After an iconic 44-season career calling games for the Toronto Maple Leafs on radio and television, Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Bowen is retiring this spring. As he embarks on his final season behind the microphone, a treasure trove of stories from decades on the road with the team is coming to light.
From Nordiques to Avalanche: A Rocky Mountain Transition
Bowen's memories stretch back to when the Colorado Avalanche were still the Quebec Nordiques. His first trip to Denver with the Leafs came during the 1995-96 season, when the team played at the aging McNichols Arena. The building, once graced by the likes of Elvis Presley and the Grateful Dead, was showing its age by the 1990s.
Former Leafs winger Mike Gartner was convinced the rickety boards and glass were the same ones used by the Colorado Rockies years earlier. Bowen once had to fill an extended broadcast delay by retelling stories after a puck shattered a pane of Plexiglass that no one could replace properly. Ironically, McNichols hosted a Stanley Cup celebration almost immediately when the newly relocated Avalanche swept the Florida Panthers in their inaugural season.
"Aw, that was so nice for those long-suffering fans," Bowen quipped with mock sympathy. "I bet fans in Quebec wanted to strangle them."
The Pat Burns Era and a Frigid Winnipeg Memory
McNichols Arena was also the site of the final game coached by the late Pat Burns, a close friend of Bowen and the broadcast crew. After a 4-0 loss that marked the Leafs' eighth consecutive defeat in the 1995-96 season, the mood was somber. "Sitting on the plane at Denver airport, you knew something was up," Bowen recalled. He noted that Burns and then-general manager Cliff Fletcher exchanged written notes, likely working out the details of his settlement.
Bowen's tales of the original Winnipeg Jets at the old Winnipeg Arena are equally vivid. The barn was famous for its massive portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, which mischievous players would target with pucks during practice. The venue was notoriously loud, due in part to the cursing and desk-pounding of long-time GM John Ferguson Sr. The team eventually installed thick, tinted glass around him to muffle his outbursts.
One of Bowen's most bizarre stories involves former Minnesota North Stars coach Glen Sonmor, who lost his glass eye at the arena. "You heard 'ping, ping, ping' all the way down the stairs and then Glen shout, 'hey, somebody kick my eye back, will ya'?"
Bowling with Burnsie in a Winnipeg Deep Freeze
Perhaps the most colourful memory involves a brutally cold day off in Winnipeg. To combat the deep freeze, Pat Burns decided to take the broadcast crew and his assistants bowling. "Of course, everyone at the alley recognizes Pat, who is getting loaded with us during trips to the bar," Bowen said.
He described Burns's unconventional bowling style, throwing five-pin balls overhand, yet managing to be "actually pretty good at getting some spares." The night of revelry led to a rough next day. "Practice was at 10 a.m. the next day and, by 3 p.m., none of us were a pretty sight," Bowen admitted.
As the Leafs' current road trip takes them through Colorado and concludes in Winnipeg, these stories serve as a poignant reminder of the league's evolving landscape and the unique characters who have populated it. For Joe Bowen, these memories are the fabric of a remarkable 44-year career that will officially conclude this spring, leaving behind a legacy of passion and unparalleled storytelling for Maple Leafs fans.
