TORONTO (June 13) — Yes, we know there will be scoreboard video tributes and lots of shiny, complicated words from the public relations wing. Still, the question remains: Will the media wing of Rogers Communications truly honor Joe Bowen, iconic voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs since 1982–83, the only way it can — by assuring that Bowen and his venerable radio partner, Jim Ralph, are aboard the club’s charter aircraft and on site for every road game of the 2025–26 schedule and playoffs? Which Bowen announced, earlier today, will be his 44th and final season behind the microphone, having called twice the number of Leaf matches as any other person, including original voice Foster Hewitt. And, certainly not by frugally confining Bowen and Ralph, once more, to a darkened studio at company headquarters for the broadcast of road games off a television monitor. Like any two schmucks with a recording device in their livingroom. But, by assuring that Bowen and Ralph are actually with the team, home and away, as was forever automatic and unquestioned in the decades prior to the COVID–19 pandemic.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is now the 75% domain of Edward Rogers, who purchased the 37.5% share of Bell Canada Enterprises for $4.7 billion. As such, all finiancial issues, decisions and crises involving the Maple Leafs will trickle downward from the Big Chair. Of course, we first have to assume that Edward Rogers knows who Joe Bowen is. If not a principal revenue generator, how might a person at the company be recognized by more than an employee number? Given, however, that somebody of influence in the ivory tower at One Mount Pleasant — surely Colette Watson, president of Rogers Media — is familiar with Bowen, we can presume the retirement message is making its way up the chain. In less time than required for me to write this paragraph, the Rogers monolith has earned twice more in bank interest than the amount required to keep Bowen and Ralph with the Maple Leafs all season. So, money isn’t the issue. Neither is MLSE the lone sports conglomerate to become miserly with radio. Still, should it not be a financial priority for Rogers/MLSE to ensure that Bowen and Ralph are appropriately recognized in their final season together? Which can be accomplished only by returning to the long–held pattern of radio voices accompanying the hockey club gavel to gavel — from training camp to the playoffs.

The promise for this seems rather minimal, as it required a full two hours for the Sportsnet website to post a headline about Bowen’s retirement. Joe sent it out on ‘X’ just before 8 a.m. today. The Toronto dailies, the Sun and Star, picked up the story within minutes. Rogers (Sportsnet) followed at 9:54 a.m. — in its sub–headline section.

JOE BOWEN DESCRIBES A LEAF SCORING PLAY ALONGSIDE VETERAN RADIO PARTNER JIM RALPH.

Hardly the apperance of respect for a man who called his first Maple Leafs game from the old Chicago Stadium on Oct. 6, 1982. When Mike Nykoluk (d. Jan. 21, 2022) coached the hockey club. When Rick Vaive, 66 today, was the young captain, replacing Darryl Sittler. Still three years before Wendel Clark became first selection of the 1985 National Hockey League draft. And, while frequenting such ancient hockey palaces as the Boston Garden, Montreal Forum, St. Louis Arena, Philadelphia Spectrum, Los Angeles Forum, Buffalo Auditorium, Pacific Coliseum (Vancouver), Metropolitan Sports Center (Bloomington, Minnesota). And, of course, Maple Leaf Gardens, from 1982–99. Remember Mike Cammalleri, the Richmond Hill, Ont. native who scored 13 goals in 19 playoff games with Montreal in 2010 (294 goals in his NHL career)? He was two days old when Bowen called that 3–3 draw in Chicago. Ronald Reagan was in his first term as President of the United States; Pierre Elliott Trudeau in his second as Prime Minister of Canada. The oldest Leaf player in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, defenseman Chris Tanev, would be born seven years after Bowen’s initial game. Foster Hewitt was still alive, for 2½ more years. Octogenarians Harold Ballard and King Clancy were carousing like wrinkled teenagers, accompanying the Maple Leafs on every road trip. The World Trade Center towers in New York would stand for another 19 years.

Only once has Joe tantalizingly ventured to within a victory of the Stanley Cup final — on May 29, 1993, at Maple Leaf Gardens, when Wayne Gretzky scored three goals for Los Angeles in a crushing, Game 7 semifinal defeat. The Kings were then subdued by Montreal; still the last team from Canada to win the treasured mug. That unanticipated run of 21 playoff games in 42 nights (against Detroit, St. Louis and the Kings) stands at the apex of Bowen’s time with the Leafs. Anyone of vintage can still see the scowl of coach Pat Burns and the fierce determination of forward Doug Gilmour. In a three–night span occurred two of the most–enduring moments of Joe’s career: Nikolai Borschevsky eliminating Detroit from the first round with an overtime goal in Game 7 at the old Joe Louis Arena, then Gilmour scoring in double–overtime against St. Louis to win Game 1 of the second series at the Gardens — famously skedaddling behind Curtis Joseph before stuffing a backhand inside the right goal–post.

Later, in the Pat Quinn era (1998 to 2006), came another pair of unfulfilled, yet memorable, trips to the Cup semifinals: in 1999, against Buffalo (after defeating Philadelphia and Pittsburgh); then in 2002, against Carolina (after besting the Islanders and Ottawa). Perhaps Bowen’s most–lingering call occurred on May 12, 2002, as the Leafs faced elimination in Game 6 of the Conference semifinal at the home of the Senators. Trailing by a goal in the dying seconds, and with Ottawa netminder Patrick Lalime on the bench for an extra attacker, the Toronto defenders scrambled, sprawled and dove in front of flying pucks. Bowen could barely contain himself at the final horn:

“Bless you, boys!” he yodeled with a last surge of adrenaline while the drained visitors pored off the bench.

The Maple Leafs won the series at home in Game 7.

GARY ROBERTS (LEFT) SHAKES HANDS WITH OTTAWA CAPTAIN DANIEL ALFREDSSON IN 2002.

In the first half of the 90’s, Bowen’s profile surged as he joined Harry Neale to call Leaf midweek games on Global TV, while continuing to broadcast the others on radio. When The FAN–590, Canada’s first all–sports radio station, lost the Leaf rights to Corus Entertainment (and Q–107) in the summer of 1995, Bowen had a decision to make: Continue with his TV work and give up the Voice of the Leafs gig or defect to Corus and broadcast all 82 games (the new company wanted a single person for its radio coverage). Not surprisingly, Joe took Door No. 2 and worked exclusively on radio for two seasons with Global Sports pioneer Mark Hebscher. He went back to TV in 1997–98, replacing American broadcaster Jiggs McDonald for 35 midweek games. Such people as Ken Daniels (since 1997, TV voice of the Detroit Red Wings); Dennis Beyak (later, the first voice of the transplanted Winnipeg Jets) and my former FAN–590 colleague, Dan Dunleavy (now the voice of the Buffalo Sabres) filled on radio while Bowen called games on TV. When Rogers and Bell, in 2013, entered into their unholy alliance at MLSE, Bowen returned to the radio booth alongside Ralph. The pair has worked together since 1998–99, the year the Leafs moved from the Gardens to Air Canada Centre. That’s a long time ago. And it warrants tangible recognition.

I was privileged to work with Joe in a quartet of games during which regular analysts Bill Watters or Gord Stellick were unavailable: Feb. 10, 1990 at Hartford; Oct. 13, 1990 at home to Detroit; Dec. 1, 1990 at Los Angeles (during the Gretzky era) and Mar. 25, 1995 at the old Winnipeg Arena. As back then, Bowen and his broadcast partner (Ralph) absolutely must be on site for all Leaf road matches next season. To take a final bow in each NHL city.

Any other course of action will be viewed as petty and dishonorable.

1977–78 MAPLE LEAFS — Part 2
Nov. 17 to Dec. 19, 1977

I’ve been reading the exceptional book co–authored by Damien Cox and Gord Stellick: REVIVAL The Chaotic, Colorful Journey of the 1977–78 Toronto Maple Leafs. As only Damien and Gord can, they recount, in detail, the most–successful Leafs season of the Harold Ballard ownership era (1972–90). The year I turned 19 and attended William Lyon Mackenzie as a high school senior. A lonnnnng time ago. I had season tickets to all games at Maple Leaf Gardens — up in the southwest corner of the mezzanine Blues, in Sec. 30. Other games were viewed from Sec. 49 of the east Reds, between the blue line and center ice, 18 rows behind the Toronto bench.

As per custom in my teenage years, I maintained scrapbooks with stories and photos from the three Toronto newspapers: the Star, the Sun and Globe and Mail. It was the year rookie coach Roger Neilson guided the Leafs into the Stanley Cup semifinals. The club started strongly and compiled what is still its second–best record (19–6–3) after 28 games. Only the 1993–94 Leafs, having won their first 10 matches, sported a better mark: 19–5–4.

Here, in the second of a series, are my Leaf scrapbook images from 1977–78.

After 14 games, the team had a record of 9–3–2 for 20 points.

A NIGHT AFTER DEFEATING WASHINGTON AT HOME, THE LEAFS DROVE TO BUFFALO ON THE MORNING OF NOV. 17 AND CHECKED INTO A HOTEL. SUFFICIENTLY RESTED, ROGER NEILSON’S CREW ICED THE PUCK A DOZEN TIMES IN THE THIRD PERIOD TO PRESERVE A ONE–GOAL TRIUMPH (ABOVE AND BELOW) OVER THE SABRES (LINE CHANGES COULD STILL BE MADE AFTER AN ICING CALL). PAT BOUTETTE AND RON ELLIS SCORED JUST MORE THAN SEVEN MINUTES APART IN THE OPENING PERIOD AND MIKE PALMATEER STOPPED 30 BUFFALO SHOTS FOR TORONTO’S 10th WIN IN 15 GAMES.

 

AFTER A LOSS AT HOME TO THE BRUINS, THE LEAFS WENT TO ST. LOUIS FOR A WEDNESDAY NIGHT GAME (ABOVE AND BELOW) TELEVISED BY CHCH (Channel 11) IN HAMILTON, WHICH OWNED THE MIDWEEK PACKAGE. IT WAS THE FIRST–EVER TORONTO at ST. LOUIS GAME SHOWN IN OUR CITY. DAVE (TIGER) WILLIAMS SCORED TWICE FOR THE VISITORS AND MIKE PALMATEER CAME UP MASSIVE, AGAIN, WITH 43 SAVES. EX–LEAF INGE HAMMARSTROM SCORED FOR ST. LOUIS.

 

YES, THE CLEVELAND BARONS WERE STILL IN THE NHL, AFTER RE–LOCATING FROM OAKLAND. ON THIS TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE GARDENS (ABOVE AND BELOW), THE RED–CLAD VISITORS FELL VICTIM TO LANNY McDONALD’s EIGHTH GOAL OF THE SEASON — SCORED ON GARY EDWARDS AT 6:54 OF THE THIRD PERIOD — WHICH STOOD AS THE GAME WINNER.

WHILE SKATING WITH THE TORONTO TOROS OF THE OLD WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION IN THE MID–70’s, CZECH NATIVE VACLAV NEDOMANSKY MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN OUR CITY. HE LATER RETURNED TO THE GARDENS (ABOVE) AS A MEMBER OF THE RED WINGS. ON THIS SATURDAY NIGHT IN EARLY DECEMBER 1977, A BREAKAWAY GOAL (BOTTOM–LEFT) BY RON ELLIS BROKE A 2–2 TIE IN THE THIRD PERIOD AND TORONTO WON ITS 13th GAME OF THE SEASON.

 
 
FOR SOME REASON, I REMEMBER GOING TO THIS GAME WITH DAD, WHO TOOK US TO NEARBY CARMEN’S STEAKHOUSE BEFOREHAND (REMEMBER THE GARLIC?). THE FELLOW PLAYING GOAL FOR MINNESOTA (PAUL HARRISON) WOULD BE No. 2 STOPPER FOR THE LEAFS THE FOLLOWING SEASON. ON THIS NIGHT (ABOVE AND BELOW), HARRISON GOT BLITZED, AS JERRY BUTLER SCORED THE WINNING FOURTH GOAL EARLY IN THE THIRD PERIOD. TORONTO HAD A 6–1 LEAD BEFORE ALEX PIRUS COUNTED A COUPLE OF GARBAGE–TIME TALLIES FOR THE NORTH STARS.

 

THE LEAFS CONTINUED THEIR EXCELLENT PLAY DURING A WESTERN ROAD TRIP IN THE SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER. ON A FRIDAY NIGHT IN DENVER, THE OLD COLORADO ROCKIES PACKED McNICHOLS SPORTS ARENA, WHICH HARDLY EVER HAPPENED. BUT, THE VISITORS SPOILED THE OCCASION (ABOVE AND BELOW) WHEN DARRYL SITTLER TOOK A PASS FROM BORJE SALMING AND BEAT EX–LEAF DOUG FAVELL WITH JUST 2:22 LEFT. TORONTO WON ITS 15th GAME.

A NIGHT LATER, AT THE LOS ANGELES FORUM (ABOVE AND BELOW), MIKE PALMATEER STOPPED 27 SHOTS IN A 3–0 VICTORY; HIS SECOND SHUTOUT OF THE SEASON. DEFENSEMAN IAN TURNBULL SET UP GOALS BY RON ELLIS AND LANNY McDONALD. BORJE SALMING’S TALLY, LATE IN THE FIRST PERIOD, WAS ALL THE LEAFS NEEDED.

 
 
ROGER NEILSON’S CREW MET ANOTHER BIG CHALLENGE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN MID–DECEMBER (ABOVE AND BELOW) AGAINST SUPER ROOKIE MIKE BOSSY AND THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS. BORJE SALMING WAS SPECTACULAR, DELIVERING THE TYPE OF GAME–ALTERING PERFORMANCE NOT SEEN BY A LEAF DEFENDER SINCE HIM. SALMING’S GOAL AT 3:50 OF THE THIRD PERIOD BROKE A 2–2 TIE AND PROVIDED TORONTO ITS 17th WIN OF THE SEASON.

 
 
THE GOALS CONTINUED TO POUR IN FOR THE LEAFS, WHO COUNTED A TOTAL OF 15 IN A TWO–NIGHT SPAN AGAINST MINNESOTA AND CHICAGO. ROOKIE BRUCE BOUDREAU RECORDED A HATTRICK (ABOVE) TO PACE THE CLUB IN BLOOMINGTON. DARRYL SITTLER AND LANNY McDONALD COUNTED TWO APIECE IN THE SATURDAY ROMP OVER THE BLACKHAWKS AT THE GARDENS. TORONTO WAS 19–6–3; ITS SECOND–BEST RECORD AFTER 28 GAMES.

 
 
ON DEC. 17, 1977, THE LEAFS WERE ONLY FIVE POINTS OUT OF FIRST PLACE IN THE OVERALL NHL STANDINGS.

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM