3 Players on Both Sides of the Canadiens-Maple Leafs Rivalry

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens in particular have a rich history together among the Original Six teams. How could it be any other way? The two teams have been together for more than a century, and their paths have crossed more times than NHL fans have jeered Gary Bettman. Over a hundred players have participated in the rivalry over the years, and at least one of them refused to play for the Maple Leafs.During the 2014 Draft, Josh Gorges blocked a trade from the Canadiens to the Maple Leafs, citing the following rationale:

I just stated, “I’m a player with heart and soul.” I have to play and commit with all of my heart if I want to be good at this level. Gorges stated following practice at First Niagara Centre on Wednesday in an interview with The Canadian Press. Additionally, I didn’t think it would have been fair to them after playing against them for so long as our main competitor. They wouldn’t have expected me to be the same player that I was.

Here are three players from the modern age who went behind enemy lines with ease.

The Forward With Power: Shayne Corson

If not for an injury he sustained in his final junior game, Shayne Corson, who the Canadiens selected eighth overall in the 1984 Draft, would have been a member of their 1986 Stanley Cup-winning squad.He said on the Sick Podcast that Andre Boudrias, the assistant general manager of the Canadiens at the time, had already purchased his plane ticket for him to come play for the organization. Before being a part of the trade that sent Vincent Damphousse to Montreal, he would play for the Canadiens for over seven seasons. He came extremely close to missing the last two Cups won by the Canadiens.

After serving as the team’s captain for a period, George Burnett, the coach at the time, relieved him of the position. Curtis Joseph signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Blues at the end of the season, and the Oilers were compensated for the rights to him. After that, the Blues traded Craig Conroy, Rory Fitzpatrick, and Pierre Turgeon to the Canadiens. Before deciding to become a free agent and sign with the Maple Leafs, he would spend three and a half years in Montreal.

Corson signed with the team he loved as a child, the team his dad thought he would play for one day, despite having played for the Canadiens for 11 years. Regretfully, the Toronto deal was signed too late to allow his father to witness the realization of his ambition; he passed away suddenly from cancer in 1993. Despite receiving a higher financial offer from the Philadelphia Flyers, he nevertheless accepted the Maple Leafs’ offer to sign.

Mike Komisarek, the Trap

For six seasons, Mike Komisarek appeared to be a very good defenseman for the Canadiens. So much so that the Leafs signed the alternate captain, who had been with the Canadiens for five years and $21.5 million, away from them in 2009 when he became an unrestricted free agent.

Then, Komisarek was a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails defenceman who Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burked admired, but the signing of the player backfired tragically. The blueliner was a victim of injuries in Toronto, which kept him from playing with the ferocity Burke had originally desired.

When Toronto chose to buy Komisarek out after three seasons and four games, everyone in Montreal laughed. No, not because the competitors had to part with some of their enormous sum of money; rather, because, in the words of the brilliant Eric Engels:

And Mike Komisarek came up after that. Markov would be the first to admit that playing with the 6-foot, 200-pound Russian was the main factor in his success in wrangling a five-year, $21.5-million contract from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2009. His stay-at-home bruising style was the ideal complement to his puck-moving, rush-joining, and pinching methods.

Then, it became evident to all Montreal supporters that Komisarek was now better off with Andrei Markov; without him, he swiftly vanished from view. Another reason for Komisarek’s bad performance in Toronto could have been his brutally destructive clashes with Milan Lucic—at least, that’s what Boston Bruins supporters like to think.

Max Domi is the Heir.

Although his father, Tie, terrified opponents left, right, and center in NHL arenas, Max Domi was born and bred in Toronto. Domi had unrestricted access to the Maple Leafs organization due to his father’s status as a player, and he frequently spent time in the locker room with his father’s friends and teammates:

The guys were incredibly giving with their time. Whenever Bryan McCabe would stop by where I was seated, he would always make me laugh with a joke. Tomas Kaberle would constantly pause and inquire about my well-being. Every time I visited Wade Belak, he was a giving, compassionate individual who was a gentle giant who constantly inquired about my family. Since Matt Stajan was one of the team’s younger players, I was able to relate to him better and appreciated his style of play.

I received an autographed photo from Curtis Joseph one day, which I hung on the wall of my bedroom right away. The signature read, “To Max, best wishes.” Joseph Curtis. PS: You are still unable to grade me. […]

Even if those men were outstanding, there’s no denying that Mats Sundin had the most impact on me in my formative years. […] He inquired, “How’s your season going?” one day. “Everything is good with us.””Getting lots of goals?” Sort of. However, I prefer passing over shooting. Mats grinned. It’s a wise inclination to have. Even more satisfying than netting a goal is a well-made pass. But keep in mind that occasionally the goalie can be waiting for you to pass, so you might have to shoot the puck instead. (from Simon & Schuster, “Max Domi – No Days Off,” pp. 9–10)

What a wonderful upbringing to be a Maple Leaf! But occasionally, destiny sends you on an extremely exhilarating journey before putting you where you’ve always wanted to be. In Domi’s case, the journey began in Phoenix when the Coyotes selected him with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 Draft. He was traded to the Canadiens, an old rival, after his first three NHL seasons didn’t go as expected.

Unexpectedly, even his father Tie wore the Sainte-Flanelle at the Bell Centre following the trade:

Following his two seasons in Montreal, Domi signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets after being traded for Josh Anderson. He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes at the second-year trade deadline, so he wouldn’t finish in Ohio. The Chicago Blackhawks then traded him to the Dallas Stars at the next trade deadline after he signed a one-year contract with them as a free agent.

He ultimately signed a one-year contract with the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2023, having previously played for six different organizations. Despite having just 47 points at the end of the season, he played a bigger part in the team’s closing stretch and had excellent postseason play. Although he hasn’t signed a new contract yet, numerous sites have stated that Toronto is eager to do so. The Maple Leafs don’t need to search any farther for a player who genuinely wants to don their uniform. As I type these words, Domi is most likely waiting for their offer. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him have a career season if he is retained and deployed on the top line the next season. It was no accident that he finished his first season in Montreal with 72 points. Domi is a gifted player who just needs the ideal circumstances to fully realize his potential.

Though supporters of both teams fervently believe they represent Canada, it is indisputable that the Ontario-born population holds a greater affinity for the Maple Leafs. Do you believe they will eventually pursue Nick Suzuki, the captain of the Canadiens? More bizarre incidents have occurred.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE UPDATES