Jim Nicoletti

Nicoletti regularly reminds the players on his eight Marlboros teams that hockey is a stage in life, not their entire life. The club’s mission is “to nurture the complete player and develop a well-rounded citizen,” which means focusing on family and school before sport.

“That’s a core value for me,” Nicoletti said. “And if they keep that in perspective, they’ll have a very valuable experience through hockey.”

Keeping hockey in perspective is something Nicoletti and his coaches stress with parents as well. “Our kids are in the top 10 percentile of ability level across the country. They’re really talented kids,” he said. “And as a result, sometimes parents’ egos get the best of them, and they don’t understand that there’s more to growing up than playing hockey.”

Teaching and development are top priorities for Nicoletti, a retired educator who learned at a young age the importance of mentorship. Hugh Bolton, an Etobicoke resident who won a Stanley Cup on the Toronto Maple Leafs blue line in 1951, was Nicoletti’s high school football coach at Scarlett Heights. Bolton’s “quiet leadership and firm style” made a lasting impression. Tom Watt, a professor and coach at the University of Toronto, was another mentor to Nicoletti, who was an all-star on the Varsity Blues football defensive line at U of T.

He enjoyed hockey but said he only played for fun. That might be due to his first experience with the Marlboros, which was less than auspicious.
When he was nine or 10, Nicoletti went to George Bell Arena near Runnymede and St. Clair, all set to try out for the club. But he was met with an unwelcomed surprise—the tryout cost two bucks. “Sounds like an insignificant cup of coffee today, but in 1961, two dollars was a significant amount of money,” he said. “And I didn’t have it, so I couldn’t try out.”

Years later, he and Paul Dennis—football teammates at Scarlett Heights who both became teachers—decided they wanted to coach youth sports together. Frank Bonello, who ran the Marlboros at that time, offered the pair the chance to coach the 1983–84 midget team. “And we never looked back,” Nicoletti said. “Paul made a career out of it. He went to work with the Maple Leafs (as a player development coach), and I stayed with the Marlboros all the way through.”

The son of hardworking Italian immigrants—his father Bruno was a bricklayer who laid the paving stones at Etobicoke City Hall—Nicoletti said sports were a welcome outlet as a child. “With working-class parents never being home, that was my refuge,” he said. “Sports really gave meaning to life.”

As did education. After graduating from U of T, he became a high school physical education teacher, eventually shifting into a long career as a VP and principal. “I never worked a day in my life,” Nicoletti said. “I enjoyed teaching Phys Ed, and I was able to give back to kids and watch kids perform to their maximum level.”

That job satisfaction continues with the Marlboros, where Nicoletti has the pleasure of seeing players reach their potential on the ice while developing relationships with their families. He is grateful to have attended weddings of former players, get together for dinners, and reunite with former players and students who enrol their own children in the Marlboros program.

Nicoletti speaks of one former player who, not long before his death, called his old coach to share how much those years with the Marlboros had meant to him. “That was a touching moment,” Nicoletti said. “You make a difference in people’s lives. That’s really what it’s all about.”

Coaching led to Nicoletti becoming the Marlboros general manager, before taking on the top job for the 1992–93 season. Today he oversees eight teams and coaching staffs, encompassing 130 players aged nine to 15 (minor atom to minor midget). “There’s a lot going on to manage those hockey players year in and year out, but I have a lot of support,” he said. “Lynn Dennis, Paul’s wife, manages the books. She’s been a godsend. And I have a terrific general manager in Mike Shraba, who’s been with me from the start.”

Along with developing hockey players and good citizens, Nicoletti sees his mission as upholding the Marlboros legacy, which stretches back to the early 20th century. When Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard was in charge, the Marlboros practiced at Maple Leaf Gardens. The team shed its junior A affiliation in 1989, and Ballard died the following year. But at the urging of the Ballard family, who cited their late patriarch’s love of the Marlboros logo, the team endured. “We were basically entrusted to keep this logo going in minor hockey, and we’ve done so for the last 30 years,” Nicoletti said.

He’s done so with the help of many dedicated volunteers, parents, sponsors and “quality guys” behind the bench like Dan Brown, Paul Coffey and Steve Thomas. It’s not uncommon for a Marlboros coach to take a break from the team to raise their family and be welcomed back later in life. “That’s the kind of loyalty that we have,” Nicoletti said. “There’s no shortage of quality people that want to join this organization because of the respectability and the success that we’ve had.”

Those coaches have produced many great Marlboros alumni—Nicoletti mentioned John Tavares, Connor McDavid, Jason Spezza, Rick Nash and Connor Brown, to name a few—that distinguishes themselves as much by their character as their hockey exploits. “The integrity component is huge, and it can’t be taken lightly,” said Nicoletti. “It’s not just about what happens on the ice.”

Under Nicoletti’s leadership, the Marlboros make remembrance a priority. Every year, players wear a special Remembrance Day jersey and learn about Canada’s military veterans and the meaning of the poppy. “This is a fantastic country we live in, and kids don’t think back enough,” Nicoletti explained. “They don’t appreciate the sacrifices that people made to give us the freedoms that we have.”

Nicoletti’s pride and joy is the Toronto Marlboros International Holiday Classic, which sees more than 130 teams converge in Toronto from across Canada and the United States for a late December tournament that might be the biggest in the country, if not the continent. Some 200 scouts evaluate the 2,000-plus athletes, for whom the tournament is a chance to turn some heads.

“It’s intense for five days, a lot of work, but a huge amount of fun,” Nicoletti said of the Classic, now in its 23rd year. “I can remember one final game a few years back, it was (Steven) Stamkos against Tavares. It was phenomenal to see them as 15-year-olds play against each other.”

Nicoletti gives the credit for his accomplishments to his wife Patti. “She’s always there supporting all the things that I’ve done,” he said. “She’s never said no to all my nights away from home.”

Their three sons—Michael, Daniel and David—each played seven seasons with the Marlboros and now coach in the organization, a source of no small pride for their Dad. When she was younger, their daughter Valerie was an accomplished figure skater with Silver Blades in Etobicoke and helped Marlboros players improve their power skating.

Jim and Patti have put in many volunteer hours at Sick Kids Hospital, a practice that started after their sons were treated for concussions. Jim was honoured to accept the 2006–07 Ontario Hockey Federation volunteer of the year award for his contributions to youth hockey.

Looking ahead, Nicoletti has no plans to slow down. As he tells his Marlboros family, “We have a heritage to be proud of and the future continues to shine as bright as our golden logo.”

Gino Reda

Reda arrived in Canada with his family in 1964. He lived in Toronto until he was 12, then moved to Etobicoke where he graduated from Kipling Collegiate Institute in 1979. While in high school, he played varsity football and wrestled. He’s an alum of the Ontario Bible College (now Tyndale University College and Seminary).

When he was still in high school (KCI), at 16 years of age, Reda began volunteering for a local cable company (MacLean Hunter) doing play-by-play for various sports including high school basketball, volleyball, soccer, hockey and wrestling.

As a 19-year-old, Reda and co-host Frank Giannone anchored a live weekly program called “CitySports”. During the two years of the program, the show won the North American Cable award for “Best Live Sports Programing.” Reda worked as a freelance play-by-play announcer for the Humber College Hawks, Junior B Hockey, Junior A box lacrosse, the Canadian National Soccer League and the Canadian National Gymnastics Championships between 1983 and 1987. In May 1986, Reda accepted a volunteer position as the field reporter covering the Toronto Blue Jays for Sportsline at Global Television in Toronto.

In September 1986, Reda was hired by Sportsline host Jim Tatti to a full-time position at Global. He joined TSN in the summer of 1988 as a reporter covering the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He then covered the Dubin Inquiry throughout early 1989. He has been the host of That’s Hockey on TSN since 2001 after being on SportsCentre for the previous fourteen years. During his time with TSN, Reda has hosted numerous international events including, the World Cup of Soccer, the World Cup of Rugby, numerous Olympic Games including Vancouver 2010, and was the host of the Gemini awarding winning crew that covered the World Jr Hockey Championship in Halifax in 2003.

Reda also currently serves as a host of Junior Hockey Magazine, a weekly nationally syndicated radio show, entering its 25th season, covering the weekly stories from the Canadian Hockey League.

Red Kelly

One of Red Kelly’s earliest hockey memories as a child growing up in Simcoe, Ontario, is playing hockey on the open-air ponds “a few miles to the cedar swamp by the tracks.”

He went on to play for St. Michael’s College School from 1943 to 1947, and played on the winning Memorial Cup Team in 1946-47.

In the 1950s, while playing for the Detroit Red Wings, he won four Stanley Cup Championships and was elected to eight All-Star teams. He won the Lady Bing trophy three times and in 1954 was chosen as the first recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy for outstanding defenseman in the league.

In the 1960s, Red played forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs and won four more Stanley Cup Championships, another Lady Byng Trophy and the Lady Bickle Award.

Red was elected and served two terms as a member of Parliament (MP) representing York West. In 1964 he represented the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson, at the Tokyo Olympics, and later at the World Congress on Recreation at Osaka.

Red became the first coach of the L.A.Kings, winning the Sportsman’s Award, “Athlete of the Half Century” in 1967. He went onto be Coach and General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and later coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for four years.

Red was elected to the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1974, the Detroit Red Wings Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.

In 1980 he was honoured with the Encyclopedia Britannica’s Achievement in Life Award for Achievement in Sports and in 1989 Red was the recipient of the Canadian Society of New York Sports Award. In 2002 Red received the Order of Canada.

After retiring from hockey, Red founded and served as President of CAMP Systems of Canada from 1977 to 1997.

Red and his wife, Andra McLaughlin Kelly, a former World Free Skating Champion, current live in Toronto. They have four children and four grandchildren.

Ed Sandford

Once captain and centre ice star for St. Michael’s College Majors, Edward Sandford was a four time Junior “A” OHA winner and was awarded the Red Tilson Award for his outstanding play in 1947. Sandford spent his NHL career split between Boston, Chicago and Detroit where he led all scorers in the 1952-53 playoffs.

He is regarded as a true sportsman and one of major hockey’s truly great team players. After signing a contract in 1950 he crossed out the amount named and told his General manager, Art Ross, “I’m not worth it, Mr Ross. Pay me after the season what you think I’ve earned.”

Sandford played in 502 regular season games, scoring 106 goals and assisting on 145 goals. He also played in 42 playoff games registering 12 goals and 11 assists.

Bob Nadin

Most everyone who is part of the international hockey world knows the name Bob Nadin. One of Canada’s most highly decorated officials, Nadin has made a name for himself as a referee and referee supervisor during a career that has taken him to multiple Olympic Games and international hockey events around the world.

“I guess it all started when I first learned to skate when I was about three years of age,” Nadin said in a documentary about his illustrious career. He was born in Toronto on March 15, 1933, and has spent the bulk of his 80 years in hockey either on the ice or studying the game he learned as a child.

Nadin played hockey throughout his youth, but it was a request from the players in his university inter-faculty league that changed the course of his life and career. “Because I was playing for the university team, they thought I knew something about hockey, so they asked me if I’d referee the games in the inter-faculty league at the university,” he said. “From then on, I liked it and just kept on with it from there, really.”

The University of Toronto student did not expect to play elite-level hockey, so at age 17 he first picked up a whistle and donned the referee’s stripes. “The fact was, I just liked the refereeing,” Nadin said. “I think I got more pleasure from refereeing in the end than I did from playing.”

Nadin started officiating university games before moving up to the Ontario Hockey Association, eventually becoming the referee-in-chief of the CAHA (today known as Hockey Canada) from 1976 to 1986. As head ref, Nadin created the CAHA’s referee certification program, and introduced officiating casebooks for Canadian and international hockey.

The pinnacle of Nadin’s on-ice work was officiating seven games at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, and working the World Junior Championship in Russia two years later. At the same time, Nadin became a referee supervisor for the Ontario Hockey Association and the Ontario University Association. In 1984, the OHA awarded Nadin – who had been elevated to the league’s referees’ honour roll three years prior – the Gold Stick for outstanding service to the game.

For the greater part of his career, Nadin has been known in international circles as a referee supervisor, travelling the world to support, analyze, and assist officiating crews at every level of the game. He supervised National Hockey League referees from 1992 to 1996, and selected and supervised referees at the 1998 Nagano Games, 2006 Torino Games and other international events. “So it’s just a matter of basically starting at the university and working my way up through the minor hockey system for a few years, andinto the junior system, and then into the international system,” Nadin said humbly.

For almost 30 years, Nadin has been a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Rules and Referee Committee. He is tasked with writing and interpreting new rules, replacing outdated rules, and fielding questions about the rulebook from all corners of the hockey-playing world. “Really, any place where international hockey is played and there’s any rule situations or questions from referees, coaches and players, they always refer to me to give the answer to the rule,” Nadin said. “As a result of that, the president of the ice hockey federation refers to me as the pope of the rules.”

Nadin could also be referred to as the pontiff of hockey stamps. He parlayed his love of the sport and a childhood interest in stamps to amass one of the greatest hockey-themed stamp collections in the world. “There are probably about 600 stamps featuring hockey from around the world,” Nadin told IIHF writer Andrew Podnieks. “And I’m missing about 50, including four from Paraguay.”

“I go through each volume and mark the hockey stamps, and then I try to find them,” Nadin continued. “Each stamp has a number, and I go to stamp stores or go online looking for individual stamps or collections. I think I’ve built up a pretty good collection,and I take my list with me whenever I travel. I always make sure to go to the post office in every city to see what they have. I know the location of every post office as well as I know where the hockey arenas are!”

The basement of Nadin’s Weston home, Podnieks wrote, is “a memorabilia shrine that documents his decades in the game. Mementos from Sapporo and on, thousands of pins, mugs, photos, pennants, and other miscellany fill his walls and shelves.” Nadin said he appreciates the stories behind the stamps. “Hockey stamps aren’t incredibly valuable. Themost expensive is maybe $50, but I think it’s pretty amazing where they come from and I love collecting them.”

Nadin is one of four Canadians to have received the IIHF Paul Loicq Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the IIHF and international ice hockey. He also received the Pierre de Coubertin Medal from the Olympic Committee in May during a ceremony at the world championship in Stockholm, Sweden, one of the highest hockey honours that can be bestowed at the international level.

The accolades are appreciated, but Nadin especially values the friendships he has formed with referees and officials from around the world. “It’s something you can’t replace, really,” he said of those bonds. The energetic hockey enthusiast’s schedule is busier than ever. Nadin attended the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Division I in Romanshorn, Switzerland, over New Year’s, and is preparing for the men’s U18 tournament in Sochi, part of a full slate of events lined up for 2013-14.

“He’s a hockey nut…all he thinks about is hockey,” Nadin’s old friend, Henry Seykyrka, said in the documentary. “He puts his whole life into it. He’s just a terrific guy. Hockey is his life.”

Lou Cavalaris Jr.

Lou Cavalaris Jr., dreamed of being a baseball pitcher, and played ball right up until his university days. But after serving in the Merchant Marines during World War II, Lou returned home to Hamilton, Ohio.
Lou’s father was in the restaurant business for many years, but also owned many horses… and this is what caught Lou’s attention… horse racing. He started his career at the Detroit Racecourse but later moved to Toronto in 1947, where it didn’t take him long to establish himself as a great trainer.

In 1966, he was named North America’s best trainer, by winning 175 races… and was third leading trainer for races won, in 1967 and 1968.

Lou trained some of Canada’s most outstanding horses, including Victorian Era, Ice Water and Carneys Point. One of his proudest moments, was winning the Wood Memorial in 1968 with horse Dancer’s Image.

In 1978, he became the highly respected Racing Secretary for The Ontario Jockey Club, but after 10 years in the role, Lou couldn’t resist the urge to train horses again.
His achievements were recognized when he was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1995.
Lou is now retired from racing. He and his wife Helen are long-time residents of Etobicoke.

Mike Walton

Mike Walton’s story is one of immediate impact and enduring success in the world of professional hockey. From his early days playing junior hockey to his distinguished career in the NHL and WHA, Walton left an indelible mark on the sport with his exceptional skill and charismatic personality.

Raised in Kirkland Lake and later settling in Sutton, Walton’s journey to hockey stardom began on the ice of his local rinks. He quickly made a name for himself with his explosive speed, dazzling stickhandling, and knack for finding the back of the net. His standout performances in junior hockey caught the attention of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who signed him to their Ontario Hockey Association farm team, the Marlboros.

During his time with the Marlboros, Walton showcased his scoring prowess, contributing significantly to the team’s success, including a Memorial Cup win in 1964. His impressive play earned him recognition as a top newcomer in both the Central Professional Hockey League and the American Hockey League in consecutive seasons.

Walton’s dream of playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs became a reality during the 1965-66 season when he received a call-up to the NHL club. His electrifying play on the ice and his larger-than-life personality quickly endeared him to Leafs fans, earning him the nickname “Shakey.”

Throughout his NHL career, Walton continued to dazzle fans with his speed, skill, and creativity on the ice. He was known for his unique techniques, such as taping his stick with white medical tape and warming his sticks in the stove to give his shots more life. Walton’s ability to anticipate plays and make intelligent decisions with the puck made him a formidable opponent and a fan favorite.

After stints with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins, Walton transitioned to the World Hockey Association, where he continued to excel, leading the league in scoring and earning All-Star honors. His dynamic play and contributions to the game were recognized with induction into the inaugural class of the WHA Hall of Fame.

Off the ice, Walton remained a beloved figure in the hockey community, running sports camps and staying involved in the game long after his playing days were over. His enduring love for hockey and his contributions to the sport have left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire players and fans alike.

Today, Walton resides in Etobicoke, where he has lived for nearly five decades. His inclusion among Etobicoke’s sporting greats is a testament to his impact on the game and his status as a true hockey legend.

Mark Osborne

Left-winger Mark Osborne played over 900 NHL games with four different teams – Detroit, New York, Toronto and Winnipeg. He scored more than 200 career goals, but was best known for winning battles in the corners.

Mark was born in Etobicoke and at age 17 became a walk-on for the Niagara Falls Flyers in the OHA. In 1980, he was drafted forty-sixth overall by the Detroit Red Wings, and as a rookie scored 26 goals for the club during the 1981-82 season.

He was soon traded to the New York Rangers as part of a multi-player deal. He worked hard as a consistent two-way forward and helped the Rangers reach the semi-finals in 1986.

In 1987, Mark was sent back to his hometown to play with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the Leafs, Mark played on the “GEM” line with Ed Olczyk and Gary Leeman, and during the 1989-90 season scored a career best of 73 points.Mark Osborne retired in 1998.

Tom Watt

Long-time coach and physical educator, Tom Watt was born in Toronto in 1935. As a child growing up in York Township, he was encouraged by his father to play every sport. Never in his wildest dreams, did Tom set out to be a professional coach.

He graduated from University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Physical Education in 1959, and planned on a career in teaching.

In 1965 he returned to U of T as both the Head Hockey Coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, and as an Assistant Professor in Physical Education. Between 1965 and 1977, Tom was an offensive line coach.

One of Tom’s proudest moments was when U of T won the first ever national college championship, the Vanier Cup, beating Alberta 14 – 7. During his years as coach, he led The Blues to 9 National and 11 Conference Championships.

He proudly coached Canada’s Olympic Hockey team along side Clare Drake in Lake Placid in 1980. Following his Olympic experience, he joined the Vancouver Canucks as assistant coach for the 1980/81 season.

The following year, he was hired as Head Coach for the Winnipeg Jets, where he led the team to a 48 point improvement, the single largest improvement from one year to the next in the history of the league at that time. He was then awarded the Jack Adams trophy, honoured as the number one coach in the National League, for his tremendous efforts.

In 1989, while he was assistant coach with the Calgary Flames, they won the Stanley Cup. In 1990 he moved back to Toronto to be the Assistant Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he coached for two more years. He also served as Director of Player Development and Pro Scouting for the Maple Leafs.

Tom was an assistant coach for Team Canada, when they won the coveted Canada Cup in 1984, 1987 and 1991. Tom then became a regular television commentator on numerous Olympic and World Hockey Championships. His career has allowed him to live all over the country, an opportunity for which he is thankful and proud of. Tom stays very active, and is currently Pro Scouting for the Florida Panthers.

Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden spent just eight years guarding the nets for the Montreal Canadiens, but ask any long time Habs fan and he’ll speak of Dryden with the reverence reserved for the likes of Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore, Maurice Richard or Jacques Plante.

The reason is quite simple. In his comparatively short professional hockey career, Dryden backstopped the Canadiens to six Stanley Cup championships, the only measure of success Montreal fans accept.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, but raised in Etobicoke where he played minor hockey in the Humber Valley league, Dryden wasted little time working his way into the hearts of Habs fans and hockey fans alike once he reached the NHL.

In his first year with Les Canadiens in 1971, after playing only six regular season games, Dryden shocked the hockey world with his veteran like performance in the playoffs in earning his first of six Stanley Cup rings.

The upstart netminder was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy that year as the most valuable player in the playoffs. The awards and trophies continued to pile up over the ensuing years. The following season, Dryden’s true rookie year, he was awarded the Calder trophy as the league’s rookie of the year. He also won or shared five Vezina trophy awards as the NHL’s best goaltender as voted on by the league’s general managers.

Four years after retiring from the game in 1979 to practice law, Dryden was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.