Krusher’s big heart keeps him coming back
Ex-NHLer Mike Krushelnyski reminisces the good old days for the Leafs and the Jays
The man who is affectionately called Krusher crumbles each year at the Joe Carter Classic.
“It’s the kids,” Canadian hockey icon and former Leaf Mike Krushelnyski says of the event highlight in the eight years he’s taken part. “It hits you right in the heart every year when they call them up to be honoured.”
Krushelnyski is one of the Joe Carter Classic originals and sounds a bit whimsical when asked why he keeps coming back. “We are all very lucky to be included, the city, the charities and myself,” he says.
“It’s an honour to be involved and we all owe a big thank you to Joe for continuing to do it.”
Krushelnyski and Carter first met when the Blue Jays and Maple Leafs were sharing the city’s sporting attention a quarter century ago. Back then, the two teams were the ying, to the other’s yang. After a couple of seasons of making the post season, Carter and the Jays first won the World Series in 1992.
Carter’s famous walk-off homer to win again was followed by a few months the Leafs making it to Game 7 of the conference final in 1993, before falling to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings, Krushelnyski’s former team.
He still marvels at the electricity that was in the air around Toronto between 1992 and 1994, starting with the Jays first World Series win and the Leafs second of two conference final showings.
“Both teams were able to generate quite a bit of excitement,” he says. “They got their World Series wins and we on the (hockey) side fell a bit short but those were great times.”
Earlier in his career, Krushelnyski won three Stanley Cups as a player — all with the Edmonton Oilers. He then won another as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings. Those championships were the highlight, but it was the width and breadth of Krushelnyski’s career that is almost as notable.
He was part of the Wayne Gretzky trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles, where he played two full seasons in Tinseltown before coming to Toronto.
The Joe Carter Classic is one of a couple dozen events he appears in every year as part of the NHL and Maple Leafs Alumni organizations. This one is one of his favourites. “I think that Joe does an excellent job with the charities and the sports celebrities he brings in, that’s really important for the people who are participating,” says Krushelnyski, referencing a time when he got to meet and play golf with Jim McMahon, the former Chicago Bears quarterback. “McMahon was a hero of mine.” Toronto continues to be home for Krushelnyski and his wife, Areta, with whom he’s raised two sons, Andrew and Alex, now in their 20s. He’s buoyed by the resurgence of the Leafs and the Jays together, in much the same way it was 25 years ago.
“It all starts with good management,” he says. “With the Leafs, they’ve been able to build with youth, and the young guys have been great and hopefully they can continue to be.
“Both teams have the tools you need to work with.”