The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming to town in just a few weeks, putting off a number of practices, scrimmages and events – and the best part, the bulk are free.
Training camp gets underway at the Paradise Double Ice Complex on Friday, September 13th with a team practice and scrimmage at 10:00 a.m., with the same thing happening on Saturday and Sunday morning.
The team will host a community barbecue from noon to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday the 15th at the Double Ice Complex before the Leafs Alumni Game at the Mile One that evening.
All of these events are free to the public, something Newfoundland Growlers President and CEO Glenn Stanford says speaks to the relationship they have with the parent club and their dedication to the fans. He says it’s a big deal and a great opportunity for not only Growlers fans, but for Leafs fans and hockey fans to get up close and personal with a lot of NHL stars.
The Leafs will play the Ottawa Senators in a preseason game at the Mile One on Tuesday, the 17th, a game that has been sold out for months.
Stanford says the camp should also have a big economic impact on the area, with people expected to come from all over the province. He says the team alone has 125-rooms booked at the Delta per-night during their 6-day stay with restaurants booked out for team functions each night.
Growlers Scouting New Players
Meanwhile, with a full Toronto Maple Leafs roster coming to the rock for training camp, it gives the Growlers management an early look at some possible players that may wear a Growlers jersey in the upcoming season.
Growlers President and CEO, Glenn Stanford says you will see a lot of players at the camp who will suit up for the Growlers.
The formula they used last year clearly worked with the Growlers winning the Kelly Cup in their inaugural season.
Stanford says they leave the hockey operations part to the Leafs.
He says they agreed on that when they signed their affiliation agreement. They give the team players from the Marlies of the AHL, a formula that Stanford says worked well last year, and there’s no reason to tinker with it.
