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Leiweke wants to be a ‘hero’ in Toronto

Tim Leiweke

You could practically hear the snickering when new MLSE president Tim Leiweke proclaimed earlier this week that he’d already planned the parade route for when the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.

It was a bold statement made even bolder by the fact the Leafs haven’t even been to the Cup final, let alone won it, since 1967, which just so happened to be the last year the NHL was comprised of only six teams.

Leiweke’s confidence also conjured up memories of another MLSE executive who once talked a big game.

Remember this? “The guy that turns this team around and wins a championship here, they’re going to name schools after him.”

That was Brian Burke back in 2008 when he was hired as the Leafs’ president and general manager.

Burke, of course, no longer has that job. But that hasn’t stopped Leiweke from making similar statements.

“The idea of winning is very intriguing because whoever does do that here is going to be a hero,” he said in an interview with the Toronto Star.

Granted, we’re not sure if anyone would actually consider Leiweke a “hero” if the Leafs (or the Raptors, or Toronto FC) won it all, especially given his role is more to do with business than player personnel.

But we suppose if it’s true that winning starts at the top, Leiweke will deserve credit, as he received in Los Angeles when the Kings won the Cup in 2012.

PS -- Leiweke also said if James Reimer is anything like Jonathan Bernier, the Leafs “have the best tandem of goalkeepers in the NHL.” Which is another pretty bold statement considering those two goalies have combined to start just seven playoff games in their entire careers.