A NEW HOME FOR THE LEAFS

History was made on February 20, 1999, when the Toronto Maple Leafs took to the ice to play their first regular season game at the Air Canada Centre. It was a new era for the club that previously called Arena Gardens on Mutual Street and Maple Leaf Gardens home.

Prior to the official opening at the ACC, an open house was held for the public to get a preview of the building. The event was held on February 14, with 40,000 people passing through to look at the new surroundings.

During the festivities, Leafs' president, Ken Dryden, was busy greeting fans as they strolled by to continue their walkabout. I was fortunate enough to spend time with Dryden that day and we chatted about the last 24 hours, as his club turned out the lights at Maple Leaf Gardens in their final contest at the hockey palace Conn Smythe built.

Sensing that our conversation was about to end, I noticed a picture hanging on the wall. It was a photo of Leaf netminder Walter "Turk" Broda.

With my camera at the ready, I asked Dryden if he wouldn't mind posing for a snap beside the famous photo of Broda sitting in his crease snacking on a plate of pancakes.

Broda made his NHL debut with the Leafs in their season opener at home on November 5, 1936. The rookie goalie faced 29 Detroit Red Wing shots and held his own until the final period, when the  Wings got three pucks past him.

It wouldn't take the future Hall of Fame goalie long to earn his first NHL victory between the pipes. On November 14, the Chicago Black Hawks came to town and Broda turned in a spectacular performance as the Leafs downed Chicago by a 6-2 score.

The Globe and Mail reported:

"Turk" was brilliant in the fullest sense of the word, Time and again he rose to sensational heights to thwart the sniping Hawks. On a few occasions he turned aside three and four successive shots from the Chicago sticks, once when he had lost possession of his own guarding blade. 

Turk Broda is the only Leaf goalie to capture 5 Stanley Cups. He played in 629 regular season games and posted a 302-224-101 record. In the playoffs, Broda earned the reputation as a money-goalie. In 101 contests, he went 58-42-1 with a 1.97 average.