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Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL, 1994-95)

1994-95 Regular Season, Opponent Unknown
     The Toronto Maple Leafs were coming off back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals in 1993 and 1994, resurrecting a franchise that had been mostly a bottom-feeder throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The 1994-95 season started late due to a lockout, and was shortened to 48 games and not starting until January.
     After that second straight conference finals loss, GM Cliff Fletcher shook up the roster. Fletcher dealt longtime Leafs captain Wendel Clark to Quebec for Mats Sundin, a young forward in just his fifth season. While a shocking trade at the time (Clark had just had a career year), the Leafs made out like bandits in the long run, as Sundin spent the next 14 years of his career in Toronto.
     The Leafs stumbled in 1994-95, dropping to fourth place in the Central Division, with a mediocre 21-19-8 record. The team hovered around the .500 mark all year, but was still able to qualify for the playoffs.
     The Leafs scored 135 goals in this shortened season, middle-of-the-pack in the NHL. Sundin led the way on offense, with 23 goals and 47 points.The only other 20-goal scorer was Dave Andreychuk, who chipped in 22. Star forward and new captain Doug Gilmour had a so-so year, with just 10 goals and 33 points.
     Toronto struggled on defense, allowing 146 goals, middle-of-the-pack in the league. The team used only two netminders, Damian Rhodes and Felix Potvin. Potvin was the starter, and went 15-13-7 with a 2.91 GAA. Rhodes played 13 games, going 6-6-1 with a 2.68 GAA.
     The Leafs met the Chicago Blackhawks in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a rematch from last season. Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the series, but the Hawks avenged last year's loss by downing the Leafs in 7 games.
     I remember this season as kind of a disappointment. The Leafs had been one of the better teams in the NHL the past two years, but took a step back in 1994-95. There were a few changes to the roster after the semifinal loss, and the team wasn't nearly as good as previous seasons, especially on defense. Felix took a good share of the blame (unfairly, IMO) for the team's decline the next few years.
     I bought this program in Sarnia in 1994. Back then, the Canadian Dollar was much lower in value compared to the US Dollar, so we would go to Canada now and then to shop. This is a 122-page program, almost all in color. Lots of articles here too, including player profiles on Nikolai Borschevsky, Dave Ellett, Mike Gartner, Dmitri Mironov and GM Cliff Fletcher. Felix Potvin was interviewed for this edition, which included a centerspread poster (which hangs on my closet door). Local ads include Becker's Dairy Products, The Toronto Sun, 590 AM The Fan, and Schneiders Meats.

References:
National Hockey League Statistics, 1994-95, from hockeydb.com
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