Maple Leafs: New regulations to allow 9,500 fans at pre-season game
The Ontario government is changing regulations that will allow the Maple Leafs to open their pre-season in front of a half-full Scotiabank Arena this weekend, according to sources.
Approximately 9,500 fans will be permitted for Saturday night’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Provincial regulations had previously limited the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Ottawa Senators to a maximum of 1,000 fans per event. That number is being increased to 50 per cent of building capacity, with an eye toward bumping the number of fans further over time if things progress well.
The Leafs and Raptors have already announced a policy that requires fans attending games this season to be vaccinated. Those with a verified medical exemption must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
News of fans returning to games will play well inside the Maple Leafs dressing room. They finished the 2019-20 season in a bubble and then played another 56 regularseason games last year inside empty arenas.
Leafs veteran Jason Spezza told reporters Thursday that the team misses the fans.
“It’s great to have people in the building,” Spezza said. “It gives you that extra juice with an 82-game season. It would be incredible to have people in the building. And I know my family and friends want to be back in the building cheering me on. And people around the city love hockey so much.
“We have some of the best fans in the world and we want them there with us. So I really hope we can get them in the building, whether it’s to start or not. But let’s get people in and let’s get the rink rocking again. Feels like the old days.”
The Leafs last played in front of a sold-out building on March 10, 2020 — drawing 19,124 fans at Scotiabank Arena for a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning two days before the NHL paused its season because of the pandemic. They were permitted to have 550 vaccinated health-care workers in the lower bowl for Game 7 of their first-round series against Montreal on May 31.