That being the case, when one long-time Leaf from my hockey-mad household passed away recently, it was difficult not to spend some time thinking about the impact he had on my life as a hockey fan and, in particular, as a passionate supporter of the blue and white.
When I write about the Maples Leafs from these olden days, I like to write from memory. When someone as prominent as Red Kelly, Johnny Bower, or Borje Salming passes away, there are always many excellent articles that quite skillfully capture their careers and lives much better than I ever could.