Harold Ballard made hockey in Toronto interesting during his reign of terror from the late 1960s until his death in 1990, but for all the wrong reasons. With bad trades, worse drafts, and head-scratching personnel decisions (bringing back Punch Imlach as GM in 1980, stripping Darryl Sittler of the captaincy, John Brophy as head coach), the Maple Leafs transformed themselves from powerhouse to hockey's answer to today's Pittsburgh Pirates.
Imagine for a moment that Ballard managed to beat his illness that would claim his life. What would the Maple Leafs be today? Would Mats Sundin even be in the organization, let alone captain? Would there have been spirited playoff runs in 1993 and 1994? Hell, would there even have been an Air Canada Center?
2007-09-05 17:07:10 · 6 answers · asked by Snoop 5 in Sports ➔ Hockey
How would this sound? Ballard pulling a Art Modell and actually moving the Maple Leafs? I wouldn't have put it past him, especially all those years pissing off the fan base.
2007-09-05 17:08:50 · update #1
Great question!
First, Harold Ballard was one of the nicest men you could have met, and most people will say that about him.
Running a hockey team................not his forte.
Had he not died, and still ran the Leafs, they would be the laughingstock of the league.
He was a huge fan of Borje Salming, but hated all other Europeans, so I doubt that Sundin would have ever been a Leaf (or that Wendel Clark would have been traded for him)
The playoff runs were the work of Cliff Fletcher, who was hired by Ballard's estate. So, he may still have been hired, and therefore the Calgary trade would have happened and the playoff runs may have happened.
There would be an Air Canada Center, it was paid for by the Toronto Raptors and the Bank of Nova Scotia. It was started several months before the negotiations started to join the Raptors and Leafs into a single entity.
2007-09-05 17:17:49 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The ML fans would have killed Ballard by now if he was still owning the team. He based his entire hockey forte on gut feeling, not hockey acumen. This current team would not even exist if Ballard was around. He wanted players that would bend over and take it for the team. This current Leafs team lacks that the fortitude with the exception of Sundin (who almost left) and the new kid, Newbury. And they would still be playing at the Gardens. When Ballard died, old time hockey in Toronto died with him. The Sittlers, Williams, Salmings and Turnbulls of that era gave way to build the playoff teams that brought Gilmour to the limelight. The Leafs will be back but within time to the limelight that everyone in the NHL expects.
2007-09-05 18:58:23 · answer #2 · answered by mules642001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know some people who worked for Ballard in other businesses he owned or partnered in and they thought he was an absolutely great guy. A little inconsistant maybe. He did alright for a barefoot newspaper vendor as a kid during the depression era.
He had a tremendous desire to win the S/C, thought he could do it wihtout sacrificing profit, or outside interferance.
I'm pretty sure he was the role model for every sports team owner portrayed by Hollywood.
What would they look like today? Still playing at Maple Leaf Gardens, no Cap'n Matts although I think he'd like Sundin, he would never have let Wendel Clark go to Quebec to get him. Doug Gilmore would still be with the team, assuming that deal still goes through.
Bottom line is, we'd have a hockey team with middle of the road talent to which you could never buy a ticket. hmmm.
2007-09-06 03:49:41 · answer #3 · answered by cme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dag, the thought of the Maple Leafs moving shook me awake this morning. I'm an old man, I should be careful.
I'm on the fence about Mr. Ballard. He did provide the Sittlers, Turnbulls, Keons, Salmings, Hammarstroms, MacDonalds that gave my Flyers fits in the mid to late 70's.
On the other hand, they still didn't win the Cup MORE OFTEN during his tenure.
2007-09-06 00:32:54 · answer #4 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh wow! Where do you come up with this stuff man!?
TML would be a whole different team from what we see today. They probably wouldnt still be in Toronto and I think its safe to say the Leafs could have very high potential for a Stanley Cup.
Move them to PORTLAND! Thats what they wanted to do with Buffalo when they sucked for so many years!
2007-09-05 17:51:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would love to answer this.. but ive never even heard of the guy..
Yeah thats right! you should all feel old! xD
2007-09-06 05:09:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋