Gretzky, AHL glory crack top five
What are the top five Leafs games you’ve seen live? Let’s put a time restriction on this: 1970 until today. — Todd C. 1. My first as a kid remains special: The Leafs lost 2-1 to Vancouver (Feb. 3, 1973). Sitting in the greys in Maple Leaf Gardens. I believe Dunc Wilson was in net for the Canucks and I got excited when he got traded to the Leafs the next season, because he was the guy that beat the Leafs. (I’ve come to believe that’s how the Leafs scouted back then.) 2. First game I ever covered as a media member: Leafs-Wings exhibition game, 1989. Just sitting up in the pressbox with some writing heroes. I believe Daniel Marois had a big night. 3. I covered Game 7 of the 1993 playoffs, Leafs-Kings: Wayne Gretzky’s greatest game. I was a baseball writer then, called in for duty because the ramifications of the game were so high. Had the Leafs won, it would have been Leafs-Habs in the final and all hands would have been on deck for it. 4. For memories and talking points alone: Game 7, BostonToronto, in 2013. Oh my, take a breath and remember. The Bruins were heavily favoured, were supposed to take the series in no more than five, and it went to overtime in Game 7. And if a Bruins fan scoffs at you for that, remember the Bruins lost the Cup final to Chicago that year in similar fashion. 5. And I’m going to veer off but stay in the MLSE zone and take the Marlies’ Calder Cup victory in 2018. Lots from that team are on the Leafs now, and it was special to see a professional hockey championship awarded on Toronto ice. Here’s something that many Leaf fans want to know: Everyone recognizes that Joe Bowen is the absolute best play-byplay man doing Leafs games. Why doesn’t he ever do a Leaf game on TV? — Reid T. Bonsie is one of my favourites to chat with on the beat, as is colourman Jim Ralph, who might be the funniest person I know. (Don’t tell him I said that, it will only encourage him.) Bowen, you might remember, once did Leafs games on the regional Sportsnet feed. Back then, Dennis Beyak did radio play-by-play when Bowen was on TV. That all changed when Leafs ownership changed. With the parent companies of TSN and Sportsnet taking control (37.5 per cent each) it didn’t sit well with TSN that the radio voice of the Leafs ( Bowen) was on Sportsnet. After all, TSN was going to pick up half the radio broadcasts and couldn’t have a Sportsnet TV personality on. So now Bowen is the voice of the Leafs on radio while Sportsnet and TSN trot out their own talent for TV. We all miss our beloved Leafs during these tough times, but there are a few things that I don’t miss: I don’t miss watching William Nylander rapidly stickhandle the entire perimeter of the offensive zone before he makes a decision; I don’t miss that frustrating, timeconsuming drop pass that they love to do on the power play; and No. 1, I really, really don’t miss that goal song. — Dave W. The Mailbag will take more of what you miss, or don’t miss. Kind of fun, isn’t it. Share your memories, your hopes, what’s keeping you occupied.