If you’re a hockey player, chances are you’ve got one pretty big dream that really stands out: wanting to win the Stanley Cup. (Hell, even if you aren’t a hockey player, that’s probably up there.)
If you’re on the younger side of things - say, not yet old enough to even be drafted yet - then there’s a pretty good chance you’re hoping to do it wearing your favourite team’s jersey, too.
Which brings us to a 15-year-old Brooks Laich from many years ago:
First off, okay, I get he’s 6’2 and a professional hockey player and all so he’s going to be pretty big, but dang, 15-year-old Laich was big.
But really - that’s not too far off from many of us at that age, is it? Laich is from Saskatchewan, where there’s a fairly decent contingent of Leafs fans; at that age, he was still a little off from even playing major junior.
But a lifelong dream of winning the Stanley Cup, ideally in a Leafs jersey? That’s awesome.
That’s probably not going to happen for Laich - not only are the Leafs still a bit out from probably properly contending again, but he’s older, on the last year of his deal, and in the minors nowadays - but he got to contend for the Cup throughout his career, and he did end up getting his own Leafs jersey with his own name on the back.
And all in all, can’t ask for much more than that. Fifteen-year-old Laich probably would’ve taken it - so this is a pretty awesome throwback.