The Windsor Spitfires are honouring the history of the Memorial Cup with a garden, acknowledging the link between the junior hockey tournament and the military.
Veteran Mike Akpata says the Cup was originally designed to commemorate the soldiers that fought in World War I.
"When you look at this piece of Canadian history, and you see the date 1919, and then 1920, 1943, 1949, and I look at the names on this cup," he explains. "It is about the game that we love and we play, but it's the ability to be free to play that game."
Red and white tulip bulbs were planted in the round-about in front of the WFCU Centre, Wednesday.
When the flowers bloom this spring, Akpata says the garden will be a beautiful tribute to fallen soldiers and a great reminder for all hockey fans visiting the WFCU Centre for the MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.
