When Cliff Fletcher took over as manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he vowed the team would look drastically different by the fall and it would be younger. Certainly a lot of changes have taken place with the departure of Belak, Kilger, Gill, Pohl, Raycroft, Wellwood, Tucker and mostly likely Sundin. But are the Leafs younger?
I worked out the average age of the Leafs on the day Fletcher took over in January and compared it to what I anticipate to be their roster when the season opens. I excluded McCabe from the roster, anticipating that Fletcher would be successful in trading him. I also didn't include Schenn who I expect to be returned to his Junior team in the fall. So in Janaury the team average age was 27.8. And today it is 27.6. That doesn't seem younger to me.
January roster
Sundin 36
Antropov 27
Ponikarovksy 27
Blake 34
Wellwood 24
Tucker 32
Stajan 24
Steen 23
Devereaux 29
Moore 27
Belak 31
Bell 27
Kilger 31
Tlusty 19
Pohl 28
Kaberle 29
Kubina 30
McCabe 32
Colaiacovo 24
White 23
Stralman 21
Gill 32
Raycroft 27
Toskala 30 ---avg. age 27.8
Current roster
Antropov 28
Ponikarovksy 28
Mayer 33
Kulemin 22
Stajan 24
Steen 24
Devereaux 30
Moore 27
Hagman 28
Bell 27
Grabovski 24
Tlusty 20
Kaberle 30
Kubina 31
Finger 27
Colaiacovo 25
White 24
Stralman 21
Kronwall 25
Joseph 41
Toskala 31 ---avg. age 27.6
12 years ago
