Now that the Maple Leafs are in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in what feels like an eternity, I’m going to honour one of hockey’s greatest traditions.
I’m growing a playoff beard.
The last time I did it, or at least tried to, it was the great playoff run of 1993 in which the Leafs made it all the way to the Campbell Conference final against Wayne Gretzky and the L.A. Kings.
I was in college and it was my first attempt at beardom, and I’ll be honest, it wasn’t pretty.
Which leads me to my wife’s reaction when I told her, “By the way, I’m growing a playoff beard.”
Her response, and I quote: “Hell you are.”
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I just told her, “Dear, the Leafs aren’t going to be in the playoffs for very long… just let me have this.”
The good news is, she relented.
The bad news is, I might be in trouble if Toronto pulls off a massive upset of the heavily-favoured Washington Capitals in the opening round.
Which leads me to this.
Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t a fan of beards or long, Ron Duguay-like hockey hair, somewhat similar to the stance Monty Burns employed in the famous baseball episode on The Simpsons.
But Lamoriello, just like my loving, beautiful and understanding wife, has also relented on his stance against facial follicles.
The question though is: Can any of the young Leafs stars even grow facial hair?
By the way, my face is already itchy.
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