{"id":349872,"date":"2025-12-16T23:14:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T23:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/349872\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T23:14:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T23:14:08","slug":"joe-bowen-being-honoured-by-toronto-maple-leafs-nhl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/349872\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Bowen being honoured by Toronto Maple Leafs: NHL"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joe Bowen has been the Leafs announcer for 44 seasons, broadcasting over 3,000 games, and he will be honoured at the Scotiabank Arena. Sean Leathong reports. <\/p>\n

The man known as the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs is being honoured after more than four decades with the team.<\/p>\n

Longtime play-by-play broadcaster, Joe Bowen, will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season following 44 years and over 3,000 games. That\u2019s the most by any broadcaster in franchise history, according to the Leafs.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the many years I have become huge fans of a number of sports teams: the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Toronto Argos and the Green Bay Packers, of which I am an owner,\u201d Bowen said in a release last week<\/a>. \u201cBut there is only one team that I love, and that has always been the Toronto Maple Leafs. First as a fan and fortunately over the last 44 years as a broadcaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"joe bowen Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen, is photographed before an NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Cole Burston\/THE CANADIAN PRESS) <\/p>\n

Toronto is hosting \u201cHoly Mackinaw Night\u201d at their Dec. 16 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, which will include pre-game tributes, a ceremonial puck drop with 74-year-old Bowen, and in-game moments commemorating his time on the air.<\/p>\n

Fans in attendance will also be treated to tribute T-shirts and be able to meet Bowen before the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody represents the passion of Leafs Nation better than Joe Bowen, and his signature voice has been the soundtrack for so many iconic moments for the team over the past 44 years,\u201d Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving said in a release. <\/p>\n

Earlier on Tuesday, the team held a ceremony in their dressing room with Bowen, and he was gifted a family vacation to see a future Notre Dame football game.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been the soundtrack of the Maple Leafs for the past 44 years \ud83d\udc99<\/p>\n

Tune in tonight on TSN as we honour Joe Bowen’s career pre game pic.twitter.com\/uJa0YhYxua<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Ahead of the game, players told CTV News Toronto they grew up listening to Bowen\u2019s voice on the radio and TV, and were excited to give him his flowers.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust driving to and from the rink from hockey practice when I was a young guy and we couldn\u2019t watch the Leafs game, my dad would throw it on the radio and (Bowen) just really brought the game to life,\u201d said Leafs centre Bobby McMann. \u201cIt made memories with my dad and me in the car just that much more special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a memory that I\u2019m going to keep forever,\u201d McMann said of his \u201cHoly Mackinaw\u201d T-shirt, the same one fans will receive at the game. \u201cI\u2019ll be able to hold onto this thing and tell my kids that I got to listen to Joe Bowen and he got to say my name when I scored a goal… it\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Mats (Sundin) scored against Carolina… that (call) right there gives me goosebumps watching it every time still,\u201d forward Max Domi said, referring to a famous call Bowen made when his father, Tie Domi, was playing with the Leafs.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Bowen was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to broadcast.<\/p>\n

Speaking to CTV News Toronto in October ahead of his final season, Bowen said his famous phrase\u2014\u201cHoly Mackinaw\u201d\u2014was inspired by nights spent watching hockey with his dad, who used the saying whenever former Maple Leafs goalie Johnny Bower made a big save.<\/p>\n

After 44 seasons, longtime Leafs broadcaster, Joe Bowen prepares for retirement After 44 seasons, longtime Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen prepares for retirement. CTV’s Sean Leathong reports. <\/p>\n

The reason Wednesday\u2019s game against the Blackhawks was chosen to honour the longtime Leafs announcer was because the first ever game he called for Toronto was against Chicago in October of 1982, according to Treliving.<\/p>\n

With files from CTV News Toronto\u2019s Sean Leathong<\/p>\n