Ask and you Schenn receive

No pressure kid. It’s just that every John, Bill and Todd in Oakville, Newmarket and Milton is counting on you. We've been loyal fans after all. We've even subscribed to Leafs TV—Todd sometimes watches those Leafs classic games. There is a great game from ’77 against the North Stars when Sittler gets a hat-trick. Man, it brings back the memories. That was the year for Todd. He convinced Kristin—God, what was her last name again?—to go out with him and, well…good times, good times.

Of course you weren’t yet on the scene in 1977 Luke. A glimmer in your daddy’s eye, so they say. So, try not to concern yourself with the pressure we, Leafs Nation ™ are putting on your 18-year-old shoulders. We’re just kind of desperate here, you know. I mean if Cliff had convinced Mats to come back (at least he's not going to Montreal, eh? That would have been hard to take), or if Tucker we’re still around, then we’d have something more to look forward to.

We know that there are no guarantees in the NHL draft. For every Chris Pronger there is a Luke Richardson (and we’d actually take another Richardson, but we won’t admit that without a few beers in us). But, there has been so little hope to hope for lately that it’s all on you kid.

But, no pressure. We don’t mean to eat you alive. We don’t want to run you out of town—maybe booing you like we did Larry Murphy. We sure don’t want to watch you score an overtime winner against us for Columbus sometime in 2011. ‘Cause that would really suck.

We really do think it’s a great idea to have to stick from camp. To run you out there every night during this 72-point (if we are lucky) season. I’m sure you will learn the craft well on the wrong end of 7-2 losses to Ottawa. We won’t try to blame you. We won’t try to erode your confidence.

But, we can’t make any promises.

We Be-Leaf! Stanley here we come!!