33 Years Ago in Leafland; April 20, 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.
"Just one more light practice to go," exclaimed Detroit goalie Greg Stefan, "We've had too long a layoff. We're anxious to get going." Stefan doesn't see this series being a short one as it was in the sweep against Chicago, "The Leafs are hungrier than the Blackhawks. They've got  a lot of ability on offence and it appears their series against St. Louis that they've improved on their defensive work."
Stefan played games 1, 2 and 4 against Chicago, allowing only one goal in each victory.
Wendel Clark revealed he had some broken bones in his knuckles that were aggravated in a first round fight against Blues Charlie Bourgeois. He said, "I can't afford to fight because of the hand. Unless, of course, the time comes when I have to." He originally injured the hand in a March 21 fight with Montreal's John Kordic, before re-injuring it with a right hook against Bourgeois in a game one tilt. Luckily the injury doesn't affect his shooting and passing, "I averaged a point-a-game after the injury, and I had lots of shots." He doesn't expect to have to resort to fighting against Detroit, "I don't think it will be as rough as people expect. It'll be hard hitting and close checking, but there won't be the fighting that people are anticipating." He added, "They're not much of a fighting team except Probert and Kocur." Although he has battled Probert many times, he hasn't tangled with Kocur, and according to Clark they never will. The two are cousins and neighbours in Kelvington, Saskatchewan. Clark said if they ever fought, "Our mothers would get after us."
John Brophy, on the other hand, figures there may be a few fights after all as he had tough guy Kevin Maguire skate with the main squad instead of the "Black Ace" Newmarket Saints contingent after the Leafs practice. He wouldn't commit to dressing Maguire for game one, likely in place of Ken Yaremchuk.

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