The big hockey story around here today is the leak to the Globe and Mail that some NHL governors would like to see a second NHL team in Toronto. Of course, Research in Motion CEO Jim Balsillie's name is getting tossed into the mix and there's chatter about moving a flailing franchise to Southern Ontario, a road we've been down before.
I think a second franchise in this market would thrive. There are more puck heads here than any other pocket of the Earth. Hell, we could probably support a couple more teams. The new team in this market would, however, be our red-headed step-child.
By that I mean the Leafs would always be glorified and beloved on a plateau the new team would never reach. There's too much history with the Leafs, too many of us have grown up enamoured by those uniforms and loyal to a fault. The new team would be loved, but the Leafs would be the local darlings.
That's not so bad. Even a red-headed step-child can be loved.
