TORONTO – Justin Turner was raised on Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings, though his rooting interests have shifted in the years since, a result of the friendship he and his wife Kourtney have with Tyler Toffoli and his wife Cat Belanger-Toffoli.
“Once (Toffoli) got traded from the Kings, I’ve kind of just been following him along,” Turner explained. “He did a whole Canadian tour. Vancouver, two years in Calgary, Montreal. So I’ve just been following him around, watching games and it’s been exciting to watch. I am fired up. April 11 we have an off day and the Devils are up in Toronto playing, so I will probably be at that game.”
The New Jersey Devils are Toffoli’s current team. Does that make them his current rooting interest?
“No,” Turner replied with a grin. “The Maple Leafs.”
Smart answer from the new Toronto Blue Jays veteran, who might have found his way north this weekend to take in the NHL’s all-star game if he wasn’t getting ready to host the Justin Turner Golf Classic, with a kickoff party Sunday ahead of Monday’s event.
Last year’s tournament raised $650,000 for Turner’s foundation, which helps support homeless veterans, children facing major illnesses and youth baseball organizations.
Toffoli and Cat met during a Kings night at Dodger Stadium in 2014 and she and Kourtney are “best friends,” said Turner.
His passion for hockey though runs far deeper.
“Huge hockey fan,” said Turner. “I grew up in L.A., grew up watching the Kings, obviously Gretzky was here, Marty McSorley, Rob Blake, all those guys.”
