Maple Leafs' Sheldon Keefe on a hockey icon: 'One syllable and it's Bob Cole'

Sheldon Keefe got it right on Thursday afternoon.

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To start his media availability at the Ford Performance Centre, the Maple Leafs coach began with some words on the legendary Bob Cole, who passed away at the age of 90.

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“Growing up (in Brampton), I think every memory I would have of hockey would be with his voice echoing,” Keefe said. “One syllable and it’s Bob Cole.

“I have many friends that love the games that Bob called and how he called them and the passion that he had. I don’t think there’s one particular moment (for a favourite memory), but I think we can all say that he was there for all of them.”

Before taking questions on the Leafs and the first-round series between Toronto and the Boston Bruins, Keefe said a few words about Cole, whose iconic play-by-play was the voice of a hockey generation.

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“I wanted to pass along our thoughts to his family,” Keefe said. “Someone who touched the game in so many ways, as an icon in our sport and the voice of hockey, not just in Toronto, but in our country. A sad day for sure and our thoughts are with everyone.”

Keefe’s path didn’t cross with Cole in the National Hockey League, as Cole called his last game for Hockey Night in Canada on April 6, 2019, between the Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.

Keefe, who gave his players a full day off on Thursday, took over behind the Leafs bench later that year when Mike Babcock was fired in November.

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“I didn’t have the pleasure (of meeting Cole),” Keefe said. “I think millions of Canadians wouldn’t have had the pleasure of meeting him, but felt they knew him because of the passion that he had and it shined through in his work.”

What did Cole mean to you, Toronto Sun readers? Is there a favourite memory of a Leafs game he called, if not another team?

Let us know in the comments below or send us an email at torontomapleleafs@postmedia.com

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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