Happy Canada Day..

It was Probert.
But if memory serves me, backup goalie Glenn Healy played with the bagpipers in the closing ceremony...

 

Huh. Don't remember that. Pretty sure I have that game on tape somewhere. Same with Gretzky's last game. Neither a Leafs nor a Gretzky fan but I wanted to make sure I had those moments on tape to show my kids.

 

Bob Probert scored last goal.

Not sure what you mean by the second part. Who was the last to leave the ice?

 

The best part of the closing ceremony was the inclusion of Red Horner and Mush March, the last two survivors from the first game at the Gardens in 1931. It was particularly poignant when Horner, the oldest living ex-Leaf and a former captain of the team, presented the flag to Mats Sundin after the final game and told him to never forget all those who had come before.

It's amazing to think today that it took less than six months to build Maple Leaf Gardens from the ground up and have it open in time for the first game, as scheduled. Nowadays you'd need six months for the environmental assessment alone. :

For my own contribution to Canada Day (Dominion Day? ) here are pictures of the Maple Leaf franchise's first three Stanley Cup winners -- the 1918 Arenas, the 1922 St. Pats and the 1932 Maple Leafs -- and a link to a picture of all 13 Toronto NHL Cup-winning teams.



www.sportsecyclopedia.com/ nhl/tml/leafscups.html

 

Boy, I wish. That would certainly make for a great long weekend some years, wouldn't it?

In honour of Independence Day next Tuesday, I'll also post a picture of the 1916-17 Seattle Metropolitans, the first American team to win the Stanley Cup.



Happy national holidays to all on both sides of the border and to Canadians and Americans living in other parts of the world.

 

here's to canada:







war canada.

 

Glenn Healy was also the first Leaf on the ice at the Air Canada Centre; he raced out before the first practice there and churned away.

 

And still, Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" is still one of the greatest Canadian songs ever.
Neil Young and crew did an amazing rendition of this on his "Heart of Gold" DVD

Four strong winds that blow slowly
Seven seas that run high
All these things that dont change come what may
Now our good times are all gone
And Im bound for moving on
Ill look for you if Im ever back this way

Guess Ill go out to alberta
Weathers good there in the fall
Got some friends that I can go to workin for
Still I wish youd change your mind
If I asked you one more time
But weve been thru that a hundred times or more

Four strong winds that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All these things that dont change come what may
Now our good times are all gone
And Im bound for movin on
Ill look for you if Im ever back this way

If I get there before the snow flies
And if things are going good
You could meet me if I send you down the fare
But by then it would be winter
Nothing much for you to do
And the wind sure blows cold way out there

Four strong winds that blow slowly
Seven seas that run high
All these things that dont change come what may
Now our good times are all gone
And Im bound for movin on

Ill look for you if Im ever back this way
Yes, Ill look for you if Im ever back this way

 

I remember watching Ian & Sylvia and the Great Speckled Bird on CBC out of Brandon many moons ago.

Still the best Olympic coverage in North America.

Happy birthday to our Canadian friends, our longest and most faithful ally.

 

Am watching this again.. .forgot about Anne Murray singing "Maple Leaf Forever"

Oh, land of blue unending skies,
Mountains strong and sparkling snow,
A scent of freedom in the wind,
Over the emerald fields below.
To thee we brought our hopes, our dreams,
For thee we stand together,
Our land of peace, where proudly flies,
The Maple Leaf forever.

Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

Oh, Maple Leaf, around the world, You speak as you rise high above, Of courage, peace and quiet strength, Of the Canada that I love,
Remind us all, our union bound,
By ties we cannot sever,
Bright flag revered on every ground,
The Maple Leaf froever.

Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

From East and West, our heroes came,
Throught icy fields and frozen bays,
Who conquered fear, and cold, and hate,
And their ancient wisdom says:
Protect the weak,
defend your rights,
And build this land together,
Above which shine the Northern Lights,
And the Maple Leaf forever!

Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

 

The same Ann Murray who forgot the words and botched her lip synch job at the closing of Maple Leaf Gardens? :-\

 

As a matter of fact, yes. Yes it would...

Right when she whipped out the lyric sheet so she wouldn't muck it up twice...

Am timing it so I can convert my videotape to DVD... game and ceremonies...