Thank you, Joe.

Joe Bowen’s sign-off for his final Leafs home broadcast

Bowen: I’ve often said that I don’t know what I was going to say when the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. But I thought about this, and what I want to say now. I said I had to put it down in writing. If you bear with me, I’ll try to get through this.

I’ve divided it into two parts. On [Wednesday] night in Ottawa, I want to recognize the individuals who played such a large part in my career. Tonight, in this my last home game broadcast of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I want to focus soley on the fans, who have packed Maple Leaf Gardens when I started in ’82, and then the Air Canada Centre, and now Scotiabank Arena.

There is no question that this fan base is the most unique in hockey and in all of sports. Regardless of where you play, Leafs fans make their presence felt in overwhelming numbers. I first experienced it in my first trips out west, where Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver were flooded with familiar blue and white sweaters.

No matter how the team stood in the standings, that support, both at home and away, was unwavering. That has stood the test of time over my 44 seasons. While crowds in Toronto were viewed as corporate and nonresponsive in the lower bowl during the regular season, the upper bowl and the old greys in the Gardens were more boisterous and wonderous. The whole sections behind the rival nets exploded in seas of blue and white after an important goal, like Tomas Kaberle’s one night in Buffalo. Or listen to the Ottawa Senators pleading with their fans not to sell their tickets to Leafs fans in the Battle of Ontario playoff series. That did not curtail a delightful number of Leafs Nation from passing through the turnstiles.

This kind of enormous support also produces a byproduct of intense media coverage. Coverage has now expanded to just about anyone who cares to start a podcast or become the internet clickbait champion on all social media platforms. As in anything else in this time in history, it is so much easier to criticize and gain the attention they seek than to be fair on many occasions, making the Leaf market one of the most difficult to perform in because of this abundance of coverage and opinions.

But through it all, Leafs fans remain loyal. I’ve always told my sons — Liam, Derek, Sean, and David, who are here in the booth with me tonight — that they needed to pick a team and stay with them through the thick and thin. I’ve done my share of brainwashing when it comes to this — Leafs, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Toronto Argonauts, Green Bay Packers.

Disappointment will always outweigh exhilaration. It is the nature of sports. But the Leafs are like a much-loved family member who will often do something terribly disappointing, requiring discipline and often some tough love. In the end, that family never leaves. The family becomes tighter because of the experience.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will once again hoist Lord Stanley’s chalice. Yes, I am disappointed it did not happen on my watch. I often remind folks that the Boston Red Sox went 84 years between World Series. The Chicago Cubs, 104 years. But when the Leafs are on the cusp of victory, I know Leafs fans will gather with loved ones. Some will bring an urn close to the TV, or maybe some will bring a radio to a graveyard, to be with parents and grandparents, so that everyone can enjoy this very special moment. I sincerely hope that I am here to enjoy that magical moment with all of you.

To all Leafs fans who have stopped me to share a moment and offer congratulations: I cannot thank you enough. You are, without question, the most unique, loyal, and supportive fan base in all of sports. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your drive or for bringing us into your living room, rec room, or man cave. I will forever be in your debt. I will never, ever forget your kindness and constant support over 44 years.

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