Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Players Talk Doug Gilmour

For those who haven’t seen today’s Toronto Star there is a great piece on Doug Gilmour. This one by Kevin McGran is different in that 2 current Toronto Maple Leafs hockey players, Jeremy Williams and John Mitchell discuss growing up Gilmour fans:

“Williams: He can’t be your favourite player, he’s my favourite player.

Mitchell: He’s your favourite player too?

Williams: It was either Doug Gilmour or Mario Lemieux.

Mitchell: Did you wear Doug Gilmour’s number in minor hockey?

Williams: I wore it in Triple A.

Mitchell: So did I.

Williams: When I was on Team Saskatchewan I wore No. 93. (Williams explained he usually couldn’t get the number on his club team.) I lived in a small town and you couldn’t pick your number. They just gave you a ratty jersey from 10 years before.

Mitchell: When I played in Hamilton in Triple A, for four years I wore 93. Ninety-three, tucked the jersey in the side. Used the Titan stick. I was a big fan, big supporter.

Williams: Big geek.

Mitchell: No. I was a kid.

Williams: Sure. Dweeb.

Mitchell: I was a kid who idolized his favourite player. What’s wrong with that?

Williams: You got picked on.

Mitchell: No, I didn’t. I was looked up to, because I wore No.93.

(He now wears No. 39.)”

Good stuff. Nice to hear from some of today’s Toronto Maple Leaf hockey players how they too idolized and emulated Doug Gilmour….It’s still a kids game!

Read McGran’s interviews with former players here

Tags Doug Gilmour jeremy williams John Mitchell Toronto Maple Leafs