See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source William Nylander wanted to bring things full circle on Monday night in Calgary. In the city he was born and the Saddledome, where he was brought as a baby to watch father Michael’s last full season as a Flame, Nylander will play in Toronto’s last game prior to the 43-year arena’s closing after this season.
He also was given the Leafs players’ signal honour of leading the team stretch after Monday’s morning skate. “This place has some character, it’s fun coming into older buildings,” Nylander told reporters in Calgary the day before.
“It’s been a long time and the new one (18,400-seat Scotia Place, part of a $1-billion development) will be very nice.” He’ll also want a goal or two to aid a win in a rink the team suffered their share of one-sided defeats in the Saddledome’s early days. What’s been Nylander’s Calgary connection?
The Leafs debuted there Nov. 5, 1983, less than a month after it opened for NHL hockey.
Rick Vaive scored Toronto’s first goal that night, but the visitors’ 3-1 lead evaporated in a four-goal Flames’ finish. Nylander’s 300th Leafs goal Saturday up the highway in Edmonton moved him past fellow right winger Vaive for sixth in franchise history.
“It’s a step on the road, nice to score 300, but I don’t want to stop there,” Nylander said. “I haven’t thought too much about (moving up a list, where Ron Ellis is next at 332).
Rick is an unbelievable guy. I wasn’t born yet to watch him play, but it means something very special.” For a time, Nylander was introduced in Toronto’s starting lineup as being from Calgary, but frequent appearances with the Swedish national team led him to change that designation.
From Borje Salming to Mats Sundin to Nylander, the Swedish trio are in the top 10 of Toronto’s leaderboard in assists and points. Nylander had a three-point game in Calgary last February and, while growing older in Michael’s later NHL stops in Chicago, Washington and New York, William said he always has appreciated the loud Leafs representation in their annual visit to Alberta.
Brother Alex also was born in Calgary, the two forwards briefly re-uniting as Leafs. Alex helped the Marlies to a Calder Cup last June and signed with the Flames, starting this year with seven points in 10 games for their AHL Calgary Wranglers.
What do other Leafs recall about the Saddledome? The Saddledome, site of the 1988 Olympic hockey tournament, holds memories for other Leafs.
Coach Jim Hiller recalled his first NHL game there in 1992 as a Los Angeles King. “Here and Joe Louis Arena (the Detroit Red Wings’ former home) were two of the nicest rinks in the NHL everyone was talking about then,” Hiller reminisced.
“But times have changes and it looks like a beautiful building going up next door.” Winger Kirill Marchenko, Nylander’s linemate with centre Nick Paul, had some Saddledome success through the years. He wasn’t up to date on the Flames’ plans to move next door, more concerned about helping Leafs to a fifth straight win.
Calgary, after a sluggish start, had won its past three games before Monday. “I love playing with Willy,” Marchenko enthused.
“What can I say? He can pass and shoot and I try to do my best work for him.
We talk a lot on the ice. That (300 goals) is a big number for sure and we try to find the best chemistry we can.” Why Maple Leafs feel more authentic during this winning streak Leafs Takeaways: Star power turned up, Stolarz and defence dig in Sergei Bobrovsky will be back in net Monday, after Hiller’s surprise call to go with Anthony Stolarz in Edmonton paid off during a 7-2 win.
Bobrovsky’s career mark against the Flames is 9-5-3 with a .908 save percentage. It did take a couple of years for the Leafs to finally win one at the Saddledome, 7-6 in overtime in 1986 when Tom Fergus tied the match with four seconds in regulation, then won it in extra play.
When Cliff Fletcher ran the Flames, they routinely beat up the Harold Ballard-era Buds, including a 12-2 whomping in 1989-90 with future Leaf Doug Gilmour getting three points. That slate didn’t improve until Fletcher was in charge in Toronto, while three Leafs in the modern era have Saddledome hat tricks — Nylander, Auston Matthews and Tyler Ennis.
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