Game 67 2022-23: Oilers at Maple Leafs

Shortly after Toronto would score, Maple Leaf Gardens announcer Paul Morris’ monotone voice would arc over Bill Hewitt’s play-by-play: “Toronto goal, scored by number 8, Ellis. Assists number 4 Kelly and number 26 Stanley. Time 6:25” in what was peak word economy.

The play-by-play crew, that I remember, was Bill Hewitt (Foster’s son) and Brian McFarlane. They had a strange on-air chemistry. McFarlane, a fantastic looking fellow who always performed well on television, would often make a great point during a play stoppage and Hewitt would always say “that’s right, Brian” in his nasal voice even if that wasn’t the correct response.

McFarlane might say (as a ridiculous example) “Punch Imlach has changed up the lines, running Keon with Billy MacMillan and Garry Monahan. Marshall is not on the bench, I didn’t see anything did you?” and Hewitt sure as hell would say “that’s right, Brian” and it was kind of mixed up for a national broadcast to be so clearly muddled.

In Montreal, Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin were precise, informative and clearly had chemistry. In Toronto, it never was like that all during my youth. Funny what you remember.

THE ATHLETIC

• New Lowetide: Making the call on the Edmonton Oilers’ 2023 RFAs
• New DNB: The Oilers and Stuart Skinner can use their comeback over the Bruins as a springboard
• DNB: For new Oilers Mattias Ekholm and Nick Bjugstad, family matters most after a trade
• Lowetide: How unique is Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins career season?
• DNB: Connor McDavid’s importance to the Oilers keeps showing no bounds
• Lowetide: Oilers finally commit to Evan Bouchard. How much will it cost?
• Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers prospect Tyler Tullio is outplaying the high picks
• DNB: Why more vintage Kailer Yamamoto outings could solve Oilers’ right wing woes
• Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers spring signing season preview
• Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto and the balance between value contract and injury risk
• DNB: Why Mattias Ekholm is a big addition for an Oilers team that needs to win now
• Lowetide: Oilers’ mediocre February shows importance of protecting the puck
• DNB: Inside Brad Holland’s scouting process
• DNB: Oilers captain Connor McDavid surpasses 800 career points
• Lowetide: Revisiting Oilers’ choice of Philip Broberg at the 2019 NHL Draft
• DNB: The Ben Stelter Fund is a legacy his family, Connor McDavid and the Oilers will proudly carry
• Lowetide: Will Oilers prospect Phil Kemp have an NHL career?
• Lowetide: Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie turns a corner, now NHL-ready
• Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022

WHAT TO EXPECT IN FEBRUARY

• At home to: TOR, WPG (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
• On the road to: WPG, BUF, BOS, TOR (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 2-1-0)
• At home to: OTT, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• At home to: SJS, ARI, VGK (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• On the road to: ARI, VGK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• March expected result: 9-6-0, 18 points in 15 games
• March actual result: 4-1-0, 8 points in five games
• February actual result: 4-3-4, 12 points in 11 games
• January actual result: 8-2-2, 18 points in 12 games
• December results: 7-6-2, 16 points in 15 games
• November results: 7-7-0, 14 points in 14 games
• October results: 6-3-0, 12 points in 9 games
• Oilers in 2022-23: 36-22-8, 80 points in 66 games

Edmonton has enjoyed a nice run to start the month and it’s possible we see the team finish this evening in third place in the Pacific Division. If the Oilers beat the Leafs, and Seattle loses to Dallas, Edmonton will wake up Sunday two points ahead of the upstart expansion team from the Pacific northwest (Kraken with a game in hand). The game is afoot!

WORDS AND MUSIC FROM NOVEMBER 1, 2016

To borrow a phrase from the Lovin’ Spoonful, explaining Canada’s view of Toronto is like trying to tell a stranger about rock n roll. Toronto—the city—is pretty damned beautiful. A major North American metro with all of the advantages we associate with that kind of wealth, it is also a clean place—and a city where many different cultures come together to make it far more global than most (if not all) of the country.

Toronto—the one in our minds—controls the daily news, sporting and otherwise. Most of us work for giant companies whose head offices are in Toronto, and some of us have to fly there for seminars and meetings and such. There is nothing bad about the city, or the people, but much of Canada frowns when the name is brought up. You go, Toronto, with your wonderful scenery and culture and art, and you go on with your rock and roll, too. I cannot hate a city that embraced the Guess Who as its own, produced a pretty damn good group of hippie singers, blessed us with the beauty of Blue Rodeo and the grace and power of the Tragically Hip (via Kingston). You have fun running through the six, Toronto.

But get your damned hockey team off my lawn. There is no rivalry here, no history, no glory to be regaled in song. Chances are, the Maple Leafs and Oilers never meet in a series of note in my lifetime, and I have no interest in Al Gore pissing contests. You have your problem team, I have mine. There is no interest in this quarter in doing some wacko ‘Bob Costas slide rule find a way to make Michael Johnson better than Donavan Bailey’ moment. Post no bills, Toronto. Stay in your lane.

Since I wrote that item, Connor McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy four times, the Ted Lindsay three times and Hart Trophy twice. That’s nine major awards in his career. Matthews, an outstanding player, has two Rocket Richards, one Hart, one Lindsay and one Calder Trophy. That’s five major awards.

Matthews is a legit Selke Trophy candidate this season. McDavid? Art Ross, Rocket Richard, Hart, Lindsay, all either a lock or likely.

They are both great, great players. Per 82 games, Matthews is averaging 51-41-92, while McDavid is averaging 44-78-122. It’s Hockey Night in Canada. Celebrate both players, splendid and in their prime. One or both will lead their team to Stanley, and TML fans love Matthews as much as Oilers fans love McDavid.

I think doing the slide-rule Michael Johnson takes away from the brilliance of tonight’s game.

DESTINY

There’s a chance, a good one, better than in a long time, that one of these two teams makes it to the Stanley Cup Final. For me, that’s the compelling story here. I remember growing up in a house that considered the Toronto Maple Leafs superior to all other teams, making me something of a unicorn among today’s fans and observers of the game. I also knew a time when the Edmonton Oilers would roll into an NHL city and lay waste to the local team consistently. It’s been a long, long time coming but the Leafs or the Oilers could win Stanley in the spring.