The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken training camp on the road the past couple years, holding it in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2015 & 2016. This year it’s staying close to home and the opening weekend will be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
From Friday September 16th to Sunday September 18th, Maple Leafs training camp will be held at the Gale Centre arena complex, which is currently host to the Junior ‘B’ Niagara Falls Canucks of the GOJHL.
There will be practices and scrimmages available to watch, as well as contests, giveaways, and outdoor activities for anyone who can’t get into the rink itself. Remember, some fans in Halifax were living up at 5AM to get their chance to watch the Leafs run drills.
Local minor hockey groups will also get the chance to learn from Maple Leafs coaches at clinics being held in the region, and Leafs alumni will be on hand to great fans as well before the grand finale on the trip, a Maple Leafs Alumni Game.
This will be a great chance to see Auston Matthews down the road from my home, and I have a few things I want to see and do on this trip:
- William Nylander trying to protect his hair as the team takes a ride on the Maid of the Mist.
- Mitch Marner be denied entry into the casino because security thinks his ID is fake
- Auston Matthews drag Mike Babcock to a winery so he’ll finally pay up on their World Juniors bet.
- Meet Nazem Kadri and tell him the story about the time he threw a stick at my wife at a Knights vs IceDogs game.
- Kidnap Timothy Liljegren and drop him off at the Meridan Centre for the IceDogs.
It will be a fun time to see the Maple Leafs in Niagara, hopefully I’ll see some of you there are well.