Where else can you get comments from Matt Murray to Sprague Cleghorn? Only with me kids! And I'm heading back to PEI! Buckle up!!

Some hockey thoughts

I love the move by the Sens to unload Matt Murray. The majority of that contract is gone and you remove a disgruntled player. Always a bit risky sending anybody to an opponent that you will face multiple times in the regular season and potentially at some point a playoff series but for now, removing his money, his attitude and his broken body was paramount. That along with the Debrincat acquisition adds up to a good few days for Pierre Dorion.

Regardless, all of what he has done and will do before regular season games begin is moot in terms of his longevity. Another slow start or if they're languishing or not even in the hunt for a wild card spot by American Thanksgiving it's bye-bye Pierre. He knows it. We all know it. So he's doing his best and these moves are solid.

As for Toronto, it's hard to say what they're thinking here. Unless there is another move to come re a goaltender, unloading an oft injured Mrazek for an oft injured Murray doesn't add much. The Leafs find themselves in a usual spot. Usual by the last few years standard. They are explosive offensively but when push comes to shove they blow up on the back end, much of their vaunted regular season offense disappears when you need it most and the goaltending has not been good enough. None of that has been addressed as of yet. They will continue to be a playoff team and even if - and I believe this core will get a series win - even if that happens they are not destined for any type of lengthy playoff run. So we will see because if we think Dorion is on the hot seat here - wow- turn the dial up to 700* for Mr. Dubas.

As for Montreal, everything's coming up roses right now. Basking in the twilight of their run to the final, their covid and injury laden season now also behind them, an exciting first overall selection who is wowing fans and media alike and you have a fan base that are buying their 'hope' lottery tickets and looking toward the future with much anticipation.

Most Hab fans know, not all but most know that this team will be a bottom five all but assuredly next year and in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. For those unclear about the new 'Edmonton Oiler' rule- no team can select first overall more than twice in a five year span going forward. So conceivably Montreal could win the lottery next year and draft Bedard. Not a problem. And I think they have a good chance to be right there.

There are some variables that could tinker with that plan. If Kirby Dach resurfaces to the level he was at just prior to starting with Chicago; If Slafkovsky somehow makes the team out of camp and can score at the NHL level; if Cole Caufield produces all season as he did in the last third under Marty St. Louis and if their D and goaltending can shave .5 off of their GAA and add .1 to their save % - if -if - if, ya, I can't see it either.

Lots more to talk about re Montreal, I'll save that for my next Liam's Hockey video. Suffice to say the idiots online who want to give Josh Anderson away, those people are what ruin it for fan bases. Yes, we all have them but man on man, do they hit the bell at the circus every time in Montreal.

Side bar note- I return to PEI next week for my 18th visit in the last 11 years! Mill River, PEI to be exact for the Boys and Girls club extravaganza, myself and 50 of your favourite celebrities including the likes of Bobby Hull, Larry Robinson, Pete Mahovlich, Gerry Cheevers, the aforementioned Josh Anderson, Dion Phaneuf, Dennis Maruk, Doug Maclean, Forbie Kennedy, Lori Kane and of course the one and only, Billy McGuigan!!! Among many others! What a rip it's gonna be and the best part, it's a direct flight, I don't have to go through Toronto!! lol..

Side bar note 2- tomorrow would have been my parents 64th wedding anniversary. I'll toast that thought - and my Dad's memory in the morning. If you knew my Dad, or know my mom, maybe give them a little thought tomorrow. It was a good day in Stoneham, Quebec on July 12, 1958. And yes, the irony of the date is not lost on me lol.

Side bar note 3 - a little hockey history!! My buddy James Laverance sends me great old pictures. He sent one recently of the late Sprague Cleghorn. Is there a better name in hockey history? I don't think so. Anyway, I wrote this back to James and if you like some old hockey names and give this a quick read. Cheers everybody! Slafkovsky....practice saying it folks.

You could make the case that Sprague Cleghorn possessed a combination of viciousness, toughness and skill unlike any other player in pro hockey history. As a college student in Toronto in 1983 I had occasion to interview King Clancy,. Foster Hewitt and Harold Ballard in one 30 day period at Maple Leaf Gardens. It seemed so normal then, it seems so unreal now. We got the interview with Harold Ballard because part of our camera crew was a man named Spider Jones, a mature student who returned to school after a life in the ring and some run-ins with the law. Ballard recognized him from the 'Friday Night Fights' at MLG so even though myself and our cameraman Rob Ritchie were 23 and 21 years old respectively we got carte blanche at MLG for the 1982/83 hockey season. So we interviewed Ballard, then Foster and then finally King.

My very first question to King was, what do you remember of Sprague Cleghorn? Keep in mind I was 23, looked 15, he knew we were college kids and that was the absolute last name he was expecting to come out of my mouth. His eyes got as wide as saucers and he exhaled deeply and stood back from me like he'd been shot. He said, 'son...how do you know that name?' I proceeded to tell him of my love of the history of the game. I offered up some similar names as proof of my knowledge of that era and then he pushed his fedora back on his head and came up to my microphone and proceeded to tell me about what it was like to play with and against Sprague Cleghorn.

I'll finish on this note. I thought King made a great point. He said Sprague's first coach - on the Renfrew team ( Creamery Kings) the photo you have provided here James, his coach was Alf Smith who was nuts as a player himself. Long before the six Sutter brothers there were 7 Smiths who all played at various levels. Alf was fined, suspended, arrested, - he was Sprague's influence, according to King. King also said that the Cleghorn/Coutu D pairing in Boston were suicidal and you risked your life taking either of them on in the corner and that it was Sprague who really fueled Billy in that final playoff game of 1927 where he struck both officials leading to his lifetime suspension. King finished by saying that what Sprague did for Eddie Shore as a mentor was exactly what Alf Smith had done 17 years earlier for Sprague albeit Sprague was still playing and was paired with Eddie for a bit.. Anyway....this pic brought that memory back of King and I at Maple Leaf Gardens 39 years ago.

pics Sprague Cleghorn with the Renfrew Creamery Kings. ( the Millionaires nickname was not their official name. They were called that because of the salaries the players made including 5000 dollars to Cyclone Taylor for a twelve game regular season...in 1910)

-my parents on their wedding day....a Hollywood shot if there ever was one....

-this pic blew up twitter today. Slafkovsky and Marie-Philp Poulin who has been hired by the Habs.