Déjà Vu All Over Again?

Not sure if it will turn out to be déjà vu all over again, but the Toronto Marlies successful run in the Calder Cup Playoffs is rather reminiscent of the 1991-92 St. John's Maple Leafs. 

That year, coached by Marc Crawford and assisted by Joel Quennville, the Baby Leafs went to Game 7 of the Final behind the stellar goalkeeping of Felix Potvin before losing to the Adirondack Red Wings, the farm club of the Detroit Red Wings.

The day of that seventh and deciding game was a big one for the Leafs front office. General Manager Cliff Fletcher shocked Toronto hockey fans by announcing the hiring of Pat Burns as the team's new head coach replacing Tom Watt.  Burns had not been renewed by the Montreal Canadiens. 

After the press conference at Maple Leaf Gardens I was fortunate enough to be invited up to Cliff’s office to watch the AHL final on television with the new head coach.

Ironically Joel Quennville is once again available, and it would not surprise me one bit if the former Toronto first-round draft pick out of his hometown of Windsor is the Leafs new bench boss come September.