By: Sofia Abas
For the first time 10-year old Leafs fan David almost cried from happiness. “I never thought he would see me, and I kept calling for his name, I kept shouting, Travis! And he finally saw me.”
The Toronto Maple Leaf’s were at Nathan Philip Square to practice, and David couldn’t be more excited. David’s father surprised him with passes to the practice so that his family, including his dog could sit inside the bleachers and watch. David was looking forward mostly to seeing his favourite Leaf, Travis Dermott.
‘I kept looking for him and had to wait for the perfect moment because they don’t always see you, and as soon as he passed by me, I shouted his name and he heard and he approached me” says David.
But when the Leafs’ defenceman came over, David was in shock. He couldn’t talk, so his father stepped in and asked Dermott to hold his son’s dog for a picture. But that wasn’t the only thing Dermott did, he took the dog for a skate in his arms while other people were photographing him.
The Toronto Maple Leaf players took the subway to Toronto City Hall for their annual outdoor practice. Hundreds of fans ringed the ice rink at Nathan Phillips Square to catch a glimpse of the players. For many of the fans, it’s the first time seeing them in action in person because they cannot afford tickets to a game. Fans needed passes to get access to bleachers, otherwise it was standing room only with parents holding their children on their shoulders.
In addition to the practice, the team held a three on three tournament. The event also includes a First Responders game on Friday and a skills competition for professional women’s hockey players as well as an alumni game on Sunday Jan. 12th.
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