Breadcrumb Path Hyperlinks
Toronto Maple LeafsSportsNHLHockey
Article content material
ONCE A LEAF
That includes one of many greater than 1,100 gamers, coaches and basic managers who’ve performed or labored in Toronto since 1917.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Article content material
GOALTENDER TOM BARRASSO
BORN: March 31, 1965, Boston, Mass.
SEASONS: 2001-02
SWEATER NUMBER: 30
GP 4, 2-2-0 (W-L-T), 2.74 GAA
THEN
Acquired for playoff insurance coverage from the Carolina Hurricanes on the commerce deadline for a fourth-round choose (the Canes used it on goalie Kevin Nastiuk, whose lengthy profession didn’t embrace the NHL), Barrasso was to again up Curtis Joseph, coming off a hand harm, and Corey Schwab. He was a decade faraway from Stanley Cup success with Pittsburgh, however nonetheless efficient, even together with his acerbic facet exhibiting to the media and his previous coolness in the direction of some teammates.
“Once I look again on the guys I performed with, the one who had essentially the most confidence in me was Mario Lemieux,” Barrasso mentioned at his latest Hockey Corridor of Fame induction. “He all the time believed I could possibly be the man who may get it carried out. To me, that meant every thing. As a result of regardless of how the sport was going – we weren’t the very best defensive crew in Pittsburgh –if we have been up a objective, you needed to imagine I’d have the ability to cease no matter I needed to within the final seven minutes.”
Your Noon Solar
Article content material
Commercial 3
Article content material
Because the Bruins turned all of Boston onto hockey within the late Sixties, Barrasso grew to become a goalie in avenue shinny.
“Many of the youngsters have been my (older) sister’s age and that was the one manner they’d let me play. Neighbourhoods have been so much harder then. You’d get beat up and pushed round. The one manner I may (get again) at these youngsters was to not allow them to beat me in web. And I cherished that it drove them loopy. That’s how I bought the bug.”
Lengthy vary, the Leafs might need picked up Barrasso to guard themselves in case Joseph didn’t re-sign that summer season. Certainly, that occurred, however Barrasso was harm earlier than the ’02 playoffs began. He solely performed six extra NHL video games with St. Louis.
“I loved my time with (coach) Pat Quinn, I assumed he was a extremely nice man.”
Commercial 4
Article content material
He additionally knew the importance of taking part in for an Unique Six crew and stays on a small record of American goalies for the Leafs, just lately supplemented by Joseph Woll.
NOW
After time with the Canes as goalie coach, Barrasso has been a head coach round European membership groups, presently with Asiago 1935, in Northern Italy.
“I had my window to play and that was nice, my 5 years in Carolina have been enjoyable and I bought to construct nice relationships with the gamers there.
“However the guys I coach now won’t ever play on the NHL degree. Some might need an opportunity within the Swiss League and have a good residing, however to offer them the chance to construct confidence is simply superior.
“I inform them initially of camp yearly: ‘get pleasure from each minute of this as a result of in some unspecified time in the future you’re going to wish an actual job. The true world is just not like we’re doing right here, not practically as a lot enjoyable and camaraderie. So, get pleasure from it. And for those who’re not having fun with it, get out’.”
Commercial 5
Article content material
Barrasso was given the prospect to begin within the NHLer as a highschool grad by Buffalo Sabres Scotty Bowman and gained the’83-84 Calder Trophy. But he says essentially the most profitable coach in NHL historical past was not all the time a task mannequin for his personal bench aspirations.
“Scotty despatched me to the minors in my second season within the league two or three weeks in, coming off the rookie season I’d had and an excellent Canada Cup. I’ll all the time keep in mind that and it’ll all the time hassle me.
“However he was the man who gave me the prospect and if he doesn’t, none of this (Corridor election) occurs. I’m all the time indebted to him for that.
“I’m so much like Ken Hitchcock. I attempt to make it enjoyable, however on the finish of the day it’s bought to be exhausting. Should you don’t do the work, you gained’t have any enjoyable. You need to be dedicated to the burden room and every thing else.”
Commercial 6
Article content material
FAVOURITE LEAFS MEMORY
“I had a closely bonus-laden contract that 12 months and Pat made certain to play me the final recreation of the common season, so I’d get my cash.
“I broke my hand within the second interval of the sport in Ottawa and knew my season was over, however I simply thought Pat was a extremely good hockey man, the kind of which you don’t come throughout on a regular basis.”
LOOSE LEAFS
With the Gray Cup this weekend, we salute Gerry James. The Marlie junior grad, a member of their 1955 Memorial Cup crew, was a Leaf proper winger from then to 1960 and saved busy in the summertime as a working again with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and his residence province Saskatchewan Roughriders. He began his soccer profession at age 17, voted the CFL’s excellent Canadian in 1954, the primary 12 months of that award, finally gained 4 Gray Cups and made the CFL Corridor of Fame … Nice to see Lanny McDonald nonetheless revelling within the position of chairman of the Corridor. Leaf followers will recall his well-known bushy pink moustache wasn’t a part of his early ‘70s profession in Toronto when crew decorum was nonetheless old-fashioned, however he grew it after liking the picture that Yankee pitcher Sparky Lyle projected on the mound together with his personal bristle.
Commercial 7
Article content material
THIS WEEK IN LEAFS HISTORY
Maple Leaf Gardens turned 92 this week. We occurred to move a historic plaque within the space that detailed how the mighty Eaton’s firm purchased a number of plots of land within the space within the Twenties as potential websites for its new megastore, together with Church and Carlton. When Eaton’s settled on the southwest nook of Yonge and School (it was going to be as enormous because the Royal York Resort), it bought the Church and Carlton website to Conn Smythe’s group. The inventory market crash and Despair severely curtailed plans for the Yonge – School location, at present a Winner’s retailer and the Carlu company occasion venue … The Leafs performed Detroit on Friday in Stockholm on the 1990 anniversary of present Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman scoring thrice on three pictures and including two assists in an 8-4 Wings’ win on the Gardens … Sunday will mark 40 years because the late Bruce Hood officiated his 1,000th recreation on the Gardens.
Have a query, remark or need to see a former Leaf featured? Drop a line to lhornby@postmedia.com.
Article content material
Share this text in your social community
