was created in 1917, these differences received the opportunity to play themselves out on ice in a rivalry between the Canadiens and the Leafs.
Toronto came close to reaching the Stanley Cup finals in 1993, where they would have faced the Habs in the 100th anniversary year of the Stanley Cup. However, the Leafs were narrowly defeated in the Campbell Conference finals by the LA Kings. This rivalry is featured in the painted murals of one of Toronto’s subway stations.
Season Opener Leaf Roster
Tonight’s season opener comes with new hope for the Leafs. With Dion Phaneuf leading the team, many Leaf fans have a sense of renewed faith that there may be a chance to make it to the playoffs.
The season opener Leaf roster looks promising. Forwards include: Colby Armstrong, Tyler Bozak, Tim Brent, Mike Brown, Mikhail Grabovski, Phil Kessel, Nikolai Kulemin, Clarke MacArthur, John Mitchell, Colton Orr, Jay Rosehill, Fredrik Sjostrom, Kris Versteeg and Michael Zigomanis.
Toronto’s defensemen include: Jeff Finger, Carl Gunnarsson, Tomas Kaberle, Matt Lashoff, Brett Lebda, Luke Schenn, team captain Dion Phaneuf and assistant captains Francois Beauchemin and Mike Komisarek.
Season opener Leaf netminders are Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Jonas Gustavsson with Giguere starting in net tonight.
TML Players to Watch
Nikolai Kulemin is a 6’1” left winger born in 1986. He worked hard during the 2009/2010 season showing Leaf fans that his defensive game improved while he was able to pitch in offensively. His abilities sharpened and were even more evident during the pre-season games. Although pre-season stats are not always reliable, Kulemin is one of the more popular TML players to watch this season.
Alberta’s Kris Versteeg was born in 1986 and plays right wing. He was a valuable contributor to the Black Hawk’s Stanley Cup victory in June 2010. During the Leaf pre-season, he clearly demonstrated how well he can control the puck and has the strength to set up valuable plays. He scored two goals and got seven assists during the pre-season.
At 6’ tall, Wisconsin-born Phil Kessel recently turned 23 years old. Kessel scored thirty goals during last year’s season and considering he was off the roster due to injury for the first twelve games, he had potential to reach the forty goal mark. During the Leaf pre-season he scored six goals, four of which were on the power play, and got four assists in only six games. This provides Leaf fans with hope that the Leaf powerplay woes will come to an end this season.
Sources:
Toronto Maple Leafs Official Website
Winnepeg Free Press
Karen Stephenson - Karen has written for several newspapers and print media in addition to many online publications. She holds a B.A. in English and an ...
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