Former Maple Leaf Bryan McCabe blames Leafs fans for having one of the worst years of his life
Former Toronto defenseman Bryan McCabe blames Leafs fans for having one of the worst years of his life during his last season with the team.
Bryan McCabe has been part of the NHL for nearly 30 years, combining his experience as both a player and an executive.
Over the past decade, he has served in the Florida Panthers' front office, a team he also played for between 2008 and 2011, following his stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On an appearance with the Spittin' Chiclets podcast, Bryan McCabe reflected on his time with the Leafs and called his final season with the team the toughest of his career.
He was quite candid, saying that a lot of his struggle had to do with the reaction from the fanbase.
«It was game seven of the regular season. I started to sense at the end of that last year, that they were starting to turn a little because we missed the playoffs again and the next year it hadn't happened yet.
«Then we're in Buffalo in overtime, it's a 4-on-3 power-play for them. There's four seconds left and 'Razor' [Andrew Raycroft] stops the puck.
«He comes to me at the front of the net and I'm boxing my guy out. I'm trying to whack it in the corner, and I catch it just right and hit both posts and I score the overtime-winning goal on my own team!
«But as soon as it happened, I was on the front page of The Sun for three days, my wife still has the posting it says 'Bryan McKlutz'.
«Then every time I went to touch the puck, the boo birds came out. It was misery; it sucked the life out of me.»
«Then we're in Buffalo in overtime, it's a 4-on-3 power-play for them. There's four seconds left and 'Razor' [Andrew Raycroft] stops the puck.
«He comes to me at the front of the net and I'm boxing my guy out. I'm trying to whack it in the corner, and I catch it just right and hit both posts and I score the overtime-winning goal on my own team!
«But as soon as it happened, I was on the front page of The Sun for three days, my wife still has the posting it says 'Bryan McKlutz'.
«Then every time I went to touch the puck, the boo birds came out. It was misery; it sucked the life out of me.»
The former star defenseman said his tenure with Toronto ended on a sour note, largely due to the negative reception he received from fans while on the ice.
It's understandable when mistakes in a game frustratingly get on the nerves of any fan, but still, one should not forget what McCabe meant to the franchise.
Having played 523 games for the Leafs over eight seasons, McCabe notched 83 goals and 214 assists. Despite such a performance on the ice, it is a pity that the bright memory of his years in Toronto is colored with negative emotions.
On a brighter note, McCabe recently reached the pinnacle of success as the Panthers' Director of Player Personnel helping the team capture the Stanley Cup this past summer.
| POLL | ||
Do you believe Leafs fans gave Bryan McCabe a hard time? | ||
| Yes | 41 | 80.4 % |
| No | 10 | 19.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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