Latest news with #Sudbury-born
Ottawa Citizen
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Joe Bowen reflects on legendary career, looks forward to final season
Article content When Joe Bowen turns off his microphone for good, it'll end one of the most celebrated sports broadcasting careers in Canadian history. The Sudbury-born legend, who turned 74 in April, recently announced that next season will be his last as the radio voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Article content An icon in the industry, Bowen is not only the best-known play-by-play announcer in Wolves history, but also a proud Nickel City native. Article content Article content 'I'm bread and butter from Sudbury,' said Bowen with pride recently, while juggling a phone interview and dinner from a bar in Harrisburg, Penn. 'My dad was a general surgeon, worked for INCO and delivered 3,000 Sudburians so a lot of your readers, if it's not their parents, it's maybe their grandparents were delivered by my dad.' Article content Article content While his big break with the Leafs came in 1982, Bowen's first play-by-play calls were courtside for the University of Windsor's basketball team in the early 1970s, while he was pursuing a degree in communication arts. After graduating, he returned to the Nickel City to cut his teeth in the broadcast industry, thanks to support from CKSO owner Bill Plante, who was a longtime friend of Joe Sr. Article content 'My dad died when I was just coming into high school, so Mr. Plante was a very big influence on my career,' Bowen recalled of his early days behind a microphone in Sudbury in the mid- to late '70s, at a time when the Wolves had some highly competitive teams. 'He gave me the opportunity to start (in radio) and do the games with the Wolves, and we had some pretty good runs. Article content Article content 'Didn't win it, but we were as close as damn is to swearing at times.' Article content Interestingly enough, swearing, or a lack of it, is what gave Bowen his signature catchphrase as a broadcaster. His now-famous 'Holy Mackinaw' saying, to describe big moments in games like only Bowen can, was borrowed from his dad, who used it in place of swear words. Article content Joe's final Holy Mackinaw on air will come next spring — hopefully, a little later than usual. Article content 'I've been at it for 44 years almost, so it's probably about time,' Bowen said with a chuckle regarding his retirement announcement. 'It's not the same as it used to be, there are lots of changes in the industry and I just felt it's time, and we'll step aside and have one more kick at the cat. Article content How amazing would that be? A Stanley Cup victory in Joe Bowen's final season would be something to behold, which isn't lost on current Sudbury Wolves play-by-play announcer David Bowen, who left the crease in 2022 to take the same steep climb up to the press box at Sudbury Community Arena that his dad had done many years earlier.
Edmonton Journal
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Oilers WAGs party in Greece while team fights for Stanley Cup
Article content The ladies' journey has been well-documented by Lauren McDavid, the wife of Oilers captain Connor McDavid, on her Instagram Stories, sharing snaps on the plane and at their sunny destination. And she confirmed they didn't miss out on the Game 1 action, watching the game from the plane. While the party in Greece is to celebrate Desjardins, there was even more reason to cheer for the bride-to-be after Draisaitl scored the overtime winner to give the Oilers the early series lead. Lauren McDavid did note the timing of the trip was a bit less than ideal, considering what their hubbies are up to at home. 'PSA – when the bachelorette falls on less than ideal timing but we will be back for the good stuff!!' Lauren wrote Wednesday night. 'Go Oilers!!!' Desjardins also shared a snap of Mikayla Nurse, wife of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, on her Instagram Stories, writing 'We're reaaaaady!' Desjardins, a Sudbury-born actress, announced her engagement to Draisaitl, a Hart Trophy finalist, last July.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers WAGs party in Greece while team fights for Stanley Cup
The better halves of the Edmonton Oilers celebrated the team's thrilling Game 1 overtime win on Wednesday night – it just wasn't anywhere near where the contest was taking place. In fact, the WAGs of the Stanley Cup finalists were about as far away from Edmonton as you can possibly be: Partying in Greece. However, the women do have a good reason for the getaway: The bachelorette party for Celeste Desjardins, fiancee of Edmonton superstar Leon Draisaitl. The ladies' journey has been well-documented by Lauren McDavid, the wife of Oilers captain Connor McDavid, on her Instagram Stories, sharing snaps on the plane and at their sunny destination. And she confirmed they didn't miss out on the Game 1 action, watching the game from the plane. While the party in Greece is to celebrate Desjardins, there was even more reason to cheer for the bride-to-be after Draisaitl scored the overtime winner to give the Oilers the early series lead. Lauren McDavid did note the timing of the trip was a bit less than ideal, considering what their hubbies are up to at home. 'PSA – when the bachelorette falls on less than ideal timing but we will be back for the good stuff!!' Lauren wrote Wednesday night. 'Go Oilers!!!' Desjardins also shared a snap of Mikayla Nurse, wife of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, on her Instagram Stories, writing 'We're reaaaaady!' Desjardins, a Sudbury-born actress, announced her engagement to Draisaitl, a Hart Trophy finalist, last July. It appeared doubtful that the beauties will be back in Edmonton for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, with the puck dropping in Edmonton on Friday night. Both Desjardins and McDavid shared more snaps of their Greek adventures on their social media accounts Friday morning, including one pic of the ladies enjoying a boat ride. As for the boys, they are looking for revenge from last year's loss to the Panthers in the Cup Final, which went the full seven games and nearly saw the Oilers mount an incredible comeback after going down 3-0 in the series. After Game 2 in Edmonton, the series shifts to Sunrise, Fla., for Games 3 and 4, on Monday and Thursday. Sportsnet ripped for bizarre Stanley Cup promo using AI to turn announcers into babies Johnny Gaudreau's widow surprises Blue Jackets' Sean Monahan with Masterton Trophy
