The strong play of goaltender Jack Campbell and forward Wayne Simmonds has made a great difference in the atmosphere around the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room and, barring any key injuries, Toronto looks like the best team in the North Division.
Simmonds, who had five goals through 14 games, is showing the form that made him a 30-goal man with the Philadelphia Flyers. It’s not just his scoring touch that has returned, his presence in the lineup makes the Leafs difficult to play against.
Campbell has given the Leafs quality goaltending and right now he is the go-to guy even when regular starter Frederik Andersen returns from injury. Campbell won his first four starts with two shutouts and a .965 save percentage.
It’s not just the play of these two that has Toronto fans thinking of a long Stanley Cup run. Veterans Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton have played very well. In many of the recent Leafs games, forward Zach Hyman has been their best player. All four forwards have size, another ingredient missing from previous Toronto playoff appearances.
In the Leafs glory days of the mid-1960s, coach Punch Imlach preferred veterans over prospects and youth. He did rely on a young vet in Dave Keon, and a cast of oldies like Red Kelly, Andy Bathgate, George Armstrong, Bob Baun, Bob Nevin, Tim Horton, Allan Stanley with ageless Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk in the pipes.
I am not suggesting the Leafs will win the Stanley Cup this year, but I do believe they emerge as the division winners.
Condolences
Colin Campbell may not be a name familiar with many of today’s sporting or media crowd, but he was a colorful figure, working for CTV and CBC across Canada.
Colin, who in his day played junior hockey with Rogers Rangers and high school football with Saint Dunstan's University, passed away suddenly in Summerside late last week.
He was one of Major Mike Campbell’s boys, one of the most respected clans in the city. His older brother Mike was GM at the Charlottetown airport, a gentleman and a horse owner and the next in line, John, who is based in Halifax, was a top hockey official in Maritime junior and senior circles in the 1970s and 1980s.
Robert, Philip and Gordon, a prominent Charlottetown judge, are well known in the city as is their sister Susan.
Sad news from the West Coast as David Smith, a longtime owner, trainer, driver at Calgary, Edmonton and B.C., has passed away.
He is a member of the talented Smith family from Hunter River, and a brother to P.E.I. Hall of Famer Clarkie, one of the greatest drivers ever to come out of P.E.I.
Clarkie was seven-time Old Home Week leading driver and just missed winning the 1962 Gold Cup and Saucer with Tammany Hall.
His older brother, Elmer, handled greats like Edgewood Scott, 1961 Gold Cup winner War Cry Ranger, Syms Best, Miramichi Fred and many others. My condolences to those connected to this gentleman.
Excelling
It’s always great to see and hear about talented P.E.I. youngsters excelling in hockey beyond our shores.
Tyler Wood, grandson of former Sandy’s Royals rugged defenceman Earland Wood from the 1960s and 1970s, is starring with Mount Saint Charles Academy in Rhode Island.
Tyler, who is on the under-14 team, has 14 goals and 13 assists in 17 games while Charlottetown defenceman Matt McQuaid, Adam’s first cousin, is a star defenceman with the under-18 club.
Milestone birthday
Continuing on that happy trail, Kingston’s Garth Holmes, who starred with the Sherwood Parkdale junior hockey Metros about 50 years ago, turned the big 70 this week.
He’s wearing a new Toronto Maple Leafs hat and keeps telling folks the Leafs will easily win the North Division.
Harness racing
No live harness racing here in the Maritimes, but plenty of action up-country.
Bettim Again looked awesome in winning Monday night at Mohawk with a sharp 1:53:4 victory for driver Sylvan Filion. The three-year-old looked like a Sherman tank and Sylvan never asked him as he cruised home in 27:2 under wraps.
In the same race, Card Swap was second for trainer Terry Gallant and owner Jennifer Doyle. The four-year-old Cams Card Sharp hustled home in 27:2, charted in 1:54:1.
Also on the card, Camco Lissie was a solid fourth beaten by two lengths, home in 27:2 for driver Jody Jamieson and charted in 1:57:1 in a $15,000 event for fillies and mares. The mare is owned by the local father and son duo Alby and Brendon Curran.
Island-bred Proven Lover took a new record of 1:50:4 in winning last week at Pocono. At the same track, Magical Mistress was a close third in 1:51:1 in a $10,000 mares test while Simple Kinda Man was back in an $8,800 pace. Both pacers are owned by Don MacRae.
Lovedbythemasses was a close fifth in 1:53:3 in the $18,500 Meadowlands open trot Saturday. Look for him to take a new record soon. On the topic of trotters, Islander Brett MacDonald (Ron’s boy) set a new Western Fair track record for mares getting home first with Power and Grace in 1:57:1 in Wednesday’s $13,000 trot.
Brett is a top driver right now and a great young man. Also at Western Fair, Charlottetown’s Paul MacKenzie took the $9,400 trot co-feature with Twin B Hugs in 2:00.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
