Maple Leafs pay visit to sick kids ahead of preseason game in St. John's
The Toronto Maple Leafs take to the ice Tuesday night in St. John's to get ready for the upcoming season, but some players took time away from the rink and other activities to pay a visit to the local children's hospital.
Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, Jason Spezza and Tyson Barrie were joined by Leafs legend Curtis Joseph at the Janeway Children's Hospital to meet patients and staff.
They played games with the kids, took pictures with parents and signed plenty of autographs.
Matthews, the team's leading scorer since he joined the league, also led the pack in a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos.
A spokesperson for the Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation said it was the Leafs organization that reached out about the visit.
The team offered the Janeway Foundation an opportunity to raise some funds by collecting donations at the door of the various events the players have hosted or been a part of over the last few days.
In total, $7,100 was raised for the Janeway Health and Rehabilitation Centre.
Battle of Ontario in Newfoundland
Leafs fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Matthews in action will have to settle for the team's open practices this week. He will not be in the lineup when the Senators come to St. John's on Tuesday night.
Toronto will ice a team with lots of fresh faces vying for spots, but there will be some veterans lacing up as well.
Tavares, Marner, Barrie and Spezza will be in the lineup, along with Frederik Gauthier, Kasperi Kapanen, Trevor Moore, Justin Holl, Jake Muzzin and Frederik Andersen — all of whom spent last season with the Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs will head back to the mainland after the game, wrapping up a weeklong stint split between Paradise and St. John's.
The Leafs and Senators will have a rematch in Ottawa on Tuesday night.
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