Raymond, all of 18 months, has already taken to the life of his Dad, Mason. There Max was in mid-November, wearing his own Blue and White jersey – complete with the No. 12 and name on the back – carried by Dad and brought to his father’s stall for a quick tour of the Maple Leafs dressing room. Like all kids that age, Max was wide- eyed by it all. Meanwhile, back on the farm in Cochrane, Alberta, over the summer Max had already been fascinated by another of his father’s passions. “He seems to like the farm and the tractors and he’s on his own already,” Mason says proudly and with a smile. Family, farming, hockey and sports, period … they paint the picture for Mason Raymond. “Cochrane is 45 minutes west of Calgary, maybe an hour from downtown to get out to Cochrane,” Raymond says of his birthplace. “It’s a small town of about 17,000. I grew up on a farm about 10 minutes from Cochrane, so north-west from Calgary is where it would be.” Raymond reckons that, if not for hockey, he’d be into farming and he wouldn’t regret it if that were the case. “Yeah, it’s definitely a liking of mine,” he says. Then, adding with a laugh, he says “is there a lot of money in it? No. But it’s something I grew up around and thoroughly enjoy.” 41 MAX GRAIG ABEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN IABONI Raymond grew up on an Alberta farm 41,42,45 Childhood Memories_Layout 2 05/12/13 5:18 PM Page 1
Transcript
Raymond, all of 18 months, has alreadytaken to the life of his Dad, Mason. There Maxwas in mid-November, wearing his own Blue andWhite jersey – complete with the No. 12 and nameon the back – carried by Dad and brought to hisfather’s stall for a quick tour of the Maple Leafsdressing room. Like all kids that age, Max was wide-eyed by it all.
Meanwhile, back on the farm in Cochrane,Alberta, over the summer Max had already beenfascinated by another of his father’s passions.
“He seems to like the farm and the tractorsand he’s on his own already,” Mason says proudlyand with a smile.
Family, farming, hockey and sports, period …they paint the picture for Mason Raymond.
“Cochrane is 45 minutes west of Calgary,maybe an hour from downtown to get out toCochrane,” Raymond says of his birthplace. “It’sa small town of about 17,000. I grew up on afarm about 10 minutes from Cochrane, sonorth-west from Calgary is where it would be.”
Raymond reckons that, if not for hockey,he’d be into farming and he wouldn’t regret it ifthat were the case.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a liking of mine,” hesays. Then, adding with a laugh, he says “is therea lot of money in it? No. But it’s something Igrew up around and thoroughly enjoy.”
What kind of a farm is it?“A ranching farm, an active farm still to this
day,” Raymond says. “We used to run a cow-calfoperation and now run yearlings throughout thesummer months and nothing in the wintermonths. It’s still a big part of life for me and myfamily. I still enjoy going back home and stay fullin tune with it.
“My wife (Meagan) grew up in Manitoba whichis another kind of farm-ing background if
you will. They weren’t active farmers but the farming commu-nity is a big part of their life there as well.”
Terry and Carol Raymond raised Mason and his older sister,Nadine, to the farm life and to sports as well.
“My Mom’s a very active golfer, a good golfer and wonclub championships at the golf course so I played a lot ofgolf, a little bit of soccer and some lacrosse,” Raymond says.“After that, summer hockey kicked in so the main focus washockey. Ages? I can’t even tell you when I was doing all ofthose but those were more or less the sports I played when
I was growing up.”He remembers the warm memories of the
freezing cold times spent playing hockeyoutdoors.
“My Dad would make our own icejust out the back door,” Mason says.“There were plenty of ponds on thefarm you could find yourself but yeah
it was another big thing to do that. You’dget home from school; you were straight
onto that rink until dark, come in, eat, doyour homework, do whatever and go to
bed. So you definitely lived to be outsideon the farm.”
Raymond was just under four years oldwhen the Flames won their only Stanley Cup in
1989 so his rooting for that squad is most re-membered during the 1990s and centered around
a veteran from ’89 and an up-and-comer whowere there at that time.
“Jarome (Iginla) for sure was definitely one ofmy favourite players,” Raymond says. “Jarome wasthere a long time and someone I cheered for. He’s aremarkable guy. Theo Fleury was another guy I en-
joyed watching. You lived to play for an NHL teamand back then I cheered for the Flames but youquickly change as you grow up and you get towardsthe NHL level and play it yourself.”
Along with the Flames, Raymond provided hisallegiance to a couple of other squads in other prosports.
“I’ve always been a Blue Jays fan” says Raymond,who’s shown that during his time with the Leafs by
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“... My Dad would make our ownice just out the back door ...”
wearing that MLB team’s cap. “I’m a sports fan, I enjoywatching sports. Blue Jays baseball is one of them andI follow the CFL and the Stampeders from my home-town … I definitely follow them and cheer for them.”
Raymond played his junior hockey just over threehours away in Camrose before heading to the Universityof Minnesota-Duluth for two seasons. The Canucks –under GM David Nonis – made the left winger theirsecond choice (51st overall) in 2005. Raymond brokeinto the NHL in 2007-08 and played six seasons withthe Canucks before becoming a free agent.
Nonis and the Leafs stepped forward last sum-mer and brought Raymond here on a tryout basisfor training camp. It soon became apparent that thefleet Raymond was a fit and he signed a contractwith the Leafs.
“Just the history and the tradition here is so re-markable,” Raymond says. “It’s an honour to play forthe Maple Leafs and to put this jersey on every day issomething special. The fans, the passion, the love, it’sa media market, it’s a Canadian market and somethingI fully enjoy playing in front of, that’s for sure.”
