Local fans flock to Leafs training camp in Halifax

BEDFORD, N.S. -- A truant officer would not be pleased with the scene on Friday at the first day of the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp.

There were several dozen school-aged kids among the hundreds of fans that came to watch their favourite team practise and scrimmage at a four-pad suburban rink outside of Halifax that is normally filled with minor hockey players.

Samuel Collins of nearby Cole Harbour was one of many kids waiting for autographs, but he had his dad's permission to miss school.

"He has his own hockey practices this weekend," said his father Sam Collins.

The left-winger from the peewee Dartmouth Whalers is also excited he'll get a chance to go on the ice with Leafs old-timers on Sunday before the alumni game at the BMO Centre.

Though he's just 11 years old, Collins said he's been a Leafs fan "forever."

He's optimistic about the Maple Leafs because they have a wealth of young talent on the brink of making the National Hockey League including this season's No. 1 draft pick Auston Matthews and last year's fourth pick overall Mitch Marner.

"They are going to improve," said the younger Samuel Collins.

When asked if the team that finished last in the NHL in 2015-16 was going to make the playoffs this year, his optimism dimmed.

"I don't know," he said, which drew a chuckle from his dad.

"You're supposed to say yes," Sam Collins said.

Many were dressed in Leafs' garb, with one fellow starting his campaign for fan of the year by wearing Leafs pyjama pants, a jersey, and a felt top hat festooned with his favourite team's logo.

Veteran defenceman Jake Gardiner believes there'd be a huge turnout like this in Toronto too -- if the team had open practices.

"It's cool to see the fan turnout here in Halifax and just to know that you have support throughout the country," Gardiner said. "It just shows how important the Leafs are and it's pretty fun playing for that kind of organization."

The outpouring of support impressed Kasperi Kapanen, who knows how popular Leaf Nation is in Toronto after playing for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League last year and nine games with the Maple Leafs.

"It's great," said Kapanen. "I'm surprised at how many people came and watched the games and scrimmages. It gives us a lot of energy because everybody is cheering you on."

Many of the fans in attendance have been life-long fans and have suffered through the longest Stanley Cup drought of any Original Six team. Kapanen isn't surprised by their dedication.

"If there's a team that you love, then you love it," he said. "You grew up watching those games and even though the team hasn't performed the way they wanted to, it doesn't mean you have to switch teams and start rooting for the Blackhawks or somebody else."

Kapanen, who won gold with the Finnish team at the most recent world junior championship, thinks people should be excited about the team.

"We have a lot of talent, we have a lot of speed, we've got a little bit of everything to be honest," he said. "You never really know what to expect about the upcoming season. Guys are really excited about the upcoming season and I sure am."

Gardiner, who is about to start his fifth season, says all the young talent on the team should be reason for renewed optimism.

"You just look up and down the roster and people are fighting for spots, there's nothing set in stone," Gardiner said. "That makes for good competition and hopefully for a good team."

Veteran forward Peter Holland finds this year's training camp much easier than last year's when he was learning the new system of coach Mike Babcock.

"This year, it's definitely easier for a guy like me who's been through a season with him," Holland said. "The systems are already ingrained in my mind. I know there's some young guys up here having their first training camp they're obviously going through a learning curve so it's going to be an experience for them."

In the scrimmage yesterday, Team Kelly beat Team Bower 3-2 in a shootout. Holland and Colin Smith had goals for Team Bower while defencemen Stephen Desrocher and Matt Hunwick scored for Team Kelly. The teams skipped the overtime and went straight to the shootout where Jeremy Bracco and Marner scored for Team Kelly to put a quick end to the scrimmage.

Some members of the team took a tour of the HMCS St. John's, a navy frigate based in Halifax. Training camp continues Saturday and Sunday with the team's first pre-season game at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on Monday evening.