Bill Barilko
Home town hero
9/25/20261 min read


A banner hanging from the rafters of the McIntyre arena is ledgendary Maple Leafs forward Bill Barilko. Famous for his 1951 overtime Stanley Cup–winning goal for the Maple Leafs, Barilko tragically perished in a floatplane crash during a Quebec fishing trip in August 1951. His remains were not recovered until 1962. I had read somewhere that he was buried in a local cemetery so I went to find it. Late January is probably not the best time to go out looking for gravestones but I am a huge Maple Leafs fan and had heard the Bill Barilko story for years. In 1993, Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip commemorated his story in their song "Fifty Mission Cap."



