Director Jason Priestley narrates this insightful and comprehensive documentary look at Harold Ballard, the controversial owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the shrine they played in; the Maple Leaf Gardens.

Often accused of being too cheap to actually care if he put a Cup-winning team on the ice, Ballard quickly learned that in a hockey-starved town like Toronto, he could sell out every seat, regardless of the caliber of play on the ice. As the poster for the film points out: Ballard didn’t invent greed. He perfected it.

After taking over Maple Leaf Gardens, for example, he quickly replaced all the existing benches with smaller seats and less legroom, knowing he could sell every seat during every Maple Leaf game, regardless of the comfort level of the fans. His comments on the players (he refused to succumb to his stars’ financial demands), would not be tolerated today.

His curmudgeonly persona was one that he took pride in nurturing, choosing to keep his charitable and philanthropic activities a secret.

Priestley is clearly a huge hockey fan, and in digging up some of the family secrets behind the scenes, he points out what an exciting and frustrating legacy of near-greatness Ballard and the Leafs have left in their wake.