The Ultimate Road Trip
All 89 Games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ultimate Leafs Fan
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Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781770415584
- Publish Date
- Oct 2020
- List Price
- $22.95
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eBook
- ISBN
- 9781773056036
- Publish Date
- Oct 2020
- List Price
- $15.99
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Downloadable audio file
- ISBN
- 9781773057484
- Publish Date
- Feb 2021
- List Price
- $26.99
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Description
“If you like hockey and travel, you’ll love this book.” — Rick Vaive, Leafs captain and three-time 50-goal scorer
The Ultimate Leafs Fan attended every Toronto Maple Leafs contest of the 2018–19 NHL season and in this lively account makes it his mission to figure out what makes fans bleed blue
Through 89 games, from October to April, Mike Wilson, a retired Bay Street trader, traveled to 31 rinks to document stories of Leafs love. Mike took every conceivable mode of transport, stayed in team hotels and on the couches of family and friends, then went into the cheap seats, private suites, the streets, sports bars, hotel lobbies, and many other unique locations where Leafs Nation gets together, to gather tales both hilarious and heart-wrenching. Media personalities, former players, and NHL celebrities gave Wilson their thoughts on what fuels the Leafs passion.
With a foreword from club president Brendan Shanahan and colourful souvenir photos, The Ultimate Road Trip allows fans to vicariously experience the journey of a lifetime, and explores the passion of the sign-waving, fully costumed diehards who fill arenas from Alberta to Anaheim.
About the authors
Mike Wilson is a life-long collector of Leafs' memorabilia, who has hosted many charity initiatives in The Room. The Ultimate Leafs Fan has been featured in the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Star, and the Globe and Mail, as well a being profiled on ESPN, CBC, and LeafsTV.
Lance Hornby is a veteran sports journalist who has covered the Maple Leafs and the NHL for more than 25 years. The author of two books about the Maple Leaf Gardens, Hornby writes the popular Toronto Sun feature, "This Day in Leaf History."
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Brendan Shanahan retired from the NHL in 2009. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1987, Shanahan has played with the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers. He has spent the majority of his career with the Red Wings, with whom he won three Stanley Cup championships. He currently serves as the NHL's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development.
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Excerpt: The Ultimate Road Trip: All 89 Games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ultimate Leafs Fan (by (author) Mike Wilson & Lance Hornby; foreword by Brendan Shanahan)
If I needed a good omen as my first road trip began, it was printed right on my Air Canada ticket, Flight 442 to Chicago O’Hare, the same numbers of defencemen Morgan Rielly and Ron Hainsey.
Approaching U.S. Customs at Pearson Airport early Sunday morning, it dawned on me I’d be declaring a four-city excursion across America, not a simple week vacation to Florida. These security folk can be ornery at the best of times and the last thing I needed was this guy to give me a hard time.
“I’m off to Chicago, but it gets tricky, because I’m also headed to Dallas, Detroit, and Washington,” I began.
His look needed no explanation: keep talking, and it better be good.
“I’m actually following the Leafs to every game this year and this is the first trip.”
“You getting paid for this?” he inquired over the nose of his glasses.
“I wish.”
A smile slowly worked its way through as he fired a few subtle questions and tried to trip me up, but eventually he sent me on my way.
I arrived in the Windy City a few hours behind the Leafs, who had just lost the second of their two home games, 5–3 to Ottawa. I was excited to find as many members of Leafs Nation as I could, in one of the greatest sports towns in America. Chicago is also close to Notre Dame, whose football team, as I’ve mentioned, holds a very important place in my life — and in that of Joe Bowen, the voice of the Leafs.
My first stop wasn’t the United Center, the Hancock Building, or some other Chicago architectural landmark. Instead I pointed my rental car northwest out of O’Hare to Woodstock, Illinois. The little town, made famous by Bill Murray’s movie Groundhog Day, is home to the studio of Erik Blome, sculptor of Legends Row outside Scotiabank Arena.
Historic Woodstock is a charming place with lots of Groundhog Day landmarks, though townsfolk prefer to think there’s more to their home than the film. Its beautiful old opera house was once the summer stock theatre residence for budding stars such as Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and War of the Worlds creator Orson Welles.
Erik’s studio can be described as organized chaos, with materials, plaster busts, sketches, and a molten orange kiln arranged strategically for him and his assistants to work.
On the upper floor overlooking the workshop are half a dozen copies of the Legends busts along with bits and pieces of old hockey equipment from the various subjects, including Tim Horton’s gloves. Blome proudly showed me the original designs and the changes made as the monument came closer to completion.
He gave me a quick demonstration on how the mould is cast for a statue — making sure I kept well back from the 450 degree oven.
He mentioned he’s been back to Toronto a few times to repair a few of the Leafs sticks on his statues that had been vandalized. Apparently, one of Drake’s trucks backed into one of the statues, requiring a quick fix. Maybe the famous Raptors ambassador wanted to start clearing space for a basketball tribute.
Editorial Reviews
“As someone who played for the Leafs, who spent the season always on the go, home and road, seeing all our fans, I was amazed at Mike Wilson’s journey. If you like hockey and travel, you’ll love this book by ‘The Ultimate Leafs Fan.’” — Rick Vaive, Leafs captain and three-time 50-goal scorer
“‘The Ultimate Leafs Fan’ took to the road with his beloved team and found out it wasn’t all fun and games. There is certainly some work to it!” — Joe Bowen, “Voice of the Leafs”
“I’d love to think Mike just wanted to feel what it was like to be a team broadcaster, but his journey was fuelled by passion alone. I see many Leafs fans on the road in every city, but it seemed fitting to see ‘The Ultimate Leafs Fan’ in all of them, even for one season.” — Jim Ralph, Leafs radio analyst
“While certainly Maple Leaf fans will love this book, hockey fans of any team will enjoy reading about one fan who was able to complete an incredible hockey journey.” — The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books blog
“Getting the personal stories of Toronto fans who help fill all 30 visiting rinks, plus ex-Leaf NHLers, VIPS and bits on each town’s hockey and sports history sites made his seven-month trek worth every stop.” — The Chronicle Herald