AEW star Adam Copeland reflected on meeting beloved Toronto Maple Leafs legend Wendel Clark. Copeland has been a lifelong Maple Leafs fan and idolized Clark during his time with the organization.
Clark had three stints with the Maple Leafs. Toronto selected him 1st overall in the 1985 NHL Draft. He eventually became captain, before being traded for eventual Hall of Fame and the Leafs’ all-time points leader Mats Sundin.
While Clark was a key contributor to the Leafs’ offense, he also earned a reputation for his toughness.
Clark frequently fought some of the toughest enforcers in the league, including Bob Probert. He is still beloved by Leafs Nation for how he represented and continues to represent the organization.
AEW Star Adam Copeland Reflects on Meeting Maple Leafs Legend Wendel Clark
Adam Copeland came from humble beginnings, growing up in Orangeville, Ontario. The AEW star admitted that he was unable to attend games when he was younger due to the cost of tickets.
Copeland revealed that he did not attend his first Leafs game until he began wrestling in WWE. He became a successful pro wrestler under the name Edge, and could finally attend more Leafs games.
His first game turned out to be a memorable experience. Copeland revealed that he had an impromptu meeting with Wendel Clark, as well as Wayne Gretzky.
“So the first time I ever came to [a Leafs game] was here [at Scotiabank Arena]. Because, you know, as a kid, I couldn’t afford hockey tickets. So, it was when I started wrestling that I was able to get down to games. And man, for me, it’s just I’m in heaven,” Copeland told the Maple Leafs’ digital media team.
“I’m in one of the suites, and [Wayne] Gretzky walks in. And I’m like, ‘Oh, okay,’ and he comes walking up to me. I’m like, ‘What is happening here?’ And then I walk out and bump into Wendel [Clark], who to me is Mr. Maple Leaf. I was speechless. And I was like, ‘I want to hug you.’ His eyes went about that big and I was like, ‘He’s going to punch me. Alright. I won’t hug you, but I really want to, man,” he said.
He added: “I’ve taken a few [punches], but I don’t want to get into the jersey over the head with Wendel.”
Clark Appeared in AEW for a Segment With Copeland
While their first meeting may have been somewhat awkward, Clark ended up appearing in AEW for a segment with Copeland.
AEW hosted All Out at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto last year. There, Copeland and his tag team partner, Christian Cage, walked backstage and marveled at the photos of Leafs legends on the walls.
After coming across a photo of Clark, Copeland revealed that ‘Captain Crunch’ was his favorite Maple Leaf of all time. Clark then appeared, resulting in Copeland being in awe.
The former Leafs captain offered Copeland and Cage words of advice before their match as they walked off.
“Boys, go for the throat out there tonight,” Clark said.
AEW Star Adam Copeland Recalls Memorable Meeting With Beloved Maple Leafs Legend