Before we get started, I feel I should introduce myself. My name is Manuj Grover. I am a transplanted Montrealer and hardcore Habs fanatic. Over seven years ago, I moved to the centre of Leafs Nation. I am constantly having to fend off rabid Leafs fans, usually by mentioning Harold Ballard, the fact that I’ve been to three Stanley Cup parades (I just aged myself); that we have Carey Price … most Leafs fans then turtle back into their shells and stop bothering me.
Technology has allowed me to keep tabs on “Nos Glorieux.” Be it Twitter, Instagram, blogs, or online streaming, as a fan, I can constantly keep myself up-to-date.
However, nothing beats the feeling of watching a live game in an arena with thousands of comrades cheering their team to victory. Living in the Greater Toronto Area, the closest place to experience this in recent times was Hamilton.
For many years, getting to watch the next generation of Habs stars at their AHL affiliate was a wonderful opportunity. Unfortunately, that became impossible when the Bulldogs moved to St. John’s, and will continue to be when they relocate to Laval next year.
That was until I discovered the Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate: the Brampton Beast.
Many questions may be going through your minds. Where is Brampton? What is the ECHL? Who are the Beast?
Well, let me enlighten you. Brampton is a suburban city located 30 minutes northwest of Toronto. It’s the hometown of Rick Nash and the forgettable Russell Peters. To put it into context, Brampton is the ninth-largest city in Canada by population. That is bigger than Hamilton, which hosted the Canadiens AHL franchise. Bigger than Laval, which will be its new home next year when the Rockets debut. Even bigger than Quebec City, a metropolis vying for an NHL franchise.
Brampton has over 40 years of history with high-level hockey. This included the former Brampton OHL team, the Battalion, that produced players like Matt Duchene, Brent Burns, Jason Spezza, and Wojtek Wolski. In 2013, the Battalion moved out of the city, and was replaced by an ECHL franchise: the Brampton Beast.
On Friday, October 21, I took my six-year-old daughter to the Beast’s home opener against the Red Wings affiliate, the Toledo Walleye. This was also my daughter’s first ever professional hockey game. It was a father-daughter bonding moment, where I wanted to instill in her the same passion for the game, and especially for the “Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.”
The pre-game festivities included a laser light show and a cool video montage. The influence of the Canadiens was pretty obvious. As the players came out during the introductions, their jerseys white and black, with red trim, there is a vicious sabre-tooth beast logo on the front and the famous “CH” crest on the shoulders.
The game was fast-paced, hard hitting, end-to-end action. Even though the Beast lost 6-5 in overtime, the fans were on the edge of their seats for most of the game. My daughter asked me if she could learn to skate like the hockey players. I asked if she would like to play hockey and she responded with an emphatic “no!” because hockey players fight too much!
During the game, I went to the concession stand to buy my daughter a slushy. While in line, I started to chit-chat with a person named Paulo. Suddenly, the sirens were blaring because the Beast scored. Paulo ran from the line to get a view of the rink to see what had happened. He was eager to see if his brother-in-law had scored. Paulo’s brother-in-law is #97 David Vallorani, who just got married this summer.
What I have realized is this team represents people who are like you or I. They are professionals who work hard every day, and they dream of moving up in the organization. In this case, that goal is a place in the NHL, and with their affiliation with the most storied franchise in hockey’s top league, they are at least getting a realistic opportunity.
