Babcock fondly recalls Bower

GLENDALE, ARIZONA— Mike Babcock is constantly being asked by Maple Leaf fans to have his picture taken with them.

But the Leafs coach is the one who asked Johnny Bower to pose for a photo with him.

The Kid and the Old Man, both raised in Saskatchewan, almost half a century apart.

“Scott Bowman just sent me a picture of Gordie Howe and Johnny at Waskesiu,” the Leaf bench boss was recounting here on Wednesday, referring to a provincial park where the pair of hockey legends often spent time together. “I knew of him before I was fortunate enough to become the Leafs coach but after I would see him around. For me, he is an example for all our players to try and live up to.”

Bower, arguably the most beloved of Leafs, passed away Tuesday following a brief illness, at the ripe age of 93, after a life lived long and well and, for nearly all his decades as a goaltender, maskless.

The homilies have been coming fondly and sincerely for the celebrated goalie who led Toronto to its last Stanley Cup in 1967, and three before that in the Leaf heyday era of the early 1960s.

Bower won 219 games for Toronto — second-most all-time — and was already somewhat long in the tooth when he arrived.

He was also among the sweetest of men, an ambassador for the franchise and an eternally impish reminder of when the Leafs were grand, endlessly optimistic they would be grand again.

“When you treat people the way he did and you make people feel better about themselves through conversation, that’s the mark of a great, great man,” Babcock said.

“He was an unbelievable goaltender and an unbelievable Leaf. But I think what he did off the ice for our fans and what he did for people was more impressive.

“I think it’s important for our guys to know about him.”