TVL 236.

Borje Salming will always be my favorite all-time Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player. His Hall of Fame career's only blemish was that he never had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s mug. However, nobody could ever blame the Slender Swede for the Leafs constant ineptness during the sixteen seasons that he wore the blue and white. Like all great athletes, the eighth greatest Leaf player of all-time always showed up to play and he never took a night off.

Borje Salming was a true warrior and over the years I must admit I became a little bit obsessed over Mr. Salming.

Almost every single work day I drove past Maple Leaf Gardens. For me just catching the aura oozing from the ancient original six arena was always worth any detour. I was always downtown anyway with my ice cream route so I never had to go too far out of my way. Like a shroud of mist, a burst of feel good happiness immediately would come over me. No matter how I was feeling on any given day, passing by the Gardens always made me feel a bit better.

On many mornings during hockey season when the Leafs were in town I would park my truck in front of the Gardens historic marquee. I would then walk into the lobby and if my timing was just right I could watch a bit of practice. I would be standing within twenty feet right behind the south end goal. Quite often my timing was wrong and the windowed door area was already blocked with other diehard Leaf fans who had arrived before me. I'd be heading right back to work on those mornings.

The best area to see Leaf players by far was at the back of the Gardens before or after practice. Most of the players parked their cars adjacent the Gardens in the public lots. A few players would sometimes park right on Church Street at one of the metered spots. Salming was one of the few players who regularly parked on Church Street during practices. There were many times that he would not even drive, instead taking the subway to and from the Gardens from his High Park area home.

During my adult years I never bugged players for autographs. It just never seemed like the proper thing to do, an adult man stalking another adult man for his signature.

I stand corrected.

I did ask Leaf Captain Doug Gilmour for his signature back in 1994. I was thirty-four years old and technically I was an adult. Although there would be some who would dispute as to whether I acted like an adult while I was in my thirties. I can also recall a memorable afternoon stalking Wayne Gretzky back in 1983 through the streets of Toronto for his autograph, but that would be another story altogether.

However, I do recall in my younger teenage years back in the 70's chasing all the Leaf players for their autographs. You name the player and I most likely had at least one of his signatures. On one memorable snowy evening while chasing down Lanny McDonald I slipped and fell knocking down his then pregnant wife Ardelle onto the sidewalk. After me apologizing profusely, both Lanny and me helped her back onto her feet. Lanny then gave me his autograph.

How fuck’n cool was that.

Unlike today's modern arenas there was no underground parking at the Gardens and players were always at the mercy of fans both young and old. Fans would all be waiting with pen and program in hand on Wood Street after every home game. I never had one player ever refuse me an autograph. Although, if there was one player who had the right to tell me to get lost, it was Lanny.

On one of my daily detours I saw Borje standing all by himself on Church Street after practice. Naturally I parked my truck and walked over to shoot the shit with him. Borje told me he was waiting for his wife to pick him up and he was wearing a suede jacket. I will never forget he had his wool mittens attached by strings to the arms of his jacket. I remember when my daughter Stephanie was a toddler she wore her mittens the same way so they wouldn’t get lost.

I still to this day have never seen a grown man wear his mittens like that before.

After talking hockey for a few minutes, Borje asked me if I had any milk in the Beatrice truck he had seen me get out of. I told him I didn’t, but I had ice cream if he wanted some. He smiled then told me both he and his son loved chocolate ice cream. I went into the back of my truck and gave him a bundle of four 2 litre tubs of our very best, Beatrice Old Fashioned Recipe. We talked for a few more minutes and as I pulled away I glanced out my rearview side mirror. It was quite amusing seeing Borje who was now wearing his mittens with his hands full of chocolate ice cream standing out in the frigid cold all by himself.

It is a visual snapshot that I will never forget.

Borje Salming drove a gold coloured 1982 BMW, his plate number was TVL 236. I have no idea why after forty plus years I still remember that trivial useless piece of information. But like I mentioned earlier, I had become a bit obsessed with the All-Star defenceman.

I do recall having one street encounter with Borje that I was totally unprepared for. While delivering to a 7-11 on College Street, I stumbled on the streetcar tracks while crossing the street. I was not using a cart and I dropped all the ice cream I was attempting to quickly carry. The first oncoming vehicle had to stop abruptly to avoid hitting me or the boxes of ice cream strewn all over the road. I looked up while picking up the boxes to acknowledge the driver, it was Borje. We greeted each other with a cordial wave and head nod as he slowly drove past me.

The 1986/87 season would see the Maple Leafs coached by John Brophy. The rough and tough Brophy played defence his whole career in the East Coast Hockey League. The often violent ECHL was where Brophy would rack up almost 4000 penalty minutes during his eighteen year minor league career. After his playing days John was destined to become a career minor league coach as well. That was until the Leafs took a flyer on Brophy after the firing of head coach Dan Maloney. They promoted him up from their St. Catharines Saints minor league affiliate to take over the helm of the big league club in Toronto.

As well undrafted Kevin Maquire would also be attending Leafs training camp before the 1986/87 season. Kevin also was a rough and tough player who like Brophy made a name for himself in the minors for his fisticuffs more than anything else. Kevin also grew up in the same Lawrence Heights housing project that I grew up in. He was well known in the Jungle and he also knew my wife Bonnie. During training camp that year Kevin made the sports pages fighting newly acquired Wendel Clark during daily scrimmages. Wendel was the NHL’s first overall pick in the 1985 entry draft. Like Kevin, Wendel also was a rough and tough player and would drop the gloves regularly during his first season with the Leafs. Wendel scored 26 goals during his rookie season and led the team in penalty minutes with 227.

Wendel Clark instantly became a fan favorite amongst the Gardens faithful.

Myself included.

As the 1986/87 season got underway Kevin would find himself down in the minors with the Saints, but he had no doubt made a lasting impression on first year head coach Brophy. I knew it would be just a matter of time before he was playing at the Gardens with the Leafs. Wendel began his second season with the expectation his rookie year scoring prowess and toughness would continue. Borje Salming was starting his fifteenth season patrolling the blue line wearing #21 for the Leafs. He was still driving around the streets of Toronto in his gold coloured BMW 528e.

As the season progressed the Leafs were once again mired in another sub-mediocre season. With Wendel still taking on all challengers nightly in the old ‘Chuck’ Norris division, Brophy had seen enough. The team was lacking physicality and Broph called up Maguire to take some of the pressure off the team’s star player. Kevin’s first two games would be a double tilt, home and home against the Detroit Red Wings in December. The memorable Friday night game in Detroit would see Kevin going toe-to-toe with the NHL’s top enforcer Bob Probert. Saturday’s game back in Toronto would also see the two tough guys renewing pleasantries.

So if you have read this far you may be asking yourself, what the hell is he rambling on and on about?

Ok stay with me for just a bit longer.

On Friday January 16th 1987, I went out to dinner at my favorite restaurant Ed’s Warehouse on King Street. Bonnie and I had driven downtown and parked in one of the public lots. After dinner we were both tired and just looking forward to sleeping in the following morning. I was also looking forward to attending the Leafs game on Saturday night because Wayne Gretzky along with the Edmonton Oilers were in town to play the Leafs.

I remember it was a very cold evening has we headed back to our car. We walked past some type of red carpet grand opening festivities on the corner across the street from where we had parked. There were two big burly black guys working the door. We assumed it was some type of exclusive night club opening up on the now trendy King Street. Once we arrived at our car I noticed a gold coloured BMW parked right beside me. Yep, you guessed it the license plate was TVL 236.

Are you fuck'n kidding me?

I told Bonnie that the car beside us was Salming’s. Bonnie could care less and just wanted to go home. I, on the other hand was eager to find Borje. Like I have stated in previous stories, my priorities get all fucked up when it comes to hockey. I asked Bonnie if we could simply back track along King Street for a few blocks and then we would head back to the car. I promised her that if we didn't find Borje we would head on back home. I guess since we had only been married six years we were still putting ourselves out for each other and Bonnie reluctantly agreed to my bizarre request.

And what if I did find Salming, what was I going to do anyway?

He most likely was out to dinner with his wife, maybe his kids were with him. Perhaps I was just hoping to make eye contact and once again exchange cordial head nods. That would've made our walk on that very cold January night all the more worthwhile and memorable.

Well, at least for me it would have.

Anyways, we didn’t have to go far.

As we headed back, Kevin Maguire was walking out of the building where all the festivities were taking place. He noticed us right away and told us Borje was opening his new bar and nightclub. He was a part owner and had invited the whole team to the gala opening. Most of the players were already inside and Kevin invited Bonnie and me to join them, to which I casually agreed.

I didn’t want to appear too eager.

Bonnie needed something from the car and I went back to get it. When I returned Kevin and Bonnie had both disappeared and I found myself nose to nose with the two burly black dudes attending the door.

“Invitation” one of them said.

“I am friends with Maguire, he plays for the Leafs, he just invited me and my wife and she is already inside.” I am sure I reeked of desperation.

“Sorry, you need an invitation” the other one told me.

Thank Christ Kevin came back to get me within a couple minutes.

“He’s with me.” Kevin told the two doormen.

I stuck my tongue out at both doormen while walking past them and through the front door. Once inside it seemed like a pretty big place, it was very crowded and very loud. Kevin and I weaved our way through the crowd towards the back of the building. Bonnie was already there waiting for me; she had a glass of wine in her hand. She too seemed very excited, but she also knew how even more excited I would be on this night.

She was right.

I will never forget the night we partied with the Leafs. We were sitting around lounging on big leather couches with the players, their wives and girlfriends. I spent most of the evening sitting beside Bill Root and his wife. Russ Courtnall, Vincent Damphousse were also at our table with their girlfriends. Bonnie mingled with the girls while I talked hockey with the players. I felt like one of the players on that night and I fit right in.

Kevin, knowing how much of a Salming fan I was had brought Borje over to introduce me to him. Once Borje saw me he smiled, he remembered me as Mike the ice cream guy. The evening however would not be a long one and we would not be partying well into the wee hours like I had hoped. With the Great Gretzky in town the following night, Brophy had put a curfew on the guys. Like a mass exodus all the players started leaving around 10 pm.

Hell, I was a player on that night also and Bonnie and me left too. Maybe the curfew should have been earlier. The Oilers beat the Leafs 7-4 and Gretzky once again had another four point night.

When I look back on that amazing evening, it was only because I had remembered Salming's license plate TVL 236. That and the fact whenever hockey is involved my priorities are always so totally fucked up. And I can't forget my old Jungle bunny buddy Kevin Maguire also had played a key role. Those were the only reasons why on that night January 16th, 1987 I had one of the best, most unforgettable memories of my life.

A truly blog worthy memory.

Thanx for staying with me right to the end.