Did Gilmour ask to be traded?
- Thread starter therealkoho
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Pierre Gotye
Registered User
No he didn't want to be traded out of Toronto.
The Leafs were in a re-building phase, and his production and impact had leveled off as the Leafs were struggling.
The thinking was moving Gilmour would help set the franchise in a new direction. The Devils were competitive looking to get to the next level at that time and Gilmour made sense for them. They also had assets they could pawn off the Leafs were looking to add. Jason Smith on the blueline, Steve Sullivan and Alyn McCauley, as the Leafs added in Dave Ellett who was also an aging vet.
The Leafs were in a re-building phase, and his production and impact had leveled off as the Leafs were struggling.
The thinking was moving Gilmour would help set the franchise in a new direction. The Devils were competitive looking to get to the next level at that time and Gilmour made sense for them. They also had assets they could pawn off the Leafs were looking to add. Jason Smith on the blueline, Steve Sullivan and Alyn McCauley, as the Leafs added in Dave Ellett who was also an aging vet.
I don't remember anything about Gilmour asking for a trade at the time but I could be wrong. I remember thinking that he may go but still being surprised when he was moved. I also remember that the "Royal Canadian Air Farce" had a very clever clip with regards to the trade. I don't remember it word for word, but it was something along the lines of "the Leafs traded their Captain today because he was going against the team's "Grand Strategy"...he was scoring"...I could not decide whether to laugh or cry when I heard that joke.
ULF_55
Moderator
It wasn't the best divorce and there was talk of quitting and then IIRC Watters threw some dirt around.
Who knows, the winners usually dictate how history is written.
I seem to recall hearing that he desperately wanted out of Toronto because of the new cheaper direction the Leafs were going in.
I've got to admit that I probably want to believe the Gilmour wanting out story simply because it means that one can say that Leaf fans worship the captain who wanted out (Gilmour) while villifying the captain who wanted to stay (Sundin).
therealkoho
Him/Leaf/fan
not talking about quitting.....although to be clear I think thats horse-puckey
The story concerned Gilmour going to management and asking to be traded in order to save Cliff Fletchers job
I find the notion prepostorous tbh
The way I remember it is that they made the trade and then told him(which peeved him off) rather then asking him for input about where he'd like to end up
I've heard mention of this quite a few times over the years. I was too young to remember the details of his trade, but I have always lived under the impression that he wanted to leave. And like rojac, I can see the hilarity in that given the way Gilmour is treated versus how Sundin is treated. Frankly, I love Dougie but see absolutely no reason for the borderline cult following he has with Leafs nation.
Leaf4Life
Registered User
- Feb 8, 2010
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Maybe it has to do with the fact that Gilmour was the first captain in ages to virtually carry the team on his back to the cup finals (if it wasn't for getting robbed against LA). Sundin never did that.
But I guess you were "too young" to appreciate what he did for the team.
I believe Doug said in an interview later on that he went to Cliff and said if he can use him to bring in some other pieces and make life easier for Cliff that he wouldn't have a problem with it.
Doug gave his all as a Leaf and put us back on the map. It's too bad Stavro and Co. couldn't just leave well enough alone because I believe Cliff could have made it work. In the end we got Sullivan and Smith which numb nuts Quinn completely mishandled. He traded away Smith for peanuts and later on they were always looking for a stay at home d-man. He had a nice stint in Edm and became their captain for a while. I still can't believe with all the talent Sully had that he waived him. I wasn't impressed at all with his asset management back then. He made more bonehead trades than good ones but did get a lot out of veterans.
Doug gave his all as a Leaf and put us back on the map. It's too bad Stavro and Co. couldn't just leave well enough alone because I believe Cliff could have made it work. In the end we got Sullivan and Smith which numb nuts Quinn completely mishandled. He traded away Smith for peanuts and later on they were always looking for a stay at home d-man. He had a nice stint in Edm and became their captain for a while. I still can't believe with all the talent Sully had that he waived him. I wasn't impressed at all with his asset management back then. He made more bonehead trades than good ones but did get a lot out of veterans.
therealkoho
Him/Leaf/fan
funny thing that, but I think Cherry has a lot to do with Dougs ascension to near saint-hood(leave that to the Habitaunts though they're just hockey players after all), he was a great player for the Leafs to be sure though.
The way I remember that trade is that Gilmour was quite angry that he'd been moved and not consulted nor fore-warned in any way that he was going to be leaving.
Why would he want to leave though, he was the toast of the town, Killers bar/roadhouse was doing an incredible amount of business all year round. The guy was living the dream, I just can't see him wanting to give that up for anything.........
Clark was the captain of those teams. The two playoff years that Gilmour was captain, the Leafs lost in the first round, then he was traded the following season and the Leafs missed the playoffs.
I wouldn't make it that trivial. They lost in the first round after being up 3-1 on Chi and than **** the bed. There were some great leaders on those teams and everyone knew their role.
King Mapes
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He wasn't captain but 93 must have been fun. Wish I was older (I was 6) for that whole year, was a great year for Toronto sports fans.
Damisoph
Registered User
- Jun 29, 2010
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Gilmour played at the highest level I've ever seen a Leaf play, in 1992-93 and 93-94. Sundin was a great player in his own right but no one ever mistook him for the best player in the league. A very good argument can be made that Gilmour was the best player in the NHL that year, 1992-93.
KuleminFan41
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2009
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This is absolutely ridiculous. No matter how you want to spin it, we lost to the Kings, it sucks but we lost. Don't try to say otherwise because you like Gilmour. I love him too but what you're saying is absurd.
Sundin never carried the team on his BACK for deep playoff runs? Goodness gracious this fan base. What do you call 1998-1999 when the Leafs went to the Conference Finals against Buffalo?What about 2001-2002 when they played Carolina in the conference finals? He went as far as Gilmour went with the team and he didn't have Wendel Clark,Dave Anderchyuk, or Nikolai Borschevsky
Sundin missed most of that playoff run with a broken wrist. He played 8 out of 20 playoff games that year.
15 OT GWGs... Most clutch player of all time?
Led the Leafs in points every year he was captain except for 1.
Conference finals trips? Just as far as Dougie ever got??
Ya... Mats was pretty good.
Led the Leafs in points every year he was captain except for 1.
Conference finals trips? Just as far as Dougie ever got??
Ya... Mats was pretty good.
Derek Synak
Registered User
I was about 16 at the time and remember hearing he asked for a trade. Sullivan and Smyth both turned out to be very good NHLer's and McCauley was okay but would've beeen better had it not been for concussions.
As for the Gilmour vs Sundin Leafs, Gilmour had the fans off their seats every time he had the puck, and created a scoring chance...no Knock on Sundin but Gilmour was a more electric player and carried the team better.
As for the Gilmour vs Sundin Leafs, Gilmour had the fans off their seats every time he had the puck, and created a scoring chance...no Knock on Sundin but Gilmour was a more electric player and carried the team better.
ULF_55
Moderator
He was a shooting star for the Leafs for a couple seasons. (not a shooting star as in ice hockey shooting but in brightness)
He was otherwise good.
King Mapes
Sub to My YouTube Blocks_4_days
Roberts was the reason for the 2002 run iirc, as Mats was out. I'm a big Mats fan, just pointing it out. Though in 2002 he scored what could have been one of the biggest goals for the Leafs since '67. Game 6, down 1-0 in the dying seconds (21 left I think). Too bad we lost in overtime.
I still remember the call "don't go anywhere!!! The Maple Leafs aren't!!!"
I never jumped so high
Most clutch player in history is a massive stretch.
