33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 1, 1987

Spring of 1987. The Maple Leafs went on an improbable playoff run. They got to within a game of meeting the mighty Edmonton Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals. I was a 15 year-old hockey mad kid enjoying the fortunes of my favourite team. What better time than now to look back at this memorable time of my youth and Leafs history.
"I'm not concerned with whether Minnesota wins or loses. We can't rely on other teams. We have a chance to do it ourselves. We have control over our destiny." This was Leaf goaltender Ken Wregget assessing Toronto's playoff prospects. On this day, Minnesota and Chicago played to a 4-4 draw placing them both two points up on Toronto. The North Stars helped salvage a point, and their season by scoring two goals in the last four minutes at Chicago Stadium, Ron Wilson tied the match with a mere four seconds remaining. 
Wregget had started 15 of the last 16 games for the Leafs, compiling an 8-7-0 record, 4.02 GAA and .879 SavePct, all respectable numbers for the mid-1980's. John Brophy had already stated that Wregget will start both weekend games with Chicago. "The right team will show up Saturday", Brophy was quoted after practice at Maple Leaf Gardens, he continued, "I hope Chicago comes out and starts banging us around. It'll wake us up. They're not too big for us. Nobody in the league is too big for us when we want to play that way." Brophy concluded with, "In big games, the great players come to the top and I'm certainly looking for that to happen. Anybody in the NHL is not going to lay down at a timeline this or they wouldn't be in the National league.
Speaking of 'great players coming to the top', yesterday I mentioned the excitement my 15-year old self got from watching Russ Courtnall and how he represented a bright future for my favourite team. I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the other shining beacon for the future of the Leafs, Wendel Clark. In 85/86, Clark finished second to Gary Suter in Calder Trophy voting for rookie of the year. I remember as a kid being disappointed that one of my Leafs missed out on a major award, we didn't win many back then (still don't). Clark's 71 goals over his first two seasons was the most ever by a Maple Leaf, by far. Gaye Stewart had 61 his first two seasons, scoring 37 in his second year of 1945/46. Those 37 goals, topped the NHL that year leaving Stewart as the last Leaf to lead the League in goals over a season. Clark's record stood until only two years ago when Auston Matthews scored 74 goals over his first two seasons.
In 1986/87, Clark also topped the Leafs with 37 goals while playing in all 80 games of the season. This, unfortunately was the ONLY season of his career he would play every game. Mainly back and knee injuries began to derail his playing time, but not his effectiveness. 
Over the next three seasons COMBINED, Clark totalled 81 games. Over this time he produced 37 goals, 23 assists and 60 points...his exact totals from 1986/87. From 1990 to 1994, Clark played 236 games for Toronto, an average of 59 per season and still produced 100 goals or 25 per season. Of course Wendel was traded to Quebec in the summer of 1994, a trade which netted Toronto Mats Sundin. Clark would return not once, but twice more to Toronto before retiring at age 33 in 2000. His 260 goals as a Maple Leaf rank 8th in franchise history. 

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