Christmas and the Canadiens

It was 1958, when I was six years old — and still believed in Santa Claus — that I have my first memory of Christmas and hockey.

I had asked Santa Claus for a Montreal Canadiens jersey for Christmas and I remember my Dad and Mom telling me that they would try to make sure that I got one.

Puzzled, I said to my Dad that I thought it was up to Santa Claus whether I got the Canadiens jersey or not.

And without hesitation — and I can still see the amused look on my Dad’s face — he told me that he first had to get the money to Santa Claus for the jersey, and then it would be delivered early on Christmas morning while I was still asleep.

“Please, Daddy, I really want that jersey,” I said to my Dad. “You just have to get that money to Santa! I promise I will be a good boy.”

Being that I was a good boy — back in those days, at least — I did get the Canadiens jersey from Santa Claus. With it — but separately — came a felt number 9 that my Mom would later that day stitch onto the back of the jersey.

Number 9 was what the famed Maurice “Rocket” Richard wore for the Canadiens and since he was my Dad’s favourite player, he was also mine.

But while my Dad liked the Canadiens — and the Canadiens only — there were other teams from the Original Six era of the National Hockey League that I liked.

So, over the next couple of Christmases, as well as my October birthday, I would ask Dad and Mom for NHL jerseys from other teams as presents. (I had stopped believing in Santa Claus, so the requests went straight to Dad and Mom.)

Next came a Detroit Red Wings jersey (they were actually my favourite team but I didn’t have the heart to tell my Dad for fear of disappointing him) and then, jerseys of the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins.

Along that late 1950s, early 1960s, timeline, I also asked for a New York Rangers jersey but my Dad never could find me one. Which was fine.

Notably, the only jersey from the NHL Original Six that I never asked for was one from the Toronto Maple Leafs. That was one thing that I was all on board for with my Dad — neither one of us could stand the Maple Leafs!

At any rate, many Christmases have come and gone since I got my first Montreal Canadiens jersey.

I still like the Canadiens and the Red Wings as my two favourite NHL teams. And I still can’t stand the Toronto Maple Leafs, even with a Sault Ste. Marie connection that includes general manager Kyle Dubas and aging star Joe Thornton.

Meanwhile, along the way, I have gone from NHL fan to a sports writer and broadcaster who covers junior and minor hockey via my Sault Ste. Marie, northeastern Ontario (and southwestern Ontario) roots — ones that I will never let go of as long I am still breathing life and the game itself.

I thank Santa Claus and my Mom for assisting me in my passion for hockey.

But it is my Dad who first instilled the love of the game into me, even if, for him, it was all about the Montreal Canadiens.