The moment native son John Tavares stepped onto the Air Canada Centre ice surface for the pre-game warmup last night, the estimated 100 family and friends in attendance erupted in a collective cheer.
As for the other several thousand patrons in the rink, they could only dream of what No. 91 would have looked like in Maple Leafs' blue and white.
It's going to be that type of week for Maple Leafs fans, who will have the images of 'what might have been' thrust right in front of their faces.
Last night, they were forced to watch Tavares, the pride of Oakville and a longtime Leafs fan himself, take his place on the visitors bench.
If only the Leafs had tanked in the final two months last season, maybe Brian Burke would have ended up with the No.-1 pick at the 2009 June entry draft without having to try to trade for it.
Tomorrow night, in Tampa, the Leafs will find themselves lining up against Markham's Steven Stamkos, the 19-year-old phenom whose lifetime dream was to become a Leaf.
Once again, the Leafs won too much down the stretch to secure the first-overall pick in the 2008 draft.
To this day, the public whining over the lost opportunities to land Stamkos and Tavares remains strong and vocal, judging by the e-mails that continue to flow in to Sun Media.
Get over it, people.
It's time to leave the past in the past.
Besides, the Leafs have a young offensive stud of their own in Phil Kessel.
Yes, Burke may rue the day that he shipped two firsts and one second-rounder to the Boston Bruins to acquire Kessel, especially since his free-falling team is setting the table for B's GM Peter Chiarelli to end up with the top-overall pick in 2010.
Certainly there is reason to fret. Relinquishing the opportunity to land highly regarded junior prospects Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin will sting, especially if the Bruins take either one.
But lost in all this paranoia over the heavy price paid by Burke to land Kessel, is the remarkable on-ice performance of this offensively gifted 22-year-old.
Kessel scored the Leafs' first goal against the New York Islanders last night, giving him six goals in 10 games. Translate that over a full 82-game season and that puts him in the 50-goal range, a neighbourhood not visited by a Leaf since Dave Andreychuk potted 53 in 1993-94.
Unlike Andreychuk, Kessel does not have a Doug Gilmour setting him up. No offence to Matt Stajan or John Mitchell.
Critics suggest Kessel is not a true franchise player in that he allegedly does not necessarily make those around him better. If that's so, answer this: Who on the current Maple Leafs roster makes Phil Kessel better?
Remember, too, that Kessel did not play hockey for six months after undergoing shoulder surgery.
"I was winded after that one," a frustrated Kessel said after registering 12 shots in the Leafs' 4-3 overtime loss to the Isles.
MIKE.ZEISBERGER@SUNMEDIA.CA
