Former Leafs captain brings a unique perspective to this year’s Battle of Ontario
Get the latest from Lance Hornby straight to your inbox
Ottawa Senators’ Nick Jensen (3) battles with Toronto Maple Leafs’ Pontus Holmberg (29) during Game 1. The Canadian Press
The Toronto Sun welcomes former Toronto captain and three-time 50-goal winger Rick Vaive for our 2025 Maple Leafs playoff coverage.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
- Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
- Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
- Enjoy additional articles per month
- Get email updates from your favourite authors
Don’t have an account? Create Account
I’m back as playoff columnist — and in a unique situation for this series.
I was born in Ottawa, wore the ‘C’ for the Leafs, my father was a Montreal fan and now I’m covering The Battle of Ontario. Do I have conflicting loyalties here? Not really.
Dad — whose name is Claude — was from Gatineau and worked for Dominion Bridge, but we moved away when I was 8. My one childhood memory was that our house was near a dangerous part of the Ottawa River. He and my Mom, Mary, were always warning me ‘don’t go down there alone’.”
The good part was that around our four-plex, dad talked the other parents into making a common backyard rink on our properties. He was really good at it, with lights and everything. That’s where I first learned to be a good skater before he had a work accident and took another new job in Amherst, N.S.
Your noon-hour look at what’s happening in Toronto and beyond.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
When I made the NHL with the Leafs he was still a Habs’ guy. If we played them, he always wanted me to score two, but for Toronto to lose.
I’ve followed the rise of the Senators this year and know they beat Toronto three times in regular season. In saying that, wow, were they ever undisciplined in Game 1. Maybe it was over-excitement about being back in playoffs, but 36 minutes in penalties and giving Toronto six power plays is really going to hurt you.
I attended Sunday and must say I’ve never seen Scotiabank Arena like that, so loud with the crowd so engaged. That certainly helped the Leafs play such a solid game all around, their goaltending with Anthony Stolarz being good when he had to be, good defence and of course, all the scoring.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Their three power-play goals were all off winning the draws and if you kept track, they were pretty good in that department all season. They can roll out four solid centremen, and used mostly John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Scott Laughton to go 56%.
Ottawa did out-hit them 56-30, so if I’m Travis Green and looking for positives, I’m going to remind my team of that before Game 2. But the lesson would be mainly ‘hey, we played a certain aggressive style to get this far. Now it’s playoffs and we have to stay disciplined’.
When I was playing at this time of year, we didn’t get today’s directives from an officiating supervisor before each series about what was going to be called more closely. You just knew when not to cross the line.
It got a little chippy at the end on Sunday, maybe Ottawa trying to send a message for Game 2. That’s another big part of playoffs, because if this series goes five or six games, that stuff is going to wear on Toronto.
But Ottawa has to win one first.
Vaive played 16 NHL and WHA seasons and is the author of Catch 22: My Battles in Hockey and Life. He can be heard on Squid and The Ultimate Leafs Fan podcast with Mike Wilson and special guests.
