Where History Was Written

There are certain hallowed places in hockey that players of all ages would like to skate. Whether it be the Montreal Forum, Chicago Stadium, or Maple Leaf Gardens, there are or were decades of hockey history that turned those rinks into cathedrals where fans prayed for goals, saves, and wins. While both the Forum and Stadium are gone, Maple Leaf Gardens still exists today, albeit in not quite the same way it did when players like Keon, Armstrong, Gilmour, Salming, Meeker, and Bower walked the corridors. How cool would it be to skate in a big game and score a key goal in the same place as those hockey legends?

Teams in the OUA get that opportunity when the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold host games, but there haven't been many championship moments experienced for the former Ryerson Rams. They've gone to U SPORTS National Championships thanks to playing in the final, but the Rams have never won the OUA Championship nor hoisted the Queen's Cup. So while the TMU Bold get to skate in one of the coolest places in all of U SPORTS every season, what if there was an opportunity for a big moment, a clutch goal, or a game-saving stop on Canadian university sport's biggest stage?

According to Sportsnet's Jeff Marek, that will happen in 2024!

Sounds like Toronto Metropolitan University (MTU) will host the U Sports men's National Hockey Championship next year.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) November 21, 2022

Just for clarification, he did correct his acronym in a subsequent tweet, but this is big news for the U SPORTS National Men's Hockey Championship as they'll play in a legendary arena that contains modern amenities in front of a crowd that could number 2638 fans at capacity. Yes, it's not a raucous crowd like the Leafs used to get in those tiny seats, but the Bold have a great rink with excellent sightlines that will make it easy to see every shot, stop, and goal.

I've played at the MTS Centre in a fun game after the Moose had played during a weekend afternoon. It was a game that meant more to us than anyone else, but the only thing I remember is scoring the game's first goal early on while wearing my Selanne all-star jersey and having four people in one of the private boxes who stuck around go absolutely wild because "Selanne scored". At the time, I'm sure those people in the suite were just having a good time with us, but it's funny how that sticks out yet I can't remember the final score in the game. I guess I know what was more important to me.

There's something about skating where legends wrote volumes of history that sticks with you, and eight of the best Canadian university men's hockey teams will get the opportunity to do that in 2024. One of those teams will be the TMU Bold, and there's hope they continue their winning ways after starting this season 8-3-1. Having the Bold playing at home in Mattamy Athletic Centre in March 2024 would be incredible for their players, fans, and the school, but there's a lot of work to be done between now and then.

Mark your calendars to be in Toronto for March of 2024 as the U SPORTS National Men's Hockey Championship. Eight teams will arrive to compete for the title of "National Champions", but only one will prevail in the same place where Dave Keon was made a legend, where George Armstrong captained the last Toronto-based Stanley Cup championship team, and where one U SPORTS team will write its own chapter in Maple Leaf Gardens' history.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!