Kevin Lowe was a key part of the Edmonton Oilers who won the Stanley Cup five times from 1984 to 1990. He has been eligible for the Hall of Fame for 20 years, but recently got some much-anticipated recognition for his incredible career in ten short days. Last week, he got to see his No. 4 jersey raised to the rafters in Rogers Place, Edmonton. Then, on Monday, he was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame after a two-decade wait.
During his career, Lowe was also recruited by the New York Rangers in the ’90s, when the team recruited several former Oilers players as part of their hunt for the Stanley Cup. The Rangers also succeeded in 1994, ending a 54-year drought, and many are of the opinion that the former Oilers’ players were a big part of that success because of the winning mentality they brought with them.
Today, there’s much talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs and their inability to win the Stanley Cup and end their drought. During Lowe’s Hall of Fame speech, he took the opportunity to torch the Leafs completely.
“Maybe the Leafs could use us,” he said, according to journalist Jim Matheson.
Maybe he’s right. One thing’s for sure, and that’s that the Toronto Maple Leafs could indeed do with a winning mentality.
