A packed arena, some of the top players in hockey today and a great new sports facility.
The game crowd yesterday morning loved ex-NHLer Sam Gagner’s “pro camp” at the MLCC as part of an opening day family event.
And they all loved it — including the “Field House” where they got to check out the walking track, hoops, dumb bells and the community hall overlooking the ice.
The partially compete library opens Monday for a look-see.
Meanwhile the lobby and rink were teeming with fans, residents and teams of players going on the ice for private rentals.
They got to sit the same dressing rooms where Auston Matthews, John Tavares and this spring’s Stanley Cup winner Brandon Montour of the Florida Panthers suited up.
Fans were lucky to see Auston Matthews work his magic on the ice, but wanted his to stay after to sign autographs. He had to go to the airport for a pickup said teammate John Tavares following.John Tavares shows a young Leaf Easton Cowan how to check as the young gun skirts around him.A family of Tavares and Matthews fans watch the former captain in green make a play.Matthews showed why he’s the new captain and face of the Leafs with his speed and touch around the net as the NHL’s top scorer last season.Leafs fans Marabelle Sopkowe, 12, and her sister Lily, 10, were happy to score a practice puck they took to be autographed.Young autograph seekers Alex Nelson, left, Choen Adie, Devon Harriam, Alex Hogg line up with a few hundred others in the community room.Fans sat back in the new seating at the south end entrance area and enjoyed more than hour of a workout.Mayor Rick Maloney takes the mic from Gagner who first thanked the crowd before Maloney thanked him and the players.Devon Harriam got not one but two signatures on his phone. He’s going to put hair spray on it to protect them.Erik Gudbranson (Columbus) smiles while greeting Alex Nelson an obvious Leafs and Blue Jays fan and also carrying a William Nylander jersey to be signed.Moms and phones got a good workout documenting the memorable moments of the skating and signing.Bracebridge residents William Selkirk, left, friend Quinn McNab, Jackson Selkirk and mom Tammy Selkirk show all their autographs.Both ends of the MLCC were in action to allow fans north and south to see the practices are run.Never enough photos of the Leafs captain who is expected to lead the team past the second round and to Cup land.The battle between Tavares and Matthews never let up as the second line centreman beat the first line centre in this instance.Brady Levold, left who ran a sports clinic Saturday, helped coach the pros on the ice at MLCC. If you see a lot of kids around town with signed Muskoka Hockey hats, you know where they were yesterday. Check the player’s number to know who’s autograph is on the brim.
Matthews circles net setting up a shot. Video Alex Hogg
