Due to inclement weather, the Toronto Maple Leafs will hold an open practice at the Mattamy Athletic Centre at Maple Leafs Gardens on Monday, the team announced in a release. The practice begins at 11 AM on Monday.
The team was previously going to hold their annual outdoor practice weekend from Saturday-Monday, but amended the events due to an expectation of extreme weather conditions.
Ahead of Monday’s practice, the Maple Leafs released the following statement:
This will mark only the third time the Maple Leafs will return for an event to Maple Leaf Gardens, the home of the team for 68 seasons, since 1999. The Gardens also served as the first venue in Toronto to consistently host world-championship-caliber pro wrestling. Fans in attendance will have the opportunity to engage with this history as WWE Superstars support Maple Leafs players through a 3-on-3 tournament
Fans can sign up through the Maple Leafs app on Friday to win passes to the outdoor practice, where select players, along with WWE superstars are expected to be in attendance.
“The turnout is fantastic, obviously. You don’t see that too often, the turnout we had today. It was a great little event,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said following last year’s outdoor practice, held at the Prince of Wales Rink in Mimico.
“It’s great to do something like this, it’s a fun day obviously. The guys have fun with it. The support you get here in Toronto is fantastic. It makes the event a lot more fun, a lot of people out here cheering. It’s a good day for the guys. It’s something different, right, from the daily grind.”
It’s a terrific event for the community, which celebrates the Maple Leafs’ larger ties to the City of Toronto. Mayor Olivia Chow attended last year’s event, while several players brought their families onto the ice, after the 3-on-3 tournament concluded.
Toronto will host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, so Monday’s practice will likely provide a real look at the projected line combinations.
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