Interview with Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Jesse Blacker

There is likely a point in some kid's life growing up in Ontario where he would skate on his backyard ice rink and drift into a fantasy world.  In most of these fantasy worlds, the dimly-lit homemade ice patch gives way to the bright lights of the Air Canada Centre.  The young kid skates up a small patch of ice, and blasts a slapshot into an old, rusted, and vacant net.  But that’s not what they see.   They see the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals. They see themselves flying down the wing, getting the puck on their stick, and driving home the winning goal for their beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. For Jesse Blacker, that dream became his reality about one month ago. Since being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of this year’s NHL entry draft, Blacker, a native of Toronto, has had a crazy summer. When I asked him about the prospects of being able to, at least for a little bit, kick his feet ...