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Toronto Marlies players, staff and fans packed a downtown sports bar Monday to celebrate the team’s Calder Cup championship win after a stunning post-season run.
The team beat the Chicago Wolves 4-3 in Game 5 of the AHL championship final at Coca-Cola Coliseum Friday — a triumph that came after they finished 15th in the league through the regular season.
Marlies general manager Ryan Hardy called their championship climb a “a long journey.”
“This hockey team was delusionally optimistic, perfectly dumb, fueled by unconditional brotherly love, and they just refused to die,” he said.
Hardy spoke in front a crowd at the Real Sports Bar & Grill, where seats were full of fans, staff, players and their families.
‘The roof blew off the place’
Team captain Logan Shaw addressed fans and players families during the downtown celebrations, asking them to stand up for a round of applause.
“It was a special run. From finishing 15th in the regular season to first in playoffs. It was magical. It was something that all of us will never forget,” he said.
Lydia Couter, a Marlies fan who was at Friday’s winning game and among the crowds of fans at the bar Monday, said the win was well deserved.
“They came out as the underdog and they showed that they could do it. That was amazing to see and witness,” she said.
“It’s like the roof blew off the place. The energy was amazing.”
Vinay Sharma, a longtime Marlies fan who was also at the bar for the celebration, agreed.
“It’s really nice to see the Marlies get some recognition over the years especially when they kind of went unrecognized with the Leafs and now especially with the World Cup going on,” he said.
“To see everybody get together and fill, and sell out arenas and sell out playoff games, it really made the community stronger.”
Team honours late player during celebration
The championship celebrations also held a more sombre note as players honoured the Toronto Maple Leafs’ draft pick Rodion Amirov, who died of cancer in 2023.
Goalie Artur Akhtyamov held up Amirov’s jersey in a team photo with the cup. Akhtyamov made 27 saves during the winning game and won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the AHL playoffs.
During his speech, Hardy also announced that the team would be donating to a number of local organizations and community programs.
That included local hockey programs in Oakville and Burlington where Const. Marc Pinizzotto coached. Pinizzotto, a Toronto police officer, was killed on duty earlier this month.
“I never want our hockey team to take more than what it gives. The people of our community, especially those who are hurting or struggling or going through difficult times, are what we play for,” Hardy said.
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