Toronto Maple Leafs respond and explain why the young fan had to leave the arena on Saturday

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Jeff Drouin
April 11, 2022 (6:40 PM)

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It's a story that has been getting a lot of attention since last night, when the father of a young Canadiens fan told of being thrown out of the Maple Leafs arena (along with his son) because they wouldn't give up the hockey stick that the youngster had just been given by Nick Suzuki.

It was considered a weapon.

After the response of the CH organization, it was the turn of the Maple Leafs organization to react.

See their response, as reported by John Lu (TSN):

The Toronto Maple Leafs organization (MLSE) and its customer service department constantly works to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime experience for every fan, while ensuring that the safety and enjoyment of others is respected. In the case that is currently causing a stir, with 10 minutes left in the game, a fan was pulled over by security for walking through the crowd with a hockey stick. He was pulled over as part of the fan safety protocol. Our customer service department offered to assist them in storing the stick in a safe place until the end of the game to avoid an unfortunate incident and to avoid compromising the safety of the fans. The fan here refused to store the stick in a safe place and instead left the arena. Protocol remains important for the safety of the fans and our team.

We will continue to work collaboratively with each of our clients to ensure the best experience for all and the safety of all. - MLSE