Maple Leafs pay tribute to Bowen, son calls game 

TORONTO — Like father, like son.

How fitting.

It was “Holy Mackinaw Night” at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday, a tribute to long-time Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen who announced earlier this year that he will retire at the end of this season after 44 years as the voice of the team.

As part of the festivities, Joe’s son David, who does play-by-play for Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League, called the entire Maple Leafs-Chicago Blackhawks game alongside analyst Jim Ralph while Joe watched the game with the rest of his family from a private box.

David’s mandate was simple: He had no intention to use the phrase “Holy Mackinaw,” which has been his dad’s on-air calling card for four decades.

But when Toronto’s Dakota Joshua scored the go-ahead goal to put the Maple Leafs up 3-2 at 16:59 of the third period, just six seconds after captain Auston Matthews had tied the game, Ralph tapped David on the shoulder.

With the entire building going nuts, it was time.

“Holy Mackinaw!” David blared out over the airwaves.

“It wasn’t planned,” David said after the Maple Leafs held on for the victory. “But given the excitement of the moment, Ralphie gave me the signal. So, I guess I had to do it.”

What better way to celebrate his dad’s special day.

It started with Maple Leafs players wearing “Holy Mackinaw!” T-shirts at the morning skate and reminiscing about listening to Joe Bowen’s broadcasts as kids.

““Holy Mackinaw!” You hear that almost every single night when the Leafs score,” said forward John Tavares, who grew up 20 miles west of Toronto in Oakville. “I just have good memories driving to and from practices with my dad when I was younger, listening to him on the radio. It was a different time. You couldn’t watch on your cell phone back then. So, hearing him call the game felt like you could see it clear as day, he was so good at what he does. He’s just got a legendary voice, and it means a lot to myself and my dad.

“Kind of unfortunate (he’s retiring). Wish we could hear his voice on the radio long after I’m done playing. Wish he could call forever.”

Defenseman Morgan Rielly couldn’t agree more.

“What a great career, a great human being, and a huge part of this organization,” he said. “He is one of those guys you never imagine not being there. It’s the voice you always imagine being the soundtrack for this team.”

Bowen was honored in a pre-game ceremony that featured a video with well wishes from past and present Maple Leafs like Mats Sundin, Darryl Sittler, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Curtis Joseph, Darcy Tucker, Rielly and Tavares. Clark then presented him with a ‘golden microphone,’ igniting a lengthy ovation from the crowd.

Then came the coup de grace: the announcement that the radio area of the Foster Hewitt Media Gondola will be renamed "Bowen’s Booth" for the start of the 2026-27 season.

Could it be that another Bowen — David — will one day be a regular fixture in the booth named after his dad?

“You can’t predict the future,” the 25-year-old said. “I’m just trying my best to improve as a broadcaster every chance I get to put the headsets on.

“It was a little bit of a different stage tonight. But obviously it would be a dream come true.”

For both father and son.