Maple Leafs to Host Canadiens at FW Gardens
THUNDER BAY, ON — Residents of Thunder Bay were left bewildered and in some cases, outraged, after the City of Thunder Bay announced, in an official press release yesterday, April 1st, that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be hosting the Montreal Canadiens for their season opener at the historic Fort William Gardens next year. It didn’t take long for locals to get swept up in the excitement—until they realized it was all an elaborate April Fools’ prank.
“I was just so excited to finally have some big-league hockey come to town!” said Jim Miller, a lifelong Leafs fan, choking back tears. “My son even told me to calm down, but I knew this was our year! You know, my whole family’s been waiting for this since, like, forever. And then… nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Miller wasn’t the only one who fell for the prank. “I went ahead and booked a hotel room for some family to come in from Dryden. Even tried to get my buddy’s band to play at our pub pre-game,” said an enthusiastic Heather James, local bar owner. “I can’t believe it. It’s so embarrassing.”
However, not everyone saw the funny side of the situation. "This is honestly cruel," said Tanya Graves, a Thunder Bay resident who was visibly upset. “We already have to live through the Leafs losing every year, and now we have to go through this kind of emotional rollercoaster for a joke? People are going to remember this. I'm calling city council about this nonsense."
Despite the controversy, Thunder Bay officials stood by their prank. “It’s all in good fun,” said one anonymous city employee. “We needed to give them a little something to look forward to, just to get everyone past this last leg of winter hell.”
In the meantime, residents are left to dust off their dreams of NHL glory—and maybe get a refund on those hotel reservations.