Every so often, the world gets to witness exactly why the hockey fans call their ports and their community the ‘best’ in the world. One of those moments came in December 2024, when the two rivals, the Calgary Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets, put it all aside for an incredibly heartfelt and emotional tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau. Fans, who’d boo one another, joined hands to pay tribute to the NHL star who had played for both teams and met a tragic end.

And it’s not just in tragedy but also in celebration when the hockey community shows its unity. Whether they liked him or not, hockey fans followed Alex Ovechkin’s chase to beat Wayne Gretzky’s goals record through the season. The Capitals even installed goal counters across Washington as Ovechkin neared the all-time NHL goals record. However, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan’s story has shown you don’t need to be an NHL star to earn the community’s support.

All it took was one post (now removed) from Reddit user Ok-Replacement-483 on the r/NHL forum to get the community to rally behind Cal. Who is Cal, you ask? Well, Ok-Replacement-483 gave absolutely nothing away while making the post about his friend Cal. Yet, one thing is for sure: Cal is a lifelong Leafs fan, and unfortunately, he doesn’t have a family to call his own.

“This is Cal. He’s a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He collects bottles from houses around my city, yes, CITY, not neighbourhood. HE’S THE SWEETEST SOUL,” read the post. While the user didn’t give away Cal’s age, the gray-haired Leafs fan looked to be beyond his 70s. “Unfortunately, Cal lives alone and has no family, and I’m the only one he knows, which deeply saddens me,” added the Redditor, who also chose to keep his real name hidden.

The Reddit user who created his account just under a year ago also had some more bad news. The r/NHL member explained that Cal fell on his back while collecting bottles and got seriously injured. The Toronto Maple Leafs fan broke two ribs and will be in the hospital for two months. “LET’S SHOW CAL SOME LOVE!” said the user, and the NHL community obliged.

Fans put rivalries aside for the Toronto Maple Leafs faithful

The fans did just heed Ok-Replacement-483’s call to leave some encouraging messages for Cal; they even put aside their rivalries for the fan. “Tell Cal that we Florida Panthers fans hope he feels better and go Leafs and Cats,” commented a Reddit user. A few days ago, the Cats and Leafs fans were at one another’s throats as the two teams headed into the tie-breaking Game 7 in Round 2 of the NHL playoffs.

In fact, at the time of writing, the post has already received 342 upvotes in just six hours. While the original poster didn’t even disclose Cal’s full name, he did mention just how passionate the Toronto Maple Leafs fan is about his team. “I’ve known Cal for around a year now, and he always calls me to ask who I think is gonna win whenever he watches a Leafs game,” revealed the Redditor.

However, considering the response the post has already received, it’s safe to say the entire community would be glad to have a chat with the Leafs fan. One hockey fan from Vancouver even wished that Cal would see the Leafs hoist the Stanley Cup someday. “Love to Cal from Vancouver. Hope the Leafs win one for ya one day, brother,” commented the fan.

Yet, that would be easier said than done, given that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been trying to break the Stanley Cup curse, which has now lasted for 58 years. And from the rumors floating around about their biggest stars, like Mitch Marner, the future looks rocky. Meanwhile, others didn’t just stop at wishing Cal a speedy recovery. They couldn’t help but praise the kid behind the post.

While Ok-Replacement-483 did not share any details, he did share a few of himself and Cal, and fans could see how young he was. “Feel better, Cal! Also, you’re a hell of a good guy OP,” commented one r/NHL member. “Dude, you are a seriously good person. Tell Cal he’s a champ in my book even if his team isn’t… Hope he gets better soon,” wrote another forum member.

It was a perfect example that the sport can bring two people together regardless of their age or fan base. That’s because Ok-Replacement-483 only disclosed that Cal was a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. And it was the simple gesture of standing beside Cal in his time of need that earned the Reddit user so much praise from the community.

Just a few days ago, the hockey world praised Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith Gaudreau, for surprising Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Hockey’s former teammate and best friend, Sean Monahan, with the Bill Masterton Trophy. However, the community showed that you don’t need to be a star player or win a prestigious award to earn the fans’ support.

The original poster is the closest the Toronto Maple Leafs fan has to a family, and the hockey community is proud of the kid for standing beside his friend. “Bless you both. Great example of how hockey brings people together,” commented another user. Yet, what did you think of the heartfelt Reddit post? Tell us in the comments.