Booking an All-Toronto Maple Leafs Celebrity Boxing Card

The Grudge Match

Shayne Corson vs Alexander Mogilny (both men as they were in 2003)

The year 2003 was significant in Maple Leafs history. The team was decent, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference setting them up to square off in the opening round of the playoffs with the fourth-place Philadelphia Flyers.

Things went as you’d expect. Toronto was defeated in the series in seven games but that’s not all they lost. The Leafs also saw Alexander Mogilny go down with a head injury in Game 3. Mogilny was the team’s best player at the time. Not having him in the lineup was devastating, especially since other important players were already sidelined with injuries. Nik Antropov had a broken foot, Travis Green had a rib cartilage fracture, and Doug Gilmour had a knee injury.

Even with all those hurt players, Shayne Corson was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. He was bitter about it and felt as though he was a distraction in an already divided dressing room. That’s why Corson decided to quit on his team. The hockey world was aghast at Corson’s mid-series resignation.

Corson blamed his defection on having anxiety and ulcerative colitis. Rumours were that Mogilny didn’t appreciate Corson quitting on the team.

Now, thanks to this boxing event, the 2003 version of both men have a chance to settle any animosity that may have existed at the time.

This match goes the distance with neither man besting the other. It doesn’t appear as though there is a clear winner. The judges agree and declare the match a draw. Unfortunately, the result doesn’t provide the closure that everyone involved was hoping for.