It’s game day and the excitement builds at Memorial University’s Field House in St. John’s. Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE) president Glenn Stanford is feeling the pressure that comes with the end of one sporting season (hockey) and the start of another. 

Speaking to the nail-biter of a final overtime game for the Growler’s hockey team, he paused before speaking.
  “When there’s 27 teams in the league and you make it to the final four, most teams would consider that to be a pretty successful year,” he said with pride. 

Now, on opening day for Growler’s basketball, excitement builds. “We’re excited about the product … it’s an up-and-coming league that are literally coast to coast.” 

You can tell by the quality of the people that the league are attracting, he continued. “When we were able to get Patrick Ewing Jr. to come up and be our coach and you see the players we’re attracting, we’re obviously excited to be a part of it. And like any opening night, we’re excited to get it up and get it running and get it going,” he said. 

A proud father who has dedicated over 30 years to bringing professional sports to this province, Stanford admits there’s been sacrifices at times. “I’m in this racket a long time and good things in life don’t happen overnight, so family support means everything,” he said. 

‘A big sacrifice’

Some of the team’s players have young families, including Ewing, the team’s coach, who just happens to be the son of New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing. Balancing sport and family can be a challenge. “Being involved in sports is obviously a big sacrifice because of the time that you put in. And when you’re entertaining people, it’s on a Friday night or a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon, so consequently, for everybody within our entire organization, it’s obviously a big, I think, stress load and a big commitment to someone with a family.” 

At the end of the day, is it worth it? Stanford paused again. Sports has long been a uniter of people and place, he said. So while there’s sacrifice, there’s also huge reward. 

Ewing Jr., a proud dad of four, says he couldn’t agree more. 

“There’s no better job than being a dad, to be honest with you. It’s just the most rewarding thing I’ve ever been a part of. For me, it means the world. But being involved in sports is not only about my kids, but other kids who need someone to look up to. Just giving them a positive role model to look up to and someone who they can strive to be like is part of why we do what we do,” he said.

Hoops with dad

Ewing Jr. shared that his dad is both his father and his mentor. “Growing up, I remember being two and three years old and watching him work out in the gym … and they would lower the hoops for me so while he would work out, I would be doing the same things that he would be doing, so I definitely wanted to be like my dad growing up. And then it just so happened that I’ve fallen into the career that he’s gone into.”

Growlers Basketball takes places at the Field House at Memorial University, with 10 regular season home games beginning in June. Seats for the 2022 season may be secured at www.GrowlersBasketball.ca.

A look back at 30 years of professional hockey in St. John’s and celebrating the local stars who gave fans plenty of reason to cheer

It’s been three decades since professional hockey arrived in the province’s capital, a sports journey that has embraced several franchises, two leagues and an alumni of NHL legends.

The Baby Leafs 

That first year was pure magic for the province as the American Hockey League’s St. John’s Maple Leafs, the farm team of the storied Toronto Maple Leafs, captured the hearts of sports fans – narrowly losing the 1991-92 league championship. 

The Baby Leafs – featuring 21-year-old Corner Brook forward Todd Gillingham and led by rookie coach Marc Crawford – gave fans at Memorial Stadium its first taste of the pro game.

But the city’s first dalliance with the pro game actually came way back in 1983 when Ian McKenzie, owner of Regatta Ford, organized a four-team AHL exhibition tournament with an eye to bringing a pro team to St. John’s. AHL president Jack Butterfield balked at the idea of having his teams, which travelled exclusively by bus, fly to the island.

 But by the early 1990s pro hockey talk heated up. In 1990 the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars and general manager Bobby Clarke signed a deal with Mayor Shannie Duff to place Minnesota’s minor league affiliate in St. John’s. 

There was only one problem, the North Stars minor league team at the time was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan of the International Hockey League and the AHL refused to allow Minnesota to simply transfer the club to the league without buying an expansion franchise first and the deal fell through.

Standing room only

Undaunted, the city turned its attention to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were unhappy with their AHL franchise in Newmarket, Ontario. Shifting the franchise to St. John’s would not pose the same problem the North Stars encountered. And despite Butterfield’s concern about travel, Cliff Fletcher and his Toronto Maple Leafs would be finally bring pro hockey to Newfoundland.

Rabid St. John’s hockey fans quickly snapped up every season ticket available in the 3,500 seat Memorial Stadium and the standing room only crowd were treated to an exciting brand of hockey that culminated in a Calder Cup run.

Gillingham was the first of many Newfoundlanders to play the pro game in St. John’s. Players like Terry Ryan and Harold Druken followed with the Baby Leafs, but the most memorable was South Shore senior hockey league legend Andy Sullivan, one of the province’s all-time great amateur players, who turned pro with the Maple Leafs as a 32-year-old.

First pro goal

Venerable Baby Leafs radio broadcaster George MacLaren said when Sullivan scored his first pro goal it was like the roof just about blew off the old Stadium — cheering never heard since the night George Spracklin scored for the St. John’s Caps senior hockey team versus the visiting Soviet national team, featuring the likes of Vladislav Tretiak.

 By 2005, the pro hockey landscape had changed and many teams wanted to have their AHL affiliate close to the parent club for salary cap reasons and the Maple Leafs were one of those clubs — moving the Baby Leafs to the Ricoh Colleseum in Toronto.

 While the St. John’s Fog Devils of the Quebec Major Junior league filled the hockey void for a couple of years, it would be several years until the American Hockey League would return to St. John’s.

Miracle on ice

In nothing short of a miracle, former Premier Danny Williams convinced the newly-formed Winnipeg Jets to place their AHL franchise in St. John’s. The IceCaps were a smash hit at Mile One Stadium — setting an AHL record for most consecutive sell-outs and advancing to the league semifinals in year one, led by Corner Brook native Jason King.

The IceCaps would advance to the AHL finals in 2014 and play one more year as the Jets’ top farm club before, like Toronto, the club was moved to the same city as the parent club. 

As a stop gap, the Montreal Canadiens, building a new AHL arena in nearby Laval, needed a place to temporarily house its minor league team and the IceCaps lived on for two more years.

Go Growlers, Go!

There was another absence of pro hockey in the capital city until 2018 when the Toronto Maple Leafs came into the picture once again, this time with an ECHL affiliation for St. John’s.

The ECHL is considered a tier below the AHL, but the team would be considered the class of the league, bringing St. John’s its first professional sports title. And like the city’s previous hockey clubs the Newfoundland Growlers were led by a handful of Newfoundlanders — NHL veteran Adam Pardy, snipers Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power and tough defenceman James Melindy. The club was also coached initially by long-time NHLer Ryane Clowe, of Fermeuse, who had to leave the bench due to lingering concussion issues.

Glenn Stanford

The Growlers did not get to defend their title in 2020 as the playoffs were cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Growlers then voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020-21 season as the pandemic still had ongoing travel restrictions.

Of course, no story about professional hockey would be complete without mentioning Glenn Stanford, the executive who has overseen every interaction of professional hockey in the city and has a sterling reputation in pro hockey circles. 

Buddy the Puffin

Another fixture on all pro hockey teams in St. John’s was Buddy the Puffin. He was previously the mascot of the St. John’s Maple Leafs and later the St. John’s IceCaps and Growlers. Buddy’s number is 92, which represents 1992, the year that he was introduced as the mascot of the St. John’s Maple Leafs. For most of Buddy’s tenure, the man in the suit was Chris Abbott, who tragically passed away in early February.

Pro hockey dream

Among coaches who steered St. John’s pro hockey teams two men — Marc Crawford and Joel Quenneville of the St. John’s Maple Leafs – went on to coach NHL teams to Stanley Cup championships. Arguably the greatest player to ever play the pro game in St. John’s is former IceCaps goalie Connor Hellebuyck who won the 2020 Vezina Trophy, the only St. John’s pro hockey alumni to win a major NHL individual player award.

The pro hockey dream continues in the province’s capital with the Newfoundland Growlers still chasing another ECHL title. This team –and the many teams over the past three decades – continue to give fans a reason to cheer.

Glenn Stanford reflects on his 30 year involvement with professional hockey in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

When Glenn Stanford stood on the ice at the Mary Brown’s Centre at the Growers Game against the Cincinnati Cyclones in early April, he drew a standing ovation.

Stanford, currently the Governor and Chief Operating Officer of the Newfoundland Growlers in the ECHL, has been called everything from “the glue” to “the heart” of any and all hockey franchises that have called this province home and has been labeled “the reason why” there’s been professional hockey played in Newfoundland for over thirty years.

Hockey accolades

Stanford’s hockey career began as a high level administrator and organizer as the Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador High School Athletic Federation and continued when he became the manager of the St. John’s Memorial Stadium.

Stanford has been named the top CEO with the American Hockey League twice – one of only four people in the history of the league to twice earn the honor. Stanford has earned praise from past politicians (former premier Danny Williams is one) and former players (like Adam Pardy) as he led the extremely successful St. John’s IceCaps and St. John’s Maple Leafs hockey operations in the American Hockey League. Danny Williams has said Standford’s leadership played a major role in the IceCaps recording 127 consecutive sell-out crowds at Mile One.

‘He’s a gentleman’

With awards that include the 2005 Thomas Ebight Award for career contributions to the AHL, 2004 Special Olympics Sports Celebrities Festival National Volunteer of the Year and selection as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs, Stanford has more than earned his place in hockey history in NL. But talk to anyone who knows the man and they will simply say, “he’s a gentleman,” and it’s been his reputation that Stanford has relied on over the past 30 years. 

What started his passion for pro hockey? The fact that it wasn’t here, he said.  “I ended up managing (Memorial) stadium in 1996, and one of the things I realized was that they never had a tenant in the building,” the former teacher said.

He began exploring the possibility of housing an  American Hockey League franchise. With guts and grit, the St. John’s Maple Leafs settled in. 

“We sold out in Memorial Stadium, but that only had 2,500 capacity, but then in 2011 with the IceCaps at Mile One, we had sell out after sell out in a much bigger space.”

‘30 years of success’

While many say that Standford is the reason pro hockey’s here, he’s quick to share the praise with others. 

“In 2011, Danny (Williams) came back (to hockey) and then Dean (MacDonald) got involved, so there wouldn’t be hockey without their support, but if you’re really going to point the finger in a good way to why we are successful here that finger has got to be pointed towards the fans because they’re the ones that stuck it out and they’re the ones that supported hockey over the years. You can have a good product on the ice and you can have a league and you can be competitive on the ice, but if you don’t have fans you’re not going to be successful.”

There’s been a core group of fans that have been with the sport for 30 years, he added. “Many of our corporate partners have been with us for that whole time, too. The reason why we’re successful is simply the fans and corporate partners.” 

It hasn’t always been easy. The realities of the geography has been challenging for one thing, he said. “Obviously no disrespect, it’s tough to attract people to come to the province simply because of the travel. We’re an island. The weather is not great. With those things in mind, we took the philosophy early on that we’re going to treat this team and this organization as best we can.” They focused on every detail, from food to lodgings, and they did their best to attract the best. Word soon got around that this province was the place to be.

‘One of our own’

“Word spread that if you come to St. John’s,  you’re going to be well taken care of. The fans are going to support the team. There’ll be good coaches and development opportunities with the Toronto Maple Leafs and that attracted players to come here.”

Fans of these game began “treating come from away players like one of their  own, even though they might be from Ontario or from the states,” he said.

“When someone plays for that Newfoundland Growlers team, our fans treat them like one of our own and take care of them. Fans embraced the parents of the players, they take them out for fish and chips or out sightseeing. That doesn’t happen anywhere else. That’s the culture that we have developed over a number of years.”

Growlers Nation

Fans of the game are part of the Growlers Nation (join the fans on the Facebook page, Growlers Nation) and “People know, you come here, it’s a special place with a special group of people and you’re going to be taken care of.” 

Stanford has a special relationship with the players too. Many of the NL contingent, like Marcus Power, James Melindy, Zach O’Brien, Nathan Noel and Tyler Boland, have developed an enduring bond with Stanford.

“They are great players and great young men. But what’s really cool about the whole idea of having Newfoundland players is that we’re not just having Newfoundland players for the sake of having local players … What’s really cool about all of our Newfoundland players on our team is they make an unbelievable contribution to the team and they have made a big contribution to our overall success.” 

Danielle Goyette

As the father of two daughters, Stanford is also proud of the role women have taken within the league, he added. The team earned headlines for having the first female coach in the history of the ECHL when Danielle Goyette stepped in to help when coach Eric Wellwood had COVID. 

“Having females involved in the game at all levels, from coaching to assistant general managers, is a good thing. And this year Kelly-Anne Roberts became the first full-time female colour commentator in ECHL history. That speaks well for our game, that speaks well for us as an organization and hopefully where we are league leaders when it comes to that. Personally, I’m married, I have two daughters and I have two granddaughters and what we’ve done speaks well for the future of the game and that’s the way it should be.” 

Focusing on the game itself, Stanford is proud of the team’s standings and hopeful for the playoffs. “Obviously we hope our team wins on the ice, but we don’t control the outcome from the office. The players and the coaches do a wonderful job of making sure our team is competitive on the ice. The other part of that for us is the entertainment value so when people come down to the games, not only are they entertained by what’s happening on the ice, but they’re also entertained when the puck isn’t in play.” 

He loves hearing fans as they exit a game saying that “it was fun.” 

‘A critical time’

Speaking about current franchise owner Dean MacDonald, Stanford paused. 

“Dean came in at a critical time. The IceCaps had moved on, the American Hockey League had moved on, simply because of the geography – we were an island out in the middle of eastern Canada. Then Dean came on board because he felt that there was a need for hockey in the community. And he’s a successful business person in this community and then legitimately wanted to try to give something back.”

The last four years have not been easy, he admitted. “In the last two years, almost every business has struggled but to his credit, through trying times and troubling times, he stayed with it. He’s doing what he’s doing for all the right reasons. He wasn’t getting rich off hockey, let’s just say that.”

The charity piece is huge, he added. From Growlers Give to the Growlers Academy, to the time the players themselves donate to so many causes, it’s been a feel-good time to be in the organization, he said. “Hockey has made an enormous contribution financial, millions of dollars over the 30 years has gone back to the community.” 

People like the late Murray Chaplin who sold 50/50 tickets at the games was one. 

“Buddy appearances, hospital visits, the player appearances, shovelling during Snowmageddon. The list just goes on and on and on. I think that’s one of the best benefits of having a pro sports team. Yes, it’s on wheels in the stadium at game time, but I think hockey is a great asset to the community in so many ways.”

Buddy the Puffin

The conversation turns towards the loss of Chris Abbott, the man behind the team’s mascot, Buddy the Puffin. 

“We were lucky when Chris became involved and Chris, as Buddy, became the face of our franchise. The kids might know the players names, but they knew Buddy. Everybody in Newfoundland knew Buddy and he was putting smiles on people’s faces at the games, not only kids, but a lot of adults, too. He became the face of our team and the face of our organization. 

“Chris was going beyond what was expected, and he’s done everything over the years. There was a Mission Impossible opening ceremony in one of the games and he propelled from ceiling. He put so much effort into Buddy and he took so much pride in Buddy. I never heard that he turned down a request.” 

Treasured memories

There’s hundreds of stories, and so many treasured memories, he added.

Stanford has taken time to reflect, he said, and now at the 30 year mark, he can say that “it’s been a ride.” 

“I don’t see myself as the face of the organization even though I’ve been around for 30 years, because longevity doesn’t necessarily mean anything. And although people might like to thank me for being around 30 years, it’s the volunteers. It’s the staff at the Mary Brown’s Centre, the officials and the volunteer staff. It’s the season ticket holders, the fans. It’s the corporate partners…” 

The list goes on. “Looking back, it’s been amazing and people shouldn’t be thanking me. It’s really me who should be saying thank you. So thank you.”

(Posted May 1st, 2022. The Growlers are currently in the playoffs for the Kelly Cup. For tickets and info visit /https://www.nlgrowlers.com/#tab_statistics-players-leaders=forwards

The Newfoundland Growlers become the 10th franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League and as the games are set to begin, it’s playoff time in the hockey world. There’s no rest for the wicked, and there’s even less for anyone dedicated to delivering great sporting entertainment in St. John’s, NL.

Dean MacDonald is the man behind Deacon Sports & Entertainment which owns the Newfoundland Growlers – affiliates of the Toronto Maple Leafs. They also own the Trois Rivières Quebec Lions (also in the playoffs), and the Coralville Iowa Heartlanders. 

MacDonald opened by saying “It’s been a tough but great season.”       Tough, because of the COVID restrictions when it came to fans in the stands and travel, but great because all three teams have made great strides in the ECHL world. “We’re really pleased with fan support and without them, things would be quite different,” he said. Sometimes, especially speaking about the success of the Growlers, who were Kelly Cup winners in their first franchise year, he has to remind himself “that it’s real.” 

“I don’t know how we ended up here. I honestly don’t. The irony is that we were approached to bring a team here, and we did it. It’s a credit to Glenn (Stanford – the Governor and Chief Operating Officer of the Newfoundland Growlers) and the team. A few things are important. We run a tight ship and we’re active in the community. That’s kudos to the lads on the team who have the passion. As for me? It’s just fun. I can’t describe it any other way. The playoff run we had in the first year, and to win it was like magic and that’s just one of the greatest moments of all time.”

Watching the joy on the faces of the players and the fans made his investment all that much more worthwhile, he added.

“It’s so much fun to see fans engaged. Our fans are really into each game. I think the local players on the team helps a lot as it gets the heart beating fast.”

Zach O’Brian. James Melindy. Nathan Noel. Marcus Power. Tyler Bowland. Players who grew up here bring family and community support to each and every game. 

Speaking of getting the heart beating faster, the three games the Growlers played at home against the Cincinnati Cyclones just before the start of the playoff games were some rough and tough hockey. MacDonald laughed. 

“I watched it. It was tough. But it’s nice when you win the gritty ones because that’s playoff hockey. They’re (Cyclones) a heavy hitting team and they’re going to take the lumber to us.” 

MacDonald and the Growlers organization have earned much praise in the league. While many are owed credit, as far as the head of the organization is concerned, the parent team gets the credit.

‘the Leafs system’

 “I think it starts with the Leafs … they are very determined to have a good team and all the players feel like they’re in the Leafs system. Like they have a chance. There’s a lot of time and effort put into each player with individual coaching so I think players feel that they’re really wanted and I think it’s fair to say there are teams in the league where that isn’t the case.” 

From medical care to good grub, the management team are committed to the players and their wellbeing both mentally and physically, he shared.

Looking back over 30 years of professional hockey in this province, McDonald says the credit goes to one man: Glenn Stanford. 

“At the end of the day, it’s all about Glenn. We don’t have a team without Glenn. It was the Leafs that approached Glenn about possibly playing here in St. John’s. It was Montreal who approached Glenn about Trois Rivières, and it was the city of Coralville that approached Glenn about the Heartlanders.” 

Glenn, he added, has a “blue chip kind of Rolodex when it comes to hockey,” he added. 

“I think it speaks volumes for him and his personality that people like him and like working with him … Glenn Stanford has been there from the get go.”

As for the playoffs? The team is ready, he said. “Coming into the playoffs now, we’re going to have to have a very good team and hopefully it’ll be interesting hockey.”

The fans, he said, are ready. 

“With everything that’s happened with COVID, I think the people are just longing for (sport at that level). That’s the feeling I have. We’re starting to get big crowds now and people are into it and I think we did a really good thing when we called the team the Newfoundland Growlers because we have a lot of support across the entire province.” 

The Growlers Academy

One piece that’s important is the opportunity to give back with Growlers Give and the Growlers Academy. 

“That’s really important for us … when I got involved with the team I realized that we had an opportunity to add good works for want of a better term. And you know, we really have a super active group of players like Todd Skirving. The Growlers Academy has been just huge and  the kids love it so much. I think that speaks volumes to how active we are in the community.”

The Growlers get a fair bit of play on the NHL stage too, like shout outs on Hockey Night in Canada. 

“It’s been said, ‘how are you guys getting so much time on Hockey Night in Canada?’ It’s because we’re giving it our all, from the staff to the fans, and this franchise is earning a very special place in people’s heart and so that makes me feel very proud.” 

Something else that has made him proud is his connection with Chris Abbott – Buddy the Puffin – who died suddenly early in the season. 

“Chris was the heart and soul of the franchise and has been for 30 years and loosing him is just beyond sad. I had so much respect for him in terms of what he did and how dedicated he was to his craft. There was no one better than Chris and hopefully (his memory) gives us something to play for now. He was just such a gentleman and a good person and a big part of warming up the crowd. He was dedicated to the cause.”

Any last words? “This is a celebration of hockey and a celebration of Newfoundland. It’s proven that hockey’s important to the community. I think it’s also a celebration of what Glenn has done for 30 years, and I’m really proud for him because he deserves so much credit. What a career he’s put together, and it’s inspiring, and he’s just a wonderful individual and I enjoy working with him so much. It’s been a real pleasure.” 

But at the end of the day, the fans are what makes hockey in NL such a pleasure to be involved with. “There’s so many who bring it every season, but really, anyone who has come to a game is part of the story of the last 30 years of hockey in this province.” 

Danny Williams still plays hockey regularly when he’s in town. While many know Williams as a powerhouse of a former premier, or as the developer of “Dannyland,” the man who always seemed to have the plan was also quite the sportsman. From player (from his St. Bon’s days on) to coach to promoter, Williams literally and figuratively kept his stick on the ice.

From the American League’s St. John’s Maple Leaf franchise to the wildly popular IceCaps, Williams played a prominent and influential role when it came to delivering professional hockey to The Rock.  

“We’ve got a regular Tuesday night group that get together and play (hockey) when I’m in town … I’ve been playing, coaching or involved at the executive level when it comes to hockey since I can remember,” he opened, reflecting. 

On swapping out the old Memorial Stadium for Mile One (now called the Mary Brown’s Centre), Williams shared that it was time to make some improvements for the sake of the game, the players, and the fans. 

“When the city got the franchise for the Toronto Maple Leafs (St. John’s Maple Leafs, also known with affection as the Baby Leafs) back in the 90s …  we became very much aware that Memorial Stadium was just basically wearing out. It was built in the early 50s and they needed a new facility. And because of our affiliation with Toronto and Toronto had just been in the process of completing the Air Canada Centre … so we just got started on a new stadium to support the league here,” he said.

For Williams, the fan support made the investment worthwhile. “The fan base is incredible. The greater Avalon region draws on basically half the population of the province, and when we had the IceCaps we had people coming from pretty much everywhere for games. We were basically selling out for three full years … we were providing a caliber of entertainment and it was great hockey,” he said.

‘Fill the house’

Was it profitable? Oh yes, though they worked at it, he admitted. “You need to get the numbers out. You know, it’s difficult to break even with small numbers, but as you fill the house that’s where it basically becomes worthwhile or profitable.”

But beyond the profit, the people who were involved stand out, he continued. Glenn Stanford, currently the Governor and Chief Operating Officer of the Newfoundland Growlers, stands out, he said.

“Glenn has been involved with the American Hockey League … and has brought a wealth of experience and a wealth of contacts through his affiliations with the various franchises. He  approached me and said, ‘Look, I think Winnipeg might have an interest in coming here because they’ve just started a new team,’ and we got on it right away and we had a team up and running and ready for a season opening run in under six months.” 

Stanford was able put a team on home ice in short order because he had experience and contacts, Williams said with admiration. Stanford was also a good friend of Dave Andrews (a former player and then president of the American Hockey League), Williams continued, and because of that, he was also a great friend to Newfoundland and Labrador.  

“Dave Andrews was instrumental in seeing various franchises come to St. John’s and to the province,” he said.

We ask if Williams feels pride in his accomplishments when it comes to bringing professional hockey to this province.

”There’s a lot of people that are involved, from trainers on, that were a key component to the success of the organization. Some have left here and have gone off and worked with NHL organizations as a result of the training and the connections that they had in St. John’s.”

We were also blessed to have had a “tremendous number of great hockey players, some who have stepped up to the NHL and finally got their big break,” he said.  Zachary Fucale and Michael Hutchinson  are two who come to mind, he added. 

“As you watch the game you see just how difficult it is for a young man or woman to make the grade to beat the top teams. You see a lot of very, very talented athletes – hockey players – who don’t get to the big show. And you feel their sorrow and you feel their disappointment because you know that they came out of communities across the continent where they were stars. But it’s tough. It’s tough to make it,” he said with admiration. 

From injuries to tougher opponents,  they just “don’t bring the big game when they needed to bring it,” he said. But thinking back to “his” teams and players? 

“Ninety-nine percent of the time they performed heroically for us, to be quite honest with you. You get to see the ups and downs of what has become what it is to become a professional athlete and that in itself was a real eye opener for me.” 

Super-fan Andrew Abbott

Another great memory is meeting and working with people like Andrew Abbott, one of the St. John’s IceCaps top fans.

“Andrew had Down Syndrome and Andrew’s father Jim approached us and said, ‘Look, is there any place where he would have a role within the team?’ And we said, absolutely, and we would bring him into the dressing room and he very much became a part of the team and the players totally embraced him. They would take him out to their barbecues, they would take him out to social events. And he’d come down to the games fully dressed in his jersey with his hair spiked and dyed a nice blue colour. He was a great morale booster for the entire team, the entire organization and for me personally.” 

There’s hundreds of stories like that, Williams shared. “I’ve said it time and time again. I’ve learned more from hockey and gained more friends and more contacts through hockey than anything else I’ve ever done in my entire life. So hockey has served me well and I’ve tried to serve it the best of my ability on every single level I can ever be involved in. And now, of course, I have grandsons who are coming up through the game and granddaughters who are coming up through the various organizations who are playing the sport, and it couldn’t be better and I couldn’t be happier.”

But beyond the personal, what the game of hockey, and the players themselves, give back is often not highlighted enough, he said.

“The Leafs Foundation back in the 90s were very actively involved in the community and the players were absolutely marvelous when it came to giving back. Another great contributor was Buddy the Puffin. Chris Abbott. What he did and what he’s done? He was remarkable. He made his time available and you could see him just brightening the lives up of those he touched and people lit up when he was in their presence. So that whole part, the philanthropic side of the sport, that makes a big difference.”

From dollars via donations to fundraising and appearances, “professional hockey played an enormous role in the community,”  he said.

Any last thoughts? “It was such an important part of my life and I totally enjoyed it. The friends that were made, we still stay in contact. Sport is a great glue for people and it does a lot for a city and a province.” 

MVP – Zach O’Brien

Top Forward – Zach O’Brien 

Top Scorer – Zach O’Brien

Top Goaltender – Keith Petruzzelli

Top Defenceman – Ben Finkelstein

Top Rookie – Orrin Centazzo 

Community Player of the Year – Todd Skirving

Fans Choice Award – Todd Skirving

Unsung Hero Award – Marc Johnstone

Glenn Stanford Leadership Award – James Melindy