Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Every Spring A Parade Down Bay Street: Toronto Mike'd #1154

Episode Date: November 18, 2022

In this 1154th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike is visited by David Shoalts, Mark Hebscher, Gerry Hall and Gare Joyce as they present Every Spring A Parade Down Bay Street. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Yes, We Are Open, The Advantaged Investor, Canna Cabana, StickerYou, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

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Joining me today Are David Schultz Mark Hebbshire Jerry Hull And Gare Joyce. This is Every Spring, a parade down Bay Street. The puck is dropped. Kelly at the poofy.

Poofing is the fan's fault. Nice long week. He says go! A wild finish. The players jump on the ice. Here it is on the replay. This is CFCA 770 on your radio dial. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Toronto Telegram. The opinions expressed here are those of the panelists and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Telegram. and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information contained within the site.

Though the Leafs are a really safe bet on the money line. Hello, Toronto, and a big hello to the members of our armed services listening hither and yon on our far-reaching network. A hearty welcome to every spring of parade down Bay Street, now in its 55th glorious season, available to the listeners through the wonder that was Marconi's invention. I'm Red York, as ever, the lead columnist at the Toronto Telegram, the daily newspaper in these parts, the vanguard of the media in the hub here, and truly a worldwide leader in the fourth estate.

In our debut installment, one month into the 22-23 season, I'm joined, as ever, by our crack panel. From the Telegram sports staff, our Leafs beat reporter, a young man. How old are you, lad? Just celebrating my 50th, Red. Ah, yes, born early in the dynastic run, now entering your prime. The Telegram's Leafs beat reporter, Ted Reeve III. Yes, the third generation of Ted Reeves to serve on sports front lines for the Telegram.

I was lucky enough to sit up in the press box elbow to elbow with your grandpa, the original Ted Reeve, who went from a hero on the field for the Argonauts to the messenger of sporting heroics and the humor therein in the pages of the telly, deep into his ninth decade. To be technical, Red, it was in fact his tenth decade. He filed his last missive in his 91st year. That would be his ninth decade, correct? Actually, tenth. The first one is newborn to age ten.

No need to get wrapped up in semantics and statistics and dragged down into the unseemly world of verifiable fact. I was lucky enough to have your grandfather as my mentor. You in fact bumped him from his job of four decades, but no matter. Oh, and as proud as I can be to have you as my protege. I'm humbled in the worst possible way. That sound in the background is Gramps rolling over in his grave. Oh, you're too kind. Also joining me, also from the telegram, the only sports reporter I know with a dueling scar. It was a high stick from Big Ned. Ah, the Bavarian Baron himself. A man who was to the castle born, but fell hard for the romance of the printed word, beguiled by the whir of the printing press. George Gross or it's not Czechoslovakia national holiday. He's coming up November 17.

National struggle for democracy and freedom day. I remember that well last year, Andrej Kasi actually won a battle for the puck in the corner. Say, Baron, didn't the nation split up? It is not recognized in our household, and Toronto has kept a Czechoslovakian consulate in which I participate. Presumably one of your ancestral tax dodges, Baron. Enough with the chatter, gents. Time is precious. George, will this season, as he has lo these many decades, provide us with insights from the international point of view, exactly what the rest of the world thinks of the greatest dynasty in sports, our beloved Leafs.

They are amazed and baffled as us all. Also joining us, the gent who will once again take his perch up in the gondola at Maple Leaf Gardens, the voice of the most watched show on Canadian television, Hockey Night in Toronto. I speak of Bud Hewitt, no less than Master Reeve here, a progeny of a famous clan associated with his greatest of sports franchises. Yes, just a couple of generations removed from there's a wild scramble in front of the net. Henderson has scored for the Leafs. Red, I'm pretty sure it was Henderson has scored for Canada. Well, he was wearing the Leafs blue and white when he scored that story goal against, what, the Red Menace in Moscow back in 72. But your exact call of the goal, well, that's a point of

trivia to which we might return later if we have time. No matter. And finally, here on the season opener of every spring a parade down Bay Street, rounding out this roundest of roundtables. Seems more oval than round to me. Moot point. I'm sure all the best-dressed men in our fair burg recognize that voice. point. I'm sure all the best dressed men in our fair burg recognize that voice. It's Saul Corman, that fellow who has from season one back in the fall of 1966 bedecked the crew of every

spring a parade down Bay Street in the finest Italian threads. Hi, it's me, Saul Corman of Corey's Clothier's Gentlemen. 569 Danforth Avenue in the heart of Greektown. Want to make a good first impression? It's the key to any sort of relationship, business, social, romantic, memorial, custom tailoring. Ready to wear. Corey's has it all. We've got a limited time offer, all the best fabrics. We've got every shade of gray to select from. Red.

Is the dove's down slate your wedding? Actually, my salesman, Leo, on the floor for me at Corey's for more than four decades, following in his father's footsteps, put red in one of our favorite tones, Burgess shale. That's fitting. Of course it fits. It's Corey's, after all. So, Carmen, of Corey's 569-4th Avenue in the heart of Greektown, what are you laughing at? Come on in and mention that you're an Every Spring a Parade listener, and I'll fix you up with something special. Suitable for next year's Stanley Cup parade.

Don't be content in the suit you wore to Bay Street last June! Hey, no good Torantonian would ever bring upon himself and his family the scorn and shame. And Saul, correct me if I'm wrong... Is that a blanket invitation? Ah, but all your ready-to-wear lines do fully meet the dress codes

at Maple Leaf Gardens. Yes! Five, six, nine... Jesus, that is nine! Jesus. Dan, 4th Avenue. Corey's Clothiers for gentlemen. Okay, enough haberdashery and down to the business that gathered us here. That most storied of professional sports franchises, the very centerpiece of my well-lived life,

the very lifeblood, the Leafs. Gents, I know it's hardly breaking news that the Leafs entered the season as prohibitive favorites to once again hoist the Stanley Cup for the 56th consecutive year. And they are one month into the season, precisely where we expected to find them, atop the standings. True enough, Red. They're undefeated, but I'm not crazy about the way they've opened the season. Be glad, Brother Hewitt. What on earth prompts these discouraging words? Well, Redhead, colleagues, I think you can read too much into the way that they've feasted on teams that missed the playoffs last spring. They showed little mercy being the Canadians only by a couple of goals in the season opener in Montreal.

Just a matter of respect for history. Simply being polite guests, I reckon. Don't ruin the occasion by running up the score. I am afraid it is not right to comment. I am missing that game because of St. Vences' Day. I thought the Leafs looked great at the top of their game, mid-season form, just dynamite getting off the bus and walking into the arena. Austin is a young man who appreciates a great-looking and great-fitting suit. Louie, one of my very best men on the floor, has been with

me for years, put Austin in a Hugo Boss number and threw in four pairs of stealth skin boxers. Extra, extra, extra large where it fits, if you know what I mean. I thought that Austin has looked less large in the route over Arizona. The Leafs beat the Coyotes 7-1, and Austin had a hat trick. So he has three goals against the worst team in the league. I didn't realize that we were lowering the bar for him. I have to think that there's always a bit of nostalgia in play when he plays against the team that he grew up watching,

you know, maybe like a heavy heart. Any psychic pull for that franchise or anything at all in the Southwest should have been erased last winter when he took his oath and became a Canadian citizen, as is de rigueur for all Leafs players who arrive on the shores of Lake Ontario from abroad. Right now, he's scoring a little better than a goal a game. And let's face it, it's not really the pace of scoring that he should be satisfied with.

I mean, we're getting way out ahead of ourselves talking about the Rocket Richard Trophy. 82 goals might not even be enough to lead the team, not with the way that William Nylander is playing. And if Mitchell Marner ever decided not to defer to Austin and look for his own shot, well, 82 goals would just be a good starting point. No telling what he could do. You say the team is off to an unimpressive start despite their undefeated record, and then you launch a personal broadside attack against the defending Hart Trophy winner? It can't be just ad hominem attacks.

Easy, young Reeve. We won't cast dispersions about any player's sexuality unless he doesn't play for the Leafs. Gentlemen, I don't want to be accused of pushing the panic button, but a couple of times this year, the Leafs carried only a one-goal lead into the first intermission. To my mind, too close for comfort. I'm sure that the Leafs are just routing in a form.

Keep in mind, they have a short recovery period than the other teams in the league, playing into June every single year. True enough. And last spring, the team was more extended than in most recent years. Factor that in, plus the ambitious schedule of charity games the Leafs played after the Stanley Cup parade. It is important they're all as global ambassadors of game

that they go to Europe and play an international tournament which honors my good friend and occasional business partner, the Eagleson Cup. Bud, I think you're going to warm up to this team in time. Let's get to the real burning question. Gents, who do you like this season for that second most desired place in sports? The honor of being the team that lines up to shake the hands of our hometown Stanley Cup winners. I think the fashionable pick would have to be Colorado. They had a tidy little season last year. Oh, some interesting young players, I'll grant you.

I am believing in Kel Makar. His family are from Cologne. Really, George? I don't see the old Teutonic discipline in the kids' game. Colorado gave the Leafs some trouble, I'll grant you, stretching them to five games, almost the final to a sixth game. Haven't really seen that much in this millennium, or really at all since the 70s.

Ah, yes, bud. There was a time when Stanley Cup finals were suspenseful in a way that any Torontonian who doesn't collect a pension can scarcely imagine. Red, I was spellbound when I used to sit at my grandpa Foster's knee and he'd spin tales of that Game 7 victory over the California Golden Seals, Ott Erickson's cup winner in double overtime. It was as if life we know it were hanging in the balance. My famous lead. Like yesterday, I remember phoning that into the rewrite desk. Or some approximation thereof. I'm sure if it

wasn't taken verbatim, any variation did nothing to lose the spirit of the moment. I recall Ott walking into Corey's at 569 Danforth Avenue the next day. He was looking for something to wear on the parade route. Well, as you know, the parade is high season in that city. In the weeks leading up to it, we have an absolute run on our best brands. I had to go back into our inventory to do something in a pinch. All I could find at the fit hot was a mustard and arrow jacket, last of our Carnaby street line. I was sure we'd sold our last one in the Leafs' annual rookie hazing. I remember Brian Conacher wore his for years. But beside the fashion notes, Saul,

that game seven against the Seals was really a landmark and watershed and hallmark. And a deer if you listen to the rest of the league. And why would you? Fact is, Ott's game winner really set the Leafs on their way. The Seals could have won that game, three hit posts in overtime. Ted Hampson had Bruce Gamble beat clean and wires it off the crossbar. Jerry Eamon steps across the blue line and drifts one. The sound of that one ringing was like the Liberty Bell. Imagine if they'd been undone by one of those bit players on the 67 champs like Eamon was. Well, if the Seals win that one, then the Leafs might have gone down to one of those average championship teams that only managed to win three Stanley Cups in a row.

If they lose in 71, who knows? They might have gone into a full rebuild with youth thing that's so popular with the rest of the NHL these days outside of Toronto. It staggers the imagination. Really, what might have it been had things gone wrong? It's possible that there might have been years that the Leafs didn't make the finals. Hey, don't say anything rash. No, the dynasty that's the Leafs dynasty.

The dynasty that all dynasties are measured against, sports or otherwise, that very dynasty might not have come to be had. Say, Hampson shot, ricocheted into the back of the net. It might have even have been the Seals that had gone on an epic run. Red sacrilege like that'll get you drummed out of the Professional Occurators Association. Not as long as I'm president. association not as long as i'm president now in my fifth 10-year term but enough of lore as much as it's intoxicating to relive on to this year's team to my mind a vastly improved permutation of last year's lineup which saw the leafs only lose four games in postseason to my mind they were robbed in a couple of those that game four in in Tampa that stopped them short of the sweep. That Nick Paul shot never crossed the line.

And besides, the Lightning had too many men on the ice. Three of them were even offside on the play. Full credit for sportsmanship to Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe for not requesting a replay. Well, it would have been an awful unfortunate time to break from Leafs tradition to never have availed themselves of this stain on the NHL rulebook. All this video mumble jumble just really disgusts the aesthetic of the great game. I'm proud to be associated with an organization that's taken this high ethical stand. No doubt other teams who resorted to such televideo chicanery in their games the Leafs have managed to illicitly pick off a goal here or there but mostly disgrace themselves

and really it does nothing but raise the ire of our proud men in blue and white. We have all shades of blue at Corey's for gentlemen. 569 Danforth Avenue, duly noted. Gents, let's focus on this year's Leafs. It's been an unusual offseason with shifts in the lineup. I am myself going to be missing Andre's case. Actually, his real name is Garay from the Portugal reason, but that doesn't matter. real name is carray from the portugal reason but that doesn't matter the man himself told me he must leave the leafs because he can't anymore know when he is ready to play because so many hits to his head his dumb cough he says to me baron i can only give my best to a team and i afraid that i

can no longer know if my best is the best enough. I think Cass will be missed mostly for his good humor. By all accounts, good in the room. In my long career, I can think of no Leaf who was ever bad in the room. No reprobates welcome in the hallowed arena. Still pretty remarkable given that Cassie missed months at a time that he was available to one of the three finalists for the Selkie trophy. A bit of a sentimental pick says your humble correspondent. He might have landed a few first place votes if he played more than 50

games but does anyone think that he was going to pass the Selkie winner David Kampf or even the runner-up Pierre Engvall? I think we'll see Mitch Marner get his rightful share of Selke votes this season. It would be a great double, first-team All-Star and Selke. I like the ring of that. It has a nice ring, but it wouldn't be the first time in modern Leafs history by any stretch. Dougie managed it back to back to back. Though, if the truth be told, in the Selke vote in 93, he only barely edged Bill

Berg, Mark Osborne, and Peter Zezel, who finished in a three-way tie for second. Lord, gentlemen, Lord, let's get back to this year's team. I think we can safely bank on Morgan Riley winning his sixth consecutive Norris Trophy this year. Mark Giordano will surely get Masterton consideration for signing for the league minimum and then donating all the proceeds to the Canadian Legion. But what of our goalers? Well, again, I don't want to be the guy waving red flags where they're not warranted. But I just wonder about Murray and Samsonov making the transition to the Leafs. They're used to facing far more shots in games. It can be hard for a goaltender to face only a couple of shots in a 20-minute frame.

Especially from the perimeter. I could see them getting assigned down to the Marlies for stretches, just for conditioning, between games at the Garden. Admittedly, it's a bit of a question mark. I'm not sure which of our masked marvels, Murray or Samsonov, will carry a heavier load this season. But whatever the combination, they'll doubtlessly win the Vesna. Yes, it's a rare season when the Leafs actually lose a major trophy winner

over the course of the summer, as they did with Jack Campbell. Alas, the Leafs do have to exercise some community spirit within the league, and in an attempt to achieve competitive balance across the league, Fade hope that, as if I'll live to see the day. Oh, I'm sorry. As I was saying, in an attempt to achieve competitive balance across the league, they have to annually sacrifice a couple of pieces to raise the fortunes of the also-rans,

the minnows, the second, third, and fourth-tier outfits. And thus does Jack Campbell look to spend a very cold and thankless winter in Edmonton. Oh, I got Jack fitted a great Canada goose parka for the signing. That was back in July. You know, Jack, he swung by Corey's at 569... 10 4th Avenue in the heart of Greektown. Yes, well established.

Let's consider exactly what the young man did. His was almost like missionary work, going out into the backwaters to better the lot of the needy and desperate. It was really admirable of young Jack to put the good of the game above and beyond his desire for more cup rings. It's not the first time that the leaf has moved on, following the call of his conscience, but admittedly he'll be missed, and I'd never bet against him returning here once more. Though Jack's time here was relatively brief, he does take his place among Leafs legends

who've collected Veznas to go with their Stanley Cups, going back to Gamble, Suitcase Smith, the sainted Jackplant, Perrant, Palmatier, Bester, Regget.

Yuriy Sirha, don't forget him. Or say Sirha. Peter Ng. Oh, Ng, he was a 42 tall. But he had a thick neck. I remember that. Justin Pogge. Toskala.

That's a Toskala. Anton Bebo. Samsonov, of course. Samsonov. Okay, yeah, the list is endless, but if we were to go on with a simple recitation of the names, I don't know that it would be much in the way of service to our listeners. But right now, let's have a word from one of our sponsors,

a fine pillar of the Toronto community. When I speak to visiting players in town for a skate with the Cup champions at the Gardens, I can't count the times that they ask me for directions to another Toronto landmark. I tell them, take Carlton and College, over to Spadina, and then take a left, and it's right when you hit Dundas. Yes, sir, those visiting players in search of high culture always visit Victory Burlesque. Catch the comic stylings of the Victory's host. Star of stage and screen, Rummy Bishop.

And then the finest dance troupe in the city. And in that number, I'm counting the National Ballet. Headlining this week, Stella Star. I Need a Man and that 6'1", glamazon, Lotta Love. A continuous two-and-a-half-hour show, and I mean show. No intermission and pristine men's rooms. A business luncheon, perhaps a beverage after work before you board the streetcar home. The victory is your best bet.

287 Spadina. Identification and proof of age required. No cameras, thank you. Mention that you heard about the show on every spring of parade down Bay Street and management will offer you a complimentary pretzel. Hey, you forgot Jonas Gustafson. Gentlemen, gentlemen, order in the court. Antoine Bebo, Garrett Sparks.

Garrett Sparks, he led a very interesting life. Bernier, Jonathan Bernier. Cousineau. Oh, yeah. Kasmir Kaschenko. Peter Mrizek. If this doesn't stop, I'm stopping the checks. Oh, I think that it's worth noting that we're here to talk about future glories,

not past ones. How will our netminders factor into the Leafs' Stanley Cup run this coming season? The acquisition of Matt Murray does set you to wondering. It's been a few years since his time in Pittsburgh when the Penguins occasionally gave the Leafs a good game now and then. And even in his prime, he was brutal as our fine china. I'm left wondering about management strategy here. Well, if it were a wrong decision, a bad trade, well, I can't remember the last one.

You'd probably have to go all the way back to before I started at the Telegram back in 67. Occasionally, the team will make a good trade or a good signing, but the vast majority are inspired, even genius. I long ago abandoned the inclination to question a move that the team has made. Management deserves our faith and trust. I've done reporting on this one and consulted with the Telegram's medical reporter, Gus Sarosis. My understanding is young Matt's groin and various ligaments have been intensely scrutinized by the crack orthopedic team at Toronto Gen, and they have found not so much There is a rumor. I don't know if there's anything to it. No, no, no, not at all.

In fact, I believe it casts the organization in only the most flattering light. Okay, then continue. For the purposes of medically building a better netminder, understanding that the prima ballerina Karen Kane has donated some connective tissue for transplant purposes, as has Moe Bendover. I remember taking the kids to see him the fabled cne sideshow contortionist mr bendover is a small medical miracle i remember seeing him following the bearded lady in the human pin cushion mo not only could fold his leg behind his head but rotate serially 360 degrees like he was turning back the second hand of his pocket watch i finally remember him putting on a display just like that on the sky deck of the boulevard clock tower and noon and 9 45 were

particular challenges well so it seems that like the great prima ballerina the circus performer has a civic interest in has donated his groin and hamstring tissues for implantation. Just as Terry saw Chuck before him, Matt Murray will be the greatest goaltender ever stitched together. If Matt needs his pants taken in, he can always drop by Corey's on the Danforth. Our seamstress, Ruka, has worked in the back for us for 40 years. 40 years, okay? worked in the back for us for 40 years.

40 years, okay? Using the same Singer 99K sewing machine that her father Giuseppe did before her. That's Italian for Joseph, by the way. Giuseppe did a fantastic job when he was with us. Do you remember the time that Solomon got that skate blade in the face in the Islander series? I think it was Henning. Damn Henning.

Anyway, the U of T medical school brought him into Corey's to talk to the plastic surgery experts about his signature cross stitch. But we digress yet again. I'm intrigued by the young Russian lad Serge Samsonov, an intriguing goaler from a far off land. But as ever, I admire those foreigners who are willing to join the club and start their Canadian citizenship process as mandated by management, like yourself did, Baron. It's true. We are Canadians by choice and not because of accident in the backseat of a Studebaker by end of immigration process, I am sure. He speaks King's English. I fully expect young Serge to push Matt Murray for the number one job.

Just so long as Serge doesn't lean too heavily on him at any given moment. I'm intrigued by the Chagrin boy. He looked like he had the right stuff in his limited opportunities last season. like he had the right stuff in his limited opportunities last season. The goals against of 1.50 and only five shutouts and 12 starts, at best inconclusive. I wouldn't get too tied up in all that statistical baffle, Gab. I never trusted it. The last refuge of a neophyte, says I. What has served me best, and likewise the Toronto hockey fan, is the eye test. With you being the eye, as it were, I'm inclined to agree with you on that point, as would be advised given your record on such matter, and given that you pay in cash.

It might truly wind up being a Team Vezina trophy, as it were. A clean and even division of the workload, and with the stars lining up to assure the Leafs of both first and second All-Star team goalies. Yet again, as it should be and as we're used to. Let us move up the ice in increments and look at the blue line. But first, a word from one of the kind and generous sponsors of every spring a parade down Bay Street.

It's a pity that so many fans of the greatest sports franchise in all of creation can only watch their heroes on their black and white sets or lean in and listen to the Leafs exploits on the family radio. So it is for the foreseeable future with six full decades of sellouts and more than 100,000 on the season ticket waiting list. But if you're looking for something that best replicates the experience of being in the hallowed gardens,

check out the Leafs 2021-2022 Stanley Cup Run by looking skyward, not to the heavens, but rather the ceiling of the McLaughlin Planetarium, which offers a panoramic view of the Leafs through the state-of-the-art projection system and the miracle of 16mm film. Friends, the three-time nightly screenings of Glory Yet Again, last season's highlight film, will soon be winding up its virtually sold-out summer run at the Planetarium. Only weekend matinees showtimes will be available in season. Glockland Planetarium, 100 Queen's Park next to the Royal Ontario Museum. Also that wonder of Leafs history, the envy of the hockey world now showing at the Ontario Place Cinesphere. Thanks bud. I've taken the family there for multiple viewings, and it truly

is out of this world. So, gents, the blue-line core this season, where does it fit in? In a meaningful context, the best in the league. Thanks, Bud, for reducing the obvious to brutal brevity. They're well-established as the league's elite, but where and how do the lads measure up to the Leafs' rearguards of old? Clearly, Morgan Riley could skate with any Leafs this side of Horton and McKinney and Salming and Phaneuf. As it should be ever mentioned, but too often overlooked, Riley was entirely prescient pick by the Emeritus General Manager, Brian Burke. Ah, the benevolent

titanium haired wonder and the shrewd operator riley might have been a columbus blue jacket but upon filing his pick with the league jackets gm doug mclean misspelled the youngster's name and mr burke's appeal to the league was rushed but successful mclean asked to correct the spelling of riley's name in the register but burke convinced commissioner betman that this would amount to double jeopardy of such things are stanley cuffs made of and seven consecutive norris trophies won of course young morgan has plenty of elite company on the back end really it's going to be a horse race to see who joins riley on the first all-Star team. Could it be Muzzin,

Brody, Giordano? I believe in the fans voting for the All-Star game. Gio benefited from ballot stuffing from Woodbridge. Here now, I won't sit still for such innuendo. I mean nothing untoward about it, Redhead. I think there's bound

to be a bit of a sentimental draw to see him land on the first All-Star team. It will be a blessing, only slightly less magnitude earning another Stanley Cup ring. It's impossible to not name the young Swedish defenseman, no? Tim Lijsgren?

That's how it's pronounced. And Sandin. Randy Sandin. Very useful. It's a virtual plethora of talent back there with TJ Brody, Justin Holl, and the estimable Jake Muzzin. I really do think that Sheldon Keith will have work cut out for him, trying to figure out who will be his sixth team in on any given night this season. Perhaps, although his method for his lineup selections in the postseason

might be the solution. Credit the Leafs for a willingness to innovate with the decision to go rock, paper, scissors. Which made for an interesting pregame feature for Hockey Night in Canada. Certainly Giordano's commitment to rock served him well in getting 17 consecutive slots in the lineup. For roster selection, it's certainly a more even-handed approach to be sure than Coach Babcock's implementation of skill testing questions. Right then, when we come back, we'll look at the assembly of wonder kinds up front for our beloved champions and now a word from our friendly sponsor. My missus, the fair Scarlet York, is the interim head of household when I'm at the office,

high up in the gardens, or on the road, and I'm ever confident in her decisions about management of Shea York. And the shrewdest of her decisions is her first choice in household retail, Honest Ed's, at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. Mr. Ed Mirvish is the smart shopper's best friend, and his Emporium is a West End landmark for good reason. Where else can you go to pick up a pair of socks and walk out with a complete set of kitchenware, all at prices so low you have to do a double take? Recently, the Ontario Art Gallery had a display of Honest Ed's hand-painting renderings of Boxing Day sales going back to the

business opening back to 1948. Turnabout is fair play in my mind, given the Mirvish's long-standing support of the city's art scene. Miraculously, Ed, well past his 100th birthday, still shows up at the store on a daily basis, ever lowering the prices. When Christmas is upon us, rather than some fancy joint, I take the York family to Honest Ed's for the annual turkey giveaway, a chance to acknowledge the public spirit of the centenarian. Honest Ed's, 581 Bloor Street West. And we're back. Right, gentlemen. We've come to that point in the show where we're discussing the talent up front.

And boy, the least of any era would be hard-pressed to stack up a line that might match Austin Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Michael Bunting, first all-star teamers from side to side. Dare I try. What about Sittler, McDonald and Thompson? Young Master Rave, they were wonderful players en route to a bushel full of cups, but if you're comparing them to Matthews, Marner and Bunting, you must stand accused of living in the past. A victimless, if entirely understandable crime. I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I would go further in saying that John Tavares

is 1A to Matthews in the least pantheon in the modern golden era. Say what you will about Keon, Sittler, Matt Sundin, Dougie. Please, bud. We're running short on time. Grabowski, Inachek.

The scroll is seemingly endless. Who could forget Dan Dio and Tom Fergus? I call this session to order. Really, Red, my point is, even with so distinguished a roster of names

such as this, the only one who approaches the desert phenom that is Matthews would be the homegrown boy Tavares. And of course, he brings his own special brand of game to the blue and white. Always makes me wonder how different it might have been if John Ferguson Jr. had been successful with his bid to sign Tavares as a 17-year-old, as was bandied about by Clayton Ruby and other distinguished members down at Osgoode Hall. Oh, Clayton, a good lawyer, a great man, wonderful customer,

hard to fit, small ankles, very tiny ankles. Well, young Ted, cooler heads prevailed famously on that one. A challenge of the draft system in favor of regional territorial exemptions would, of course, been vouched for in any fair-minded court, but the least brass presumed that they would benefit overly from such a move and give them an unfair and obviously an unnecessary advantage. As ever, the Leafs did their bit to promote the most elusive and seemingly impossible goal of league parity. Doubtless Connor McDavid would have been successful in his bid to challenge the draft system if the Leafs hadn't discouraged him from going forward with it.

Always putting the league and the good of the game first. Sometimes I have to shake my head and count my blessings to have spent my life covering this saintly franchise. Well, what goes around comes around, or whatever it is the kids say. It was JT's destiny to come back to Toronto and raise the Stanley Cup here. Not to mention all the championships he's won with the Toronto Rock. Oh, well, if you're talking about lacrosse, then you've got lacoste. We've got the alligator. We've got the crocodile.

We've got the full line of the finest in French menswear at Corey's 569 Danforth in a heart of Greek town. Maybe it would be neater and a little less distracting if you just bought a spot, Saul. Spots? You got spots? Rucka can remove them. A secret old Sicilian recipe. I did. I swear I saw her get squinty

out of Gordon Sinclair, out of the crotch of Gordon Sinclair's guilt. Oh, I'm sure he paid you on the installment plan. All well and good. Now let's move on to the rest of the forward core. Well, Mitchell Marner is, of course, the only challenge that Austin might see for the Rocket Richard and Art Rosson Hart trophies.

Who else in the league is a threat to go better than a goal a game? And incredibly, Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews are more than the sum of their parts. Is that one of those analytics things? Because, brother, math is not my strong suit. Purely a figurative observation, Red. And then there's William Nylander, who is as elusive as the last digit of pi. What I know of pi is fairly limited to trainer, Johnny McKenzie and the coconut cream at Franz.

Well, I'm sure this is a season that Nylander comes into his own. I'm pressed to see how could come in otherwise, no? If you're talking about pressing, we do ours on sight. Jeez. I think that the game simply comes to him too easily and opens him up to criticism. All of it is unfair. So as it was for the Big M. Yes, such unfounded banter almost got him traded out of this fair burg.

Impossible to imagine. What, of course, would have been a huge disaster. And, of course, the same could be true of William. That'll be the day that Willie goes with a brush cut. Well, I'm sure that would have violated Willie's endorsement deal with the House of Lords. Suffice it to say, on any given night, William can be the best leaf on the ice. And by extension, the best player on said frosty patch.

Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I think we actually might see Willie make that big step up as a player from second of first-team All-Star. I mean, he was in the conversation with the con smith last spring and really why would it stop there he might be in the conversation for the league's most famous silverware the masterton last season might have been just a start well attach a significant asterisk to that the masterton was given to the leafs as a team will he just had his share of it. True, but the

Masterson voters in their citation made special note of Willie's commitment to charitable hair donations. He's got a point there, bud. Willie's a multi-time winner of the Man of the Year as awarded by the Toronto Alopecia Society. Actually, pretty sure they named him their main man. But we digress yet again. Are there any youngsters coming up through the ranks that might push these living legends to even higher heights? Who should we be keeping an eye on? Ted, you were filing for the telegram for the Leafs rookie camp.

Yes, Red, I was at rookie camp while you were dipping your toes in the waters of Lake Rousseau. As is my well-earned right. Once again, Nick Robertson is the early favorite for the Calder honors. There's some thinking that the Leafs held him back to keep his rookie eligibility in order. It would have been a shame for him to be runner-up to Michael Bunning. In some of their dressing rooms around the league, that sort of rivalry stuff would so discord. Speaking of so... Enough of so enough so continue bud

almost as remarkable as the leaf stanley cup run has been its dominance of the calder trophy they provide a master class in scouting drafting and player development staggering exactly red staggering their additions on a yearly basis so every season is a rebuilding on the fly. One featured rookie last season, Bunting, and then a couple of others who get a handful of games and a bit of a look just to fill out the Calder finalists. Last year, as you remember, it was Eric Calgren and Mike Amodio who filled out the finalist list.

A bit of heartbreak for Alex Steeves to be one vote behind Amodio. This year, I'm sure we're all looking at Robertson, but after that, truly it's a free-for-all. When necessary, drawing from the lineup, their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Canadiens.

Gents, it's a neat summary we've provided listeners here, but let's cut to the chase. The Stanley Cup. I'm going to put you out there with predictions recorded for posterity. How many games will it take the Leafs through four rounds of the playoffs before they're raising the Cup once more? 19.

19. So Bud sees a very competitive postseason. 18. A match of this past spring. History repeats. Never a bad bet with the Leafs. I see one. One loss. One only. Well, put the Baron down for a single speed bump on the road to glory. Finally, Saul.

Oh, I'm always looking for a perfect fit. I see the Leafs looking smart and sharp and not taking anything more than the minimum, 16. If there's a single overtime game in there, well, just mention it when you drop by Corey's Clothiers for gentlemen 569 Danforth, and I'll give you one of our fine imported pin cushions. I'm of the same mind, Saul. We'll be back to wrap things up with our mailbag right after this message from one of our sponsors here in the 416 area code. Young Ted, you have the honors. And now a word from our sponsor. Clear the shop! Clear the shop! I want some pop! Look at all the flavors! Pick what you want!

Orange! Great! Soda! And I'll have a plain soda water. Maybe I didn't go far in school, but there's one thing I've learned from my mom and dad. Look after the nickels and dimes, and the dollars will look after themselves. Right?

Right-o! I've got big bottles too, and I've got a nose for value. And friends, don't forget Eddie Shack's Donuts, old number 23's line of fine pastries. Nothing better to wash down with a pop shop cream soda. Shop Cream Soda. Okay, the mailbag. Young Ted, what do we have? This one comes to us from the borough of East York. Wally asks, Red, are there any plans to update the vehicles used in the lease annual parade? It would seem to me that those 1967 Cadillac convertibles would be pretty high mileage at this point and almost impossible to maintain. Thanks, Wally. On its face read, that seems like a reasonable question. One that's easily explained away. Wally, those Cadillacs rolled off the showroom floor at Richardson's Auto on Bay Street, a block north of college, just hours before that glorious procession in 1967. Their odometers literally turned over their first mile shortly

after picking up our conquering heroes at the garden's back door on Wood Street. And indeed, after the ticker tape ride up Bay Street to Old City Hall, they went into storage. That is, until the next spring when they emerged like blue and white cicadas. With chrome hubcaps in lieu of wings for another slow ride up the famous artery of commerce, the beating heart of this city. And, Wally, that has remained precisely the routine. These cars are maintained in pristine condition. Basically hermetically sealed in the interim. Maintained through the rest of the year and finally tuned

in advance of that inevitable parade the cars have in no way been altered with in accordance of an agreement with the toronto heritage society i believe they actually had to receive a special exemption to allow the ballard family trust to get the fleet rust-proofed at Don Valley Auto Repair, a prudent safeguard in the name of preservation, mindful that there's always a possibility of a drizzle, though inevitably the sun shines brightly on the city when everyone turns out to celebrate yet another glory run. The only humidity around those times would be the tears of Canadians fans who happen to be wandering through the metropolis and with regard to the likelihood of updating the fleet well it as it turns out though the image of

these luxury vehicles is burned in the medulla oblongi of all trontonians they have yet to log a thousand miles talking about making the best of your warranty. Here's another from our mailbag. We have Buddy in Balmy Beach. Your stomping grounds, Red. Indeed. Buddy has a question about the All-Star Game, which the Leafs will once again host at the Gardens in February.

Buddy writes, Red, do you think it's time to dispense with the all-star game format that pits the defending cup champions against the rest of the best of the league? I've heard complaints from my second cousin in Buffalo that hockey fans would like to see an East versus West format with a cap on the number of players representing their teams, no more than three men, and that the fans in other cities should get to see the

game played in their arenas. What do your panelists think? Gents, I put it to you, change for change's sake. That's the way I see it, Red. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Frankly, I think the fans would revolt if the least participation in a supposed midwinter classic event were limited to three luminaries from the blue and white. For so many fairly talented players with the league's also-rans, the All-Star Game is their one chance to skate in the spotlight at all. Many a player over the years, Mario and Ray Bork say,

have told me outright that the chance to skate on the Garden's Ice against the Leafs in the all-star game is really the highlight of their careers the closest i'll get to a handshake line after a stanley cup final the siddines told me in chorus and the idea of the all-star game being moved around the league along the lines of catholics loading the vatican city onto the lines of Catholics loading the Vatican City onto the back of an 18-wheeler. The gardens is hockey's mecca. Ah, bud, it's two minutes for mixed metaphor. I am knowing that Pravda and Moscow have done bladded in Stockholm

and their Spiegel in Berlin. They are calling for Canada versus the world. It's something that came up with the world leaders at G7 and United Nations. To form that Canada side, the Leafs might have to call up a couple of prospects from the Rochester Canadiens, at least until the feds finish processing Samsonov's Canadian citizenship. And surely not so practical as can make happen. On more than one count, George, the idea of 30-something NHLers coming in from around the league for the All-Star game, well, I'm afraid that would be at a tremendous cost to a rich

NHL tradition. The fitting of visiting All-Star players for bespoke suits at Corey's Clothiers for Gentlemen 569-1047. You've everybody. In the heart of Greektown. Okay. The night before the big game, those all-stars from around the league make their way up to the Danforth. Believe me, there's a lot of beef on those thighs. Very hard to fit. But our master tailors work through the night

to outfit each and every one of them by sunup. The next day. And then there's that big brunch at Franz on College Street. And the Leafs, of course, are already all looked after in the preseason. A rite of passage for rookies is to pick up the bill for tie clips and cufflinks. For the All-Star game, well, we can barely accommodate the 18 players who comprise the challengers to the Leafs, but 36 or whatever it would be, we just don't have the capacity to accommodate them. Nor, I suppose, does the victory burlask. Well, I'm hearing that theme music, and I'm afraid that's all we have time for, gents.

You've been listening to Every Spring a Parade Down Bay Street on CFCA, 770 on your radio dial, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toronto Telegram and the Bassett Media Network. This is your humble correspondent, the old redhead. Until next time, my big-hearted Torontonians, we bid adieu. God bless this city, and God bless the Maple Leafs. Every spring a parade down Bay Street is a Turtle Race Production. Copyright 1967.

David Schultz was Red York. Jerry Hall was Ted Reeve III. Mark Hebbshire was Saul Corman. And George Gross. And Gare Joyce was Bud Hewitt. Every Spring a Parade Down Bay Street is written by Gare Joyce. Please go to audible.ca to find the Audible original of Every Spring, A Parade Down Bay Street. And please stay tuned for further Every Spring content.

Subscribe to Gare Joyce's excellent Substack, how to succeed in sports writing without really trying. Go to garejoyce2022.substack.com and subscribe for free right now. And that brings us to the end of our 1,154th show. You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. David Schultz is at D Schultz Mark Hebbshire is at Hebseyman

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Ridley Funeral Home are at Ridley FH. Canna Cabana are at Canna Cabana underscore. And Sammy Cone Real Estate is at Sammy Cone. That's K-O-H-N. I'll see you Monday for Toast with Stewstone and Cam Gordon. from a tin Cause my UI check has just come in Ah, where you been? Because everything is kind of rosy and green Yeah, the wind is cold

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