J.P. Bickell: The Life, The Leafs, and The Legacy I have to admit this one surprised me. I mean, why would I, a western Canadian hockey fan, care about the businessman who financed Conn Smythe's Toronto Maple Leafs? That was how many years ago? And, ugh, yet another Leafs book, and this one about some guy no one has ever heard of? But J.P. Bickell: The Life, The Leafs and The Legacy is a fascinating read. It's a fascinating read mostly because, as it turns out, this is not a hockey book so much as a Canadian history book (well, maybe Ontario history). It just so happens that J.P. Bickell was an incredibly important figure and continues to be many years after his death. Bickell was a self made millionaire mining magnate who left an enduring legacy not only on the entire industry but the many communities who benefited from such development. That made Bickell a very wealthy person, and he spread his wealth around. He was instrumental in the founding of the Famous Playe