While I am sure the focus of many Toronto-and-the-surrounding-area residents has been the extreme heat as of late, it was much to my delight when a hockey related story made the news.

The Leafs (of the Toronto Maple variety) signed a new captain.

Dion Phaneuf was officially named the 18th captain of the team in June.

A young, hard working defenseman hailing from Edmonton, he has played alongside one of the best during his NHL career (Iginla).
Toronto desperately needed someone’s sweater to stitch the ‘C’ onto, and Coach Wilson’s choice is both promising and inspiring. Since Mats Sundin’s departure in 2008, the team has had a ‘lost at sea’ aura with no defined leadership and not near enough heart.

Phaneuf is a real (excuse the term!) team player, already said to be a huge motivating factor in the dressing room and on ice. He has passion for the game, talent on the rink and a fan’s adoration for the Blue and White.

Since entering the league Phaneuf leads all NHL defencemen in goals (76), power-play goals (48), game-winning goals (21) and shots (1,233).

Here’s hoping he can stand the love-hate relationship the Leaf fans have for the team. (None of us are very good at standing by our men in this respect, for better or worse is not the consensus around here!)

Here’s also hoping that he can assist in getting every player working together and showcasing talent instead of faltering.

The immense pressure by the fans will be his biggest potential stumbling block, but with his record and mindset he shows great promise in getting things in order for Toronto.

So as we hoist the cold beverages to our faces to help combat heat, any Leafs fan can tell you there’s only one thing on everyone’s mind – when will we get the chance to hoist The Cup again?

After a lovely Olympic interlude (and the opportunity to let the Leafs poor season fade into the background) where Canada were hockey’s best, I think Greater Ontario is ready to enjoy the summer and keep this little glimmer of hope for the start of the season…

The Chicago Blackhawks finally got rid of the most unwanted record in ice hockey by winning the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1961.

It was the longest run without lifting the famous trophy in the history of the game in the US. That record now passes to my favourite team in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have failed to win a Stanley Cup since 1967.

The Blackhawks won the best of seven game series 4-2 after a tense 4-3 win in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia. The Conn Smythe Trophy for Most Valuable Player rightly went to Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who scored seven goals and provided 22 assists in the play-offs, including one for Chicago’s opener in last night’s game.

Despite being one of the most famous names in hockey, up there with the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago haven’t made much of an impact on the Stanley Cup. They will be glad to get that monkey off their back.

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs will now be desperate to pass the mantle on to the Boston Bruins whose last Stanley Cup victory was in 1972. They have their work cut out, however, as their form and performances in recent seasons has been poor.

They finished last in the North East Division and the Eastern Conference with a record of 30 wins and 38 losses, conceding 268 goals in the process, scoring just 214.

In contrast, the Blackhawks finished second to San Jose in the Western Conference winning 52, losing 22 and scoring 271, conceding 209. The gap is, in hockey terms, massive.

Chicago’s opponents in the Stanley Cup final, the Philadelphia Flyers, had overcome a three game deficit to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semi finals to progress but for them there was no fairytale ending.

Congratulations to the Blackhawks. I’ll leave the last word to MVP Toews:

“Oh my God, it’s like that commercial. I’m speechless. This team put on one heck of a run. We knew from Day 1 of this season we had the potential to do it. And to realize our goal, it’s an amazing feeling. There’s so many great things about winning a Stanley Cup. This is it. This is the best feeling you can ever get playing hockey, and I just can’t believe it’s happening.”

What can we all look forward to this weekend in the world of sport? Here’s our weekly round-up of what we’ll be checking in on.

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