Adrien, I started out as a Montreal fan In the days of the Rocket and the Boomer. When I was 10 or 11 I visited my older brother in Ontario and he took me to Maple Leaf Gardens for my first live NHL game, the Leafs against the Hawks. He is a big Leaf fan and this converted me to his side. At the time the Leafs were dogmeat but they beat the Hawks that night, and I have rooted for the blue & white ever since. I danced for joy four times in the 60's but the gruel has been thin since the expansion. In that game both Mahovlich and Hull were rookies. Mikita was not there yet. Ted Kennedy was making a comeback. My favourite player became Tim Horton and I spent many an hour trying to duplicate his slapshot. Mikita was born a Czek but was raised and learned his hockey in Canada. I have often seen it stated that he was the first European in the NHL but I believe that he was the second. A fellow, I believe by the name of Jack Evans, was born in Wales and was playing with the Rangers earlier but I may be proven wrong.