Gary Roberts Opens Up About His Memories of the Intense Battle of Ontario
Former Maple Leafs forward Gary Roberts knows all too well about the Battle of Ontario and stopped by TSN to share some of his greatest memories.
It's been 22 years since Gary Roberts laced up his skates and took the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he's all too familiar with the Battle of Ontario.
Having played Ottawa three times in the postseason as a member of the Leafs, he found success each time, in what was no doubt some of the most intense hockey of the 2000's.
The 2024-25 NHL season will get to see the first Battle of Ontario in the playoffs since 2003-04 and with the intensity expected to be at an all-time high, and with the new crop of superstars trying to etch their name into history, it certainly reminded Roberts of his time playing.
Stopping by TSN's OverDrive program on Wednesday, Roberts touched on his memories as a member of the blue and white, and how important this current series is going to be:
I remember '02, special moment for me (triple OT winner), but all the series, the momentum back and forth, we were high risk high reward. Pat Quinn let a lot of turnovers happen, and I say it often, if it wasn't for the goaltending I don't think we win those series.
Roberts then talked about the current team as well:
I hate comparing 2002 to 2025, but if you look at the playoffs over the last few years, there's a lot of intensity still. The skill of the game has changed for sure, but the intensity is still there, the excitement is still there. When you walk out there Game One at Scotiabank is going to be electric.
I'm looking forward to seeing it; I share tickets with some guys actually and it's my turn to buy Game One, so it'll be a lot of fun getting to see that in person.
I'm looking forward to seeing it; I share tickets with some guys actually and it's my turn to buy Game One, so it'll be a lot of fun getting to see that in person.
There's no doubt that it's going to be a fun series, and if both teams can get healthy and put out their best lineups, we may see something similar to Roberts' triple OT heroics, but with a new face this time.
Already intense given the current landscape of playoff ticket prices, there's going to be such a wild and crazy atmosphere at both Scotiabank Arena and the Canadian Tire Centre that is not going to quiet down any time soon; especially if we get to a Game 6 or 7.
Roberts has had his foot entrenched in the hockey world even after his retirement, as many players currently consult him for their fitness and conditioning, as he is considered one of the best in the world at preparing players for the rigors of the NHL.
For his career, the power forward scored 910 points in 1224 career games; he spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs and registered 157 points in 237 games (83G, 74A) and added 40 points in 50 playoff games (14G, 26A).
Roberts is just one of thousands of fans who are going to be in attendance on Sunday night for the start of the playoffs and no doubt will it make him feel like he's been transported back to 2002.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 17 | 376 ANSWERS Gary Roberts Opens Up About His Memories of the Intense Battle of Ontario Who will win the Battle of Ontario? | ||
| Toronto | 346 | 92 % |
| Ottawa | 30 | 8 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
