Deadmau5 creates new Toronto Maple Leafs anthem

The Maple Leafs have featured an abundance of NHL greats in their rich history, have your take at the best five to ever wear the blue and white.

Thank God I’m a Country Boy is cool and all, but the Toronto Maple Leafs decided to update their playlist for their centennial season.

The 100-year-old franchise turned to a contemporary (and local) artist, popular electronic producer/DJ Deadmau5, to write a brand-new anthem for the hockey team that will be unveiled Saturday night at the Leafs’ home opener versus Boston.

“I got an e-mail from management asking if I would consider doing it, and I was like, ‘Heck, yeah,’ ” Deadmau5, born Joel Zimmerman, told the Leafs website.

Tasked with creating “something simple, original and different,” the six-time Grammy nominee — and one of Don Cherry’s favourite artists — set out to write a high-tempo track that would ring in a new chapter for the Leafs.

“I knew I had to do something that was palatable and worked for the crowd and also lend itself to some audience participation. These thoughts all formed in my head before I even sat down,” said the 35-year-old Deadmau5, born in nearby Niagara Falls, Ont.

“That was part of the appeal. I didn’t want to just license out an existing track. It was better to do something different but still retaining some qualities that I possess with my own music. I wanted to keep it in the vein of something driving and anthem-ish.”

Here it is:

https://twitter.com/deadmau5/status/787422383669907460

Bonus Beat: Garret Sparks drops Toronto Marlies warm-up mix

This is sweet. Toronto Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks tweeted out the AHL team’s 17-minute warm-up mixtape, which you can download here for free.

The high-bpm mini mix features appearances by Skrillex, Louis the Child, Mr. Carmack and Canadian acts like Kaytranada and The Weeknd. Nice work, Sparks.

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