Joe Bowen recently reflected on the Toronto Maple Leafs being cheated out of an emotional return of Doug Gilmour. Their beloved former captain returned to the Maple Leafs in 2003 for a swan song Stanley Cup run, but it was not meant to be.
During the 2003 NHL season, the Leafs were eager to get over the hump and earn a Stanley Cup final berth. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in the previous season, where they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pat Quinn added plenty of veteran experience. He made a splash ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring Owen Nolan from the San Jose Sharks and Phil Housley from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bowen recalled the excitement surrounding the Leafs roster and Quinn hinting at a big move up his sleeve. That move ended up being the acquisition of Gilmour from the Montreal Canadiens for a sixth-round pick.
“Pat [Quinn] said, ‘We got another big one coming.’ Doug Gilmour was coming back to Toronto,” Bowen told The Game Plan. “We got cheated, absolutely cheated out of a wonderful night because he never did make it back to Toronto. His career ended the next night when he suffered a knee injury in Calgary.”
Maple Leafs’ Pat Quinn Shared Honest Take About Acquiring Doug Gilmour
Joe Bowen was on the call when Doug Gilmour‘s return was unfortunately cut short. He tore his ACL in his first game back with the franchise.
Before the game, Pat Quinn, who served as Leafs head coach and general manager, was honest with his expectations. Gilmour was at the tail end of his career and turning 40-years-old at the end of the season.
Speaking with reporters during a press conference following the trade deadline, Quinn explained what the Leafs were getting. He highlighted Gilmour’s competitiveness as a positive quality. However, he made it clear that the beloved former Leafs captain was obviously no longer the scorer he once was.
“We think [Gilmour] can still make a contribution,” Quinn said. “Is he the old Dougie? No, of course not but some parts of him are the old Dougie and that’s the competitive instinct he has and a good brain for holding the puck and working those little holes, and he’s done that for years.”
Gilmour Was Hopeful to Hoist Stanley Cup with the Leafs
Gilmour expressed his desire to finish his legendary career by hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs.
“I think as we all look at the big picture that I am kind of running out of time here and where I want to go and how I want to end my career, so this hopefully would be a positive side,” Gilmour told reporters after being acquired by the Maple Leafs. “If I can have the chance to do it one more time, it’d be awesome.”
Gilmour had previously won the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989. However, he was unable to get past the Conference Finals with the Maple Leafs.
Much like Joe Bowen, Leafs captain Mats Sundin was excited about Gilmour’s return at the time.
“[Gilmour’s] a guy that has had a lot of success in the playoffs before and he’s a warrior,” Sundin told reporters. “He’s a real team player, so he’s going to be a great addition for us. He brings a lot of experience on and off the ice.”
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