Hal Gill needs to send Cliff Fletcher a nice "Thank You Card."Yes, I made one of those paragraphs up.
Had Fletcher not shipped the towering defenceman at the Feb. 26 trade deadline from the Maple Leafs to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2008 second-round draft pick and a fifth rounder in '09, Gill would be hitting golf balls right now, not opposing forwards.
"I miss the guys (in Toronto) but this is pretty exciting," Gill said of the anticipation he is feeling about his first appearance in a Stanley Cup final.
He has reason to be stoked. One moment you are playing for a Leafs team headed for nowhere; the next, you are on a star-studded Penguins squad that is on the road to the Stanley Cup final.
Gill admits his days in Toronto seem like a million years ago.
"I kind of fit in here in Pittsburgh right away," he said. "It's not easy to click all the time. Your world is tossed upside down but in this case the pieces all fell into place."
"I'll tell you one thing," added Gill. "I'm sure glad I don't have to worry about facing Mats Sundin in the finals. On that Wings team, he'd be unstoppable, the toast of the hockey world. It's a good thing he doesn't care about winning, or else I'd really have my work cut out."
But imagine that. Apparently, playing for your first Stanley Cup ring is more fun than holding your wife's purse while she tries on shoes at the Eaton Centre.
Look, I don't ask for much. But I'm asking -- nay, demanding -- that somebody cut out a few copies of this article and mail them to McCabe, Tucker, Sundin, Kaberle and Kubina.
If you wanted to, maybe add in a bonus item to Sundin's envelope: a photoshopped picture of him playing on a line with Chris Higgens and Jeff Carter. With a little note that says "Thanks for nothing".
Optimism Week is over, in case you were wondering.
You still cheering for that pack of Peddie's Princesses? I'm done. When they buy out Tucker we won't have a single player who could lick Mike Ribiero in a fight. That's not the Maple Leafs I can cheer for. It least if we are going to be the worst team in the league (expect a bottom 5 finish in 09) we could be scary to play against. Chicago, Atlanta, these are teams who know that if you are going to get shalacked on the scoreboard, at least you beat them up. NOt the Leafs, Stajan and White will have to do our fighting next year. Just so everyone knows now, Tlusty sucks! I'm going to puke now.
ReplyDeletedamn sean, you were doing so well...you just had to reach back for another hit!
ReplyDeletesundin does care about winning...but ONLY with the toronto maple leafs...he earned the right to stay, and i'm glad he did...i stand tall and proud by his decision...
i love mats sundin.
Huge career move for Hal Gill. After going to the Finals this year (and next year too probably), while playing with Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Staal, Gonchar, Sykora, etc., watch for Hal Gill to someday be the captain of a team in Phoenix or Atlanta or Edmonton.
ReplyDeleteeyebeleaf...
ReplyDeletesundin does care about winning...but ONLY with the toronto maple leafs...
I hope you're right. But if he signs with Detroit this offseason, will you help me gather the torches and pitchforks?
bro if mats signs with detroit, you're going to have to let me write a guest post on down goes brown...because, oh my, it ain't going to be pretty...
ReplyDeleteIf Mats goes to Detroit, I may have to re-assign the silver bullet I have saved for Cox....
ReplyDelete