2001-02-Toronto Maple Leafs Defeat the Ottawa Senators to Yet Again Reach the Conference Finals
As the Toronto Maple Leafs entered the Twenty-first Century, the team changed track and general manager Pat Quinn went about signing a number of veteran players who had been stars in the NHL during the 1980s and 90s, but were now admittedly a little long in the tooth.
Skill is skill nonetheless, and even players well into their thirties can rise to the occasion (see Jason Spezza this year).
Quinn had seen as a Maple Leaf player in the late 60s how the aging, but eminently solid Leafs defense core of Allan Stanley, Tim Horton, and Red Kelly had captured a Stanley Cup with support of the 40-plus-year-old Johnny Bower between the pipes.
By 2001-02, Quinn had acquired former NHL stars such as Gary Roberts, Shane Corson, Alexander Mogilny, Robert Reichel, and Mikael Renberg to provide support for current Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin, and make another run at a Stanley Cup Finals berth.
During the 01-02 regular season, the buds hit the 100 point mark for just the second time in club history and seemed well set for a good playoff run.
Quinn’s gamble on the aging stars seemed a good one as Mogilny, Reichel, Roberts and Renberg all scored near a point a game during the regular season.
In the playoffs, the Leafs defeated the New York Islanders in the first round and moved on to the Battle of Ontario versus the Ottawa Senators in round two.
A bitter series ensued that featured bad blood and a serious cheap shot check from behind by Daniel Alfreddson on Darcy Tucker. Throughout six games in the series, the teams were tied at three games a piece and were headed back to Air Canada Centre for a decisive game seven.
In game seven, Alexander Mogilny scored a pair of goals as the Leafs went on to a 4-1 victory in game seven for the right to meet the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference final.
Again, the Buds bowed out in the conference final, and they haven’t been back since.