Joe Bowen Sends Heartfelt Message That Maple Leafs Fans Need to Hear

It was announced earlier this summer that Joe Bowen, the legendary voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs synonymous with the phrase 'Holy Mackinaw' would be retiring after the 2025-26 season after over 40 years working with the team.

It caught fans off guard and everyone was sad to hear that such an iconic part of people's childhoods and cherished memories was stepping away. Bowen is taking it all in stride and is looking to give his last season everything he's got.

But before the season even started, fans were already showing their love for Bowen, as a fan created video spread throughout social media highlights some of the greatest moments of his career:

The outpouring of love and support touched Bowen deeply and he took to social media to thank the fans for everything over the last four decades:

Fans were quick to give Bowen his flowers and wish him all the best going forward for this season and whatever lies beyond:

It just shows the love the fanbase has for someone who entered their lives so many years ago and became such a household name that his catchphrase transcended the hockey world and became synonymous with "Oh my goodness!".

While they never reached the success of a Stanley Cup, Bowen has been able to call some of the most iconic games in the franchise's history and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

Bowen started his career with the Maple Leafs in the early 1980's and endured the team's move from Maple Leaf Gardens to the Air Canada Centre in the 2000's and has called over 3800 games for his career alongside most notably Harry Neale and Jim Ralph.

An illustrious career that will go down as one of the greatest in sports history, there's only two words to say to Bowen:

Thank you.