2022

Half–a–Decade At Benjamin’s

TORONTO (Dec. 30) — I recently passed the five–year anniversary of my second career, as a funeral director’s assistant at Benjamin’s Park Memorial Chapel, a century–old family business on Steeles Ave., north of the city. You can likely imagine it… Read More

Burke Was Last of the Mohicans

TORONTO (Dec. 27) — Once upon a time, and for a long time, there was fiery, unfiltered opinion about hockey on Canadian television. That custom teetered the day Don Cherry was ousted by Rogers Communications (Nov. 11, 2019) and all–but… Read More

The Greatest Team — Ever?

TORONTO (Dec. 24) — With the National Hockey League pausing for the Christmas holiday break, there’s a potentially remarkable development at the top of the overall standings. And, it might include the Toronto Maple Leafs. Right now, it features the… Read More

The Sickest Industry

TORONTO (Dec. 22) — How heartening that Bell Media, in collective sincerity, “disciplined” another of its luminaries this week. Michael Melling, it was announced, would not return as an executive of CTV News. The former head of that division went… Read More

Eighteen Years… Three Sounds

TORONTO (Dec. 17) — I spent part of this morning watching a 90–minute documentary on the 1994 New York Rangers, the club that ended a 54–year Stanley Cup drought for Gotham. It brought to mind the privilege of being at… Read More

The Apathy of Success

TORONTO (Dec. 15) — It is so quiet right now in Leafs Land, you can hear a puck drop. The happy heroes of Hogtown have lost but one game in regulation over the past 34 nights. They stand third in… Read More

My Dave Keon Disappointment

TORONTO (Dec. 13) — While recalling, for this website, the life (and death) of Maple Leafs legend Borje Salming, I received near–unanimous cooperation from those who knew him best. Particularly, former teammates Darryl Sittler, Dave (Tiger) Williams, Ian Turnbull and… Read More

Have The Leafs Been Better Since ’67?

TORONTO (Dec. 10) — In the years since they last won the Stanley Cup, and though not returning to the championship round of the National Hockey League, the Toronto Maple Leafs have strung together a number of winning and undefeated… Read More

Your Memoir Written — Here

TORONTO (Dec. 8) — As a quasi–public figure from 23 years reporting for Canada’s first all–sports radio station [The FAN–590], I get ideas presented to me on a fairly regular basis. Most involve proposals for my website (sorry, folks, the… Read More

The Bruins Have Become Soulless

TORONTO (Dec. 3) — Yes, they have the best record and winning percentage in the National Hockey League (19–3–0 before tonight’s home date with Colorado). And, a perfect 13–0–0 record at TD Garden. They possess several of the most–accomplished players… Read More

Media Cheering Over The Top… Again

TORONTO (Dec. 1) — I know… it isn’t nice to poop on a party. But, someone has to do it. While those in the mainstream Toronto media — so predictably — try to one–up each other in glorifying Mitch Marner,… Read More

The Popcorn Kid Remembers Borje

TORONTO (Nov. 29) — When reflecting on the core of the good–but–not–quite–good–enough Maple Leaf teams in the late–1970’s, six names come immediately to mind: Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, Dave (Tiger) Williams, Borje Salming, Ian Turnbull and Mike Palmateer. The first… Read More

Keefe’s Leafs Should Be Proud

TORONTO (Nov. 28) — For several years now, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been November’s champion. Over the past three National Hockey League regular seasons, the Leafs possess a remarkable 30–5–4 record in the second month of the schedule. Two… Read More

How Did Borje Salming Die?

TORONTO (Nov. 26) — The subject–matter of this blog is largely irrelevant. Of sole importance to hockey fans the world over is that Borje Salming died peacefully on Thursday in Stockholm, surrounded by the people he loved. The news, though… Read More

My Last Conversation With The King

TORONTO (Nov. 25) — It’s a photo for the ages. Four men huddled in lifelong love and imminent grief across the road from the home of legends; the building in which they became royalty. Borje Salming, the Swedish hockey pioneer… Read More

Borje Is Gone, Quickly and Mercifully

TORONTO (Nov. 24) — Eight years after the morning we heard that Pat Quinn had passed away, another Maple Leafs legend — Borje Salming — has lost his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease). And, thank… Read More

No Calamity Is Big Enough

TORONTO (Nov. 22) — If you’re wondering whether the Maple Leafs will consider a compelling move now that their top three defensemen (Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, T.J. Brodie) are sidelined with injury, allow me to answer one question with another:… Read More

The CFL Commish Does It Right

TORONTO (Nov. 21) — It’s a number the Toronto Maple Leafs want to desperately avoid. Yet, one the Toronto Argonauts carry with pride. Seven. The streak of Grey Cup appearances that has ended in triumph for Canada’s oldest professional sports… Read More