When did you first become a Leafs fan?

[srnd9399]

Hey everyone, long time lurker – first time thread starter here. Like all of you, I’m a diehard Leafs fan and counting the days until we see JT suit up as a member of the greatest hockey franchise in the world! It’s going to be a long summer so let’s have some fun and share our earliest memories of when we first chose the Maple Leafs as our team
Mine - Although I started my playing career at the age of 6, I never became a diehard until 9 years of age. It was during the 92-93 season which had the likes of Gilmour, Clark, Potvin, Andreychuk just to name a few. My father had tried early to point me in the Leafs direction, but honestly up until that season I couldn’t tell you any names of the players. I do remember when I was very young my father telling me the Leafs were a mediocre team but they would make it back again….and they sure did that season. To see them on the brink of making it to the cup finals was an amazing experience for us fans. We’ve never been closer in my lifetime.
So many memories – Gilmour’s record tying assist, Pat Burns winning his first game back at the Forum, Clark vs McSorley in the playoffs etc
I’ll be 35 years old next month, and I want nothing more in my life right now than to see my Leafs victorious in a cup final! I’m confident our core of players and excellent management group will make it happen!
Go Leafs Go!!

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[Damisoph]

5 or 6 - would watch Saturday night Leaf games with my Grandpa in the basement whilst my Grandma and parents were watching The Love Boat upstairs. Weekday games were rarely televised back then. Rick Vaive was my favourite player til we drafted Wendel.

Go Leafs Go

 

[Notsince67]

1973 after I comleted my O-Pee-Chee hockey card set and finally got my Borje Salming second team allstar card

 

[IBeL34f]

I was born one, to be certain. But I was cognitively aware of it probably around '95 or so, when I was 6.

 

[JadedLeaf]

Watched Roy win a cup with Colorado when I was about 8. That got me into hockey. I still remember Roy jumping up and down when they won it. The next season I started watching hockey with my great grandmother who was a Leaf fan all her life so I was indoctrinated into it and I've been a fan ever since. I don't remember ever "choosing" the Leafs, it's just the way it happened.

 

[Cappuccino]

For me it was TeamCanada at the Olympics in the 90's. I picked them randomly (not knowing they were the best hockey nation) probably because of the maple leaf. Years later someone gave me a NHL game on Nintendo. I remember playing with the Avs because of Sakic and other TeamCanada players, the Ducks because of Kariya, etc.

After a while I began liking the teams with a lot of World Cup TeamCanada players. Those teams (for instance the Leafs and Oilers) were not that good because they obvisiously missed the playoffs. I think it was the year of the Kadri draft I really really start loving the Leafs. I tried to switch back to liking just the teams with TeamCanada players, instead of just the Leafs, but since I have been to Toronto and really loved the city, the Leafs are my Canadian Team.

I've been trying to find also a western team to follow/support, but it keeps falling apart. Mostly because of the fans of those team talking trash about our Leafs.

 

[Marshy]

First game at MLG in 1977 vs. Pittsburgh but probably around 79-80 season when I became a full time fan. The year the WHA merged with the NHL.

 

[JadedLeaf]

For me it was TeamCanada at the Olympics in the 90's. I picked them randomly (not knowing they were the best hockey nation) probably because of the maple leaf. Years later someone gave me a NHL game on Nintendo. I remember playing with the Avs because of Sakic and other TeamCanada players, the Ducks because of Kariya, etc.

After a while I began liking the teams with a lot of World Cup TeamCanada players. Those teams (for instance the Leafs and Oilers) were not that good because they obvisiously missed the playoffs. I think it was the year of the Kadri draft I really really start loving the Leafs. I tried to switch back to liking just the teams with TeamCanada players, instead of just the Leafs, but since I have been to Toronto and really loved the city, the Leafs are my Canadian Team.

I've been trying to find also a western team to follow/support, but it keeps falling apart. Mostly because of the fans of those team talking trash about our Leafs.

That probably eliminates 30 teams lol

 

[Cappuccino]

That probably eliminates 30 teams lol

The Blues are (compared to most others, for what I have yet noticed ) not that bad. The Knights on one hand should also not be too bad (new team, nothing to do with the Leafs), but on the other hand because the fanbase is a mix of all other fanbases, I am not holding my breath on it either lol

 

[93WrapAround]

Probably around the year the moment in my username happened; I was 7 years old then. I just remember trying to perfect that wrap-around move in my hockey practice the next day. Douggie was ahead of his time with that cleverness. I also remember watching the "The Passion Returns" VHS quite a bit soon after, as well as loving to pretend I was Felix Potvin every time I was playing either mini-sticks or road-hockey with all the equipment and Leafs mask, etc. Fond memories.

 

[Erndog]

When Dougie did his spin-o-rama behind the goal vs. St. Louis. Quite literally that is my first Leafs memory. I think I was 8 at that time. I'm 33 now and as strong as ever. Have had NHL centre ice since 2002 and haven't missed more than a handful of games in any season since. Even with the wife and 2 kids now

 

[Nick034]

1995 was the time i came to Canada and fell in love with my hometown team. Even now when i am not in Canada i follow my team whenever i go. 23 years later i still have the same passion towards them as i had as 16 year old. LOVE THEM!

 

[JadedLeaf]

The Blues are (compared to most others, for what I have yet noticed ) not that bad. The Knights on one hand should also not be too bad (new team, nothing to do with the Leafs), but on the other hand because the fanbase is a mix of all other fanbases, I am not holding my breath on it either lol

I was making a joke but there are certain fanbases that don't seem to get into it with us as much as others. You're right about the Blues. Blue Jackets fans as well. I'm sure there are others as well but they probably wont be from the Canadian teams.

 

[JadedLeaf]

Probably around the year the moment in my username happened; I was 7 years old then. I just remember trying to perfect that wrap-around move in my hockey practice the next day. Douggie was ahead of his time with that cleverness. I also remember watching the "The Passion Returns" VHS quite a bit soon after, as well as loving to pretend I was Felix Potvin every time I was playing either mini-sticks or road-hockey with all the equipment and Leafs mask, etc. Fond memories.

When Dougie did his spin-o-rama behind the goal vs. St. Louis. Quite literally that is my first Leafs memory. I think I was 8 at that time. I'm 33 now and as strong as ever. Have had NHL centre ice since 2002 and haven't missed more than a handful of games in any season since. Even with the wife and 2 kids now

Are you two talking about the same moment? lol

 

[Cappuccino]

I was making a joke but there are certain fanbases that don't seem to get into it with us as much as others. You're right about the Blues. Blue Jackets fans as well. I'm sure there are others as well but they probably wont be from the Canadian teams.

A joke with much truth in it lol. After Tavares it only became worse. They hide (to justify their anti Leafism) behind the behaviour of the Leafs fans, but although there is some truth in that either, they really can't stand the Leafs being good again.

Edit: And I can't stand the cannon of the CBJ and back in the days (now not so much anymore) I was very much against the Blues because of mister Hull (because of TeamCanada) lol

 

[srnd9399]

When Dougie did his spin-o-rama behind the goal vs. St. Louis. Quite literally that is my first Leafs memory. I think I was 8 at that time. I'm 33 now and as strong as ever. Have had NHL centre ice since 2002 and haven't missed more than a handful of games in any season since. Even with the wife and 2 kids now

Awesome! My wife wasn't into hockey at all, now she and our 4 month old son are diehards!

 

[Schenn]

Born as one in '94. Watched every Saturday night with my dad growing up, although I don't remember much before probably 2002 due to being dropped on me head to much. Even then its a haze until after the lockout. That's when my fandom exploded.

 

[al secord]

My father gave my mother the sweet lovin' in early 1979.

 

[mapleleafs34]

Born into a leaf fan in '94. Lucky enough to have season tickets so my earliest memories were the 02' playoffs.

 

[frog]

I was about 9 years old and I just remember some 4th liner named alyn mccauley was like a miracle player against carolina hurricanes in the playoffs and was replacing sundin or mogilny or someone on the top line or something because he was our best player in that series. I instantly became a die-hard leaf fan because of him but then they traded him for owen nolan the very next season.

 

[MattySnipes]

92. I was 5 years old. Dougie and Clark were my guys

 

[LeafFever]

Since 1982

 

[Budz]

It wasn’t a decision. I was “chosen”.

 

[93WrapAround]

Are you two talking about the same moment? lol

Lol of course! A little eerie that we're both '85 babies (my bday is just later in the year) and that is both of our first Leafs memory lol

 

[93WrapAround]

I was about 9 years old and I just remember some 4th liner named alyn mccauley was like a miracle player against carolina hurricanes in the playoffs and was replacing sundin or mogilny or someone on the top line or something because he was our best player in that series. I instantly became a die-hard leaf fan because of him but then they traded him for owen nolan the very next season.

Oh man, that McCauley goal was pretty memorable to me as I remember having some buddies over watching that game and to this day I can't recall a more crazy/loud reaction to a goal in my house since.