Wendel Clark has just started discussing his confidence in Luke Schenn when a roar interrupts the conversation.
We are standing in the corridor outside the Maple Leafs dressing room, just minutes after he and Russ Courtnall had dropped the ceremonial opening faceoff as part of '80s Night at the Air Canada Centre.
Now, as he hears the crowd buzzing inside, Clark does not notice a sound he hopes would accompany the cheers.
"No horn," he says. "Calgary goal."
Less than a minute later, the fans stir once again.
Clark pauses. No horn again. Flames 2, Leafs 0 after just 97 seconds of play.
If they wanted Wendel to Remember The '80s -- considered by some to be one of the darker periods in Maple Leafs history -- these modern- day Leafs were doing a good job emulating those teams of two decades earlier.
All the while, you knew ... you just knew ... that panic was oozing throughout Leafs Nation.
The pananoia mushroomed Friday night in Chicago when young Schenn, in perhaps the worst highlight-reel gaff of his infant NHL career, was stripped from behind of the puck and his dignity by the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane who immediately scored the opening goal in a 3-2 Hawks victory.
It ballooned even more last night when Jonas (The Monster) Gustavsson was beaten three times on five shots, including those two early ones that rudely disrupted Wendel's interview.
To recap:
First it was Schenn, who some already have called the "captain of the future," producing a monumental screwup that reflects the struggles of his sophomore campaign.
MONSTER ORDINARY
Less than 24 hours later, it was Gustavsson, the so-called "goaltending saviour," looking less-than-ordinary for a second consecutive outing.
Relax. What Schenn and Gustavsson are experiencing is known in the hockey world as growing pains. These warts are commonplace.
And, despite Brian Burke's off-season statement that his team's goal was to make the postseason, this is a rebuilding team. Let's make that perfectly clear.
Clark knows perfectly well what these youngsters are going through.
Back in 1985, he, like Schenn, was a kid from Saskatchewan who was drafted early in the first round, in his case first overall.
Most fans choose to remember Wendel as this high-octane rookie who scored 34 goals and a few TKOs in his first season. At the same time, they seem to forget the problems Clark was going through.
Like the fact he was minus-27 during that 1985-86 campaign. And like the fact he was a collective minus-63 during his first three seasons.
Those numbers are about as ugly as the mangled faces of those who dared drop the gloves with Wendel during those early years.
"Luke has the makeup to get through this," Clark said. "He's not making excuses and he's owning up to the fact he's struggling. He's very accountable. That's what you like to see.
"He's still growing as a person and a player. I can relate. Especially in your second year. In your first year, there aren't nearly as many expectations."
As young players in the big city, both looked for guidance. During Clark's first season in Toronto, he resided with the family of teammate Peter Zezel. Schenn, meanwhile, spent part of his rookie campaign living with Brad May.
"I played forward, which is a lot easier," Clark said. "Defence, which is what Luke plays, is the hardest position to learn at this level."
Keep this in mind, too. Schenn just celebrated his 20th birthday on Nov. 2. As for Gustavsson, this was just his 10th career NHL appearance.
It's hard to have patience when your heroes haven't won a title in 42 years. But, in the case of these two future potential cornerstones of the franchise, you have to.
MIKE.ZEISBERGER@SUNMEDIA.CA
