Hockey Update: Leaf Fan Meets the Flying Father

There has been so much news lately with Biden and Trudeau’s troubles, that the Against the Flow blog hasn’t had a moment to thank Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers for their terrific run this spring in the Stanley Cup finals. They did not make it this year, but their team and coach were terrific. Their fans are grateful, and The Oilers should have a great chance for next season unless they cannot compete with another fine team, which you can read about below.

It happens that one of my family members has given me a sports cap of that other team, the Toronto Maple Leafs--my special team for many, many years. The Leafs did not make it this year, either. In fact, the Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup in 1967. That was 57 years ago. But that crisp new cap has rekindled my loyalty to the Leafs.

Because of the long drought, Leaf fans have taken merciless ribbing by supporters of other hockey teams, such as the hapless Habs of Montreal. But, ever delusional or ever faithful, I can say that 2025 will be the big year for the Leafs. And of course, I am leaving some room there for The Oilers, as well.

The other day when this writer was in Fredericton, I bumped into the handsome and good-humored Catholic priest. I will just call him the Flying Father. You see, for many years he played for the Flying Fathers hockey club.

This was the fast-skating, comical team, wearing mostly black that used to dress up one of its team members in a long blond wig, imitating a woman hockey player in that ancient era. Thank goodness such a prank would never be acceptable in today’s world, where female hockey players have rightfully taken the sport by storm.

When I saw this Flying Father in a Fredericton eatery, I discovered something I did know before, he is also a long-suffering Leafs fan. In fact, that day he was wearing a light-colored blue shirt which he wittily dubbed the Leafs “away” jersey, compared to the darker blue, home sweater of that immensely popular team (with the best hockey fans).

It did strike me, though, that the Flying Father, a Leafs fan for almost as long as yours truly, must enjoy a close enough relationship with God, that he could have long-since prayed successfully for an end to the long and fruitless drought of the Maple Leafs and their devoted fans.
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It’s time, go for it, Flying Father!!