Hockey Night in Canada

In 1892, Lord Stanley of Preston made a historic pledge to donate a challenge cup for the best ice hockey team in Canada. Although not an avid hockey enthusiast like my dad (more on that later), the cultural impact of the sport was undeniable. Toronto, despite not securing a cup victory for over half the life of the trophy, witnessed an unyielding passion for the game. Seats were impossible to come by, bars overflowed during Leafs games, and hockey became the catalyst for familial rifts across Canada – a testament to the profound love people had for their teams.

My dad epitomized this fervor. In the 1970s, Saturday nights revolved around the game, and nothing else happened until the final buzzer. I played the role of the manual remote, flipping channels until the advent of cable boxes with extra channels. Engaging in every hockey trend, my dad crafted a Leafs pyramid of power using my sparse hockey card collection, newspaper clippings, and an abundance of blue and white vibes. He even affixed his prized Dave Keon autograph, the revered greatest Toronto Maple Leaf, on the pyramid – a collector's dream.

Despite the Leafs' last Stanley Cup triumph occurring in 1967, when they outplayed Montreal in six games, my dad never witnessed another championship victory. The closest he came was when Gretzky thwarted Toronto's playoff hopes. Sadly, my dad passed in '96, and almost 30 years later, the Leafs are yet to bring the coveted cup home. The quest continues, but the memories of shared hockey rituals endure.