Cowan: Leafs job 'a refreshing change' for Beaconsfield's Blair Mackasey

Blair Mackasey’s life in hockey has come full circle.
The 62-year-old grew up in Montreal as a star athlete in both hockey and baseball. As a teenager, Mackasey played defence for the Junior Canadiens in the winter and was a first baseman in the Expos’ minor-league system in the summer, playing on the same team as Gary Carter and Ellis Valentine.
When Mackasey had to pick a sport to focus on, he chose hockey and in 1975 he was selected by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round o