The Toronto Maple Leafs retain the largest NHL fanbase in Sweden. Every year, hundreds make the pilgrimage to Toronto to see the Hockey Hall of Fame and watch the Buds. The reason isn’t just because the 416 is the ‘Mecca of Hockey.’ It’s not even all to do with Mats Sundin. No, the connection between the Blue and White and the Scandinavian nation goes back much further - to 1973, and scout Gerry McNamara. We’ll talk to McNamara about his scouting trips to Sweden, and how the two players he found there - Borje Salming and Inge Hammarstrom - changed the NHL and Maple Leafs hockey in particular, creating a connection that abides and continues to grow. 

CREDITS: Leafs Forever is hosted by Scott Willats & written by Paul Matthews. This episode was produced by Katie Jensen & Vocal Fry Studios. Production & research assistance from Cecilia Keating, Jay Cockburn, Ellen Payne Smith, and Erika Dreher. Special thanks to the men at the centre of the story, Borje Salming & Gerry McNamara, for making themselves available to us. Big huge thanks to Stephen Cole, author of Hockey Night Fever. Special thanks to Mike Ferriman, who knows and has access to more of the history than anyone else we know. Thanks to Mike Zemaitis and Nick Konarowski for digging through the Leafs TV archives again. Subscribe to Leafs Forever on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.