Hockey legend George Armstrong's banner delivered to Sudbury
The Leafs will hang new banners in the ACC to pay tribute to retired players for the team's 100th anniversary
Hockey fans won't have to go far to see classic NHL memorabilia, as the old banner honouring Sudbury hockey legend George Armstrong will now hang at the Garson arena.
The Leafs were in Armstrong's hometown on Sunday to deliver it, and it was displayed by the Big Nickel for a portion of the day.
The banner, which hung at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, features a picture of Armstrong during his days with the Maple Leafs and his uniform number 10.
The upcoming hockey season will mark The Maple Leafs' 100th anniversary, so the team will hang new banners in the ACC to pay tribute to players that have their numbers honoured.
Armstrong, 86, was not able to witness the delivery. However, those who knew him were there to celebrate his achievements.
Susan Turcotte attended the banner delivery because her father, Roger Paquette, worked with Armstrong's dad.
"My dad and his father ran the Paquette Hardware and the Paquette Garage in Garson," she said. "My dad told us lots of good stories with George Armstrong and how proud he was of him and his hockey career."
"For him to have achieved what he achieved, is an incredible, incredible feat. To be such an awesome hockey player [and] to be on one of the winningest teams is just incredible. I think we are all are very, very proud."
'Very humble' of his accomplishments
Several members of Armstrong's family were also present at the banner delivery, including his children, grandchildren and his sister.
Brian Armstrong, his eldest son, witnessed his father playing on the ice as a young boy and said he grew up around the arena the Leafs played at.
"I was blessed enough that they won enough games," he said. "I was also able to go into the dressing room whenever they won and met all the greats during that era - Pulford, Mahovlich, Keon, Bower and Horton - all of those guys, I got to meet as a kid."
The younger Armstrong also described his father as "very humble" of his accomplishments.
The retired hockey player who won four Stanley Cups during his time in the NHL, scored the final goal of the league's "Original Six" era as Toronto won the 1967 Stanley Cup.
"We're all honoured that this type of thing happened for him," Brian Armstrong said.
"I know that at times, he doesn't understand what all the fanfare is all about. But, we're certainly all proud of him."