For anyone who grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada each Saturday, an indispensable part of the tradition was the sound of Bob Cole’s voice calling the game.
Over the past few years, Cole had been calling fewer and fewer Leafs game, which felt a little disheartening for many Leafs fans, even if it is in part an inevitable byproduct of the passage of time for the now 85-year-old.
Which is why hearing him call tonight’s game was such a treat and an enjoyable experience. When Sportsnet announced that Cole would be calling three more Leafs games in the 2018-19 season, many Leafs fans had this one circled on the calendar.