Crazy photo emerges of the Toronto Maple Leafs training for World War II
A photo has emerged showing how much times have changed, as the Toronto Maple Leafs actually trained for World War II as a team, wearing their Maple Leafs sweaters.
With the world in turmoil in 2024, we don't yet have nations taking up arms and joining the fight, but back in 1939, it didn't matter what your profession was. If you were able-bodied, you were expected to fight for your country and your allies.
Back in 1939, the Toronto Maple Leafs were among those who went through basic training for the purposes of serving in the war, as is depicted below in a photo shared by "Old Canada Series" on Twitter/X.
Today, we still see players, most notably those from Finland, take part in their mandatory military service for their country, but these players generally are not expected to actually see battle, barring extreme situations of course.
Back in 2016, former Maple Leafs fan favourite Leo Komarov revealed some information about what goes on during this mandatory training, giving fans a bit of a peak behind the curtain.
It's good for you to do it, but they don't f� around with you," Komarov told reporters. "They just teach you how to be a man and how to use a gun."
What Komarov and other Finnish players go through is nothing like what players were forced to endure back in 1939, with some seeing active duty, some even losing their lives during WWII.
At one point during WWII, the NHL nearly ceased operations after approximately 80 players served in the war. Crazy to think about.
Source: SportsnetMandatory military duty a tricky dilemma for Finnish NHL players
Source: NHL.comNHL came close to shutting down during World War II
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25 JUILLET | 1101 ANSWERS Crazy photo emerges of the Toronto Maple Leafs training for World War II Do you think NHL players in Canada should take part in mandatory military service? | ||
| No | 755 | 68.6 % |
| Yes | 346 | 31.4 % |
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