Let it be said, clearly and boldly, right here on damiangoddard.com – there are no “suffering” hockey fans in the GTA.

That’s right.  The NHL may  well be on its way to pulling the plug on the entire season, but fans in Toronto don’t care about hockey.  Now, they certainly care about their Leafs.  But hockey?  They could give a flying Fern Flaman.

There are no hockey fans in the Greater Toronto Area.  And it’s a damned shame.  And I’ve been saying this for years.

Today, it was announced the Brampton Battalion will be moving to North Bay for the start of next year’s OHL season.  And that sad news has significance for yours truly.  Back in 1998, I was hired as the club’s inaugural public address announcer at, what was then called, the Brampton Centre.  I held the post for two seasons, during which time I had the privilege of high-fiving owner Scott Abbott right before blaring “Battalion goal, scored by # 9 Jason Spezza!…” or #10 Raffi Torres!… or #7 Rusty Klesla!… or #18 Jay McClement!…  Great memories.

But what always bothered me through the years, even when I had gone on to become a national tv sports anchor, was the evident lack of passion at the Brampton gate for the incredible product that is Canadian Junior Hockey.

The 15-year lease is up in Brampton.  And so, the Battalion and 500-win head coach Stan Butler will be shuffling off north during the off-season.

And unfortunately, only a select few of the so-called passionate hockey fans in the surrounding Toronto area will care enough to give the Battalion a proper send-off.