The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Thursday the next three additions to Legend’s Row will be goaltender Walter “Turk… Broda, defenseman Miles Gilbert “Tim… Horton and center Dave Keon.
The trio won a combined 13 Stanley Cups with Toronto and join Hockey Hall of Famers Ted “Teeder… Kennedy, Darryl Sittler,Johnny Bower, Borje Salming, George “Chief… Armstrong, Syl Apps and Mats Sundin on Legends Row.
Keon and the families of Broda and Horton will be honored in a ceremony prior to the game between the Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and will have statues unveiled in October to coincide with Toronto’s centennial season.
Broda played for Toronto from 1936 to 1952 and posted a 302-224-101 record, the most wins by a goaltender in Leafs history, in spite of missing nearly three seasons serving in the Canadian Army during World War II.
The Brandon, Manitoba native won two Vezina Trophies in 1941 and 1948, was the Leafs goaltender for five Stanley Cup championships(1942, 1947-49 and 1951) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960.
Known for his strength, physical play and defensive prowess, Horton made the Leafs as a full-time player in 1952 and in some ways assumed the mantle of Bill Barilko, who was also from Timmins, Ontario. The six-time NHL All-Star was not simply a stay-at-home blueliner and possessed the skating ability to jump into the offensive attack .
Horton was a three-time NHL All-Star and scored in double figures three times and over 20 assists nine times in 18 seasons with the Leafs, as well being the defensive backbone of the Leafs dynasty that won 4 Stanley Cups in 1962-1964 and 1967. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame posthumously in 1977.
Keon scored 20 goals or more 11 times during his 15-year tenure in Toronto and won four Stanley Cups, but his relationship with the Maple Leafs has been strained since 1975, when he jumped to the WHA’s Minnesota Fighting Saints after a contract dispute and was prevented from coming to the NHL the following year by owner Harold Ballard.
The Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec native has refused to participate in any honor that would recognize him individually, appearing only at ceremonies that honored the 1964 and 1967 Stanley Cup winning clubs, but Thursday’s announcement represents the end of his 40-year self-imposed exile.
“I am very happy to have been selected with Turk Broda and Tim Horton to Legends Row,“ said Keon. “I’m looking forward to the ceremonies on Saturday.…
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The Toronto Marlies returned home on Wednesday after a five-game, 17-day road trip and won a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime victory over the Syracuse Crunch at Ricoh Coliseum.
The game was partially obscured by Crunch forward Jonathan Drouin deciding to sit out. The 2013 third overall pick had played seven games for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, but had informed Syracuse coach Rob Zettler after the morning skate that he would not play, prompting the Lightning to suspend the 20-year-old indefinitely.
Syracuse took a 4-2 lead early in the third as Tanner Richard and Anthony DeAngelo scored 40 seconds apart, but the Marlies rallied to tie on goals by Zach Hyman and Mark Arcobello.
Brendan Leipsic, who registered a hat-trick in a victory in St. Johns on Saturday, scored the OT game-winner with a spin-o-rama move and backhander past goalie Kristers Gudlevskis. The 21-year-old scored 14 goals in 74 games between Milwaukee and Toronto after being part of the Cody Franson/Mike Santorelli trade last February, but has nearly matched that goal total in 40 games with the Marlies this season.
Arcobello led the Marlies with two goals and one assist on the night and in spite of two stints with the Leafs, the 27-year-old is eighth in AHL scoring with 33 points.
Brendan Leipsic's OT goal for the #Marlies was a thing of beauty. #MarliesLive https://t.co/Y0OG6s9ANX
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) January 21, 2016*******
The Maple Leafs face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first of a two-game home stand on Thursday. Toronto ended their five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win in Philadelphia thanks to Matt Hunwick's first goal of the season with 7.5 seconds remaining in regulation time.
James Reimer, who made 31 saves in the victory will make his second straight start for the Leafs and Eddie Lack will be between the pipes for Carolina with Cam Ward on injured reserve for a concussion.
The Hurricanes are 20-19-8 on the season and trail New Jersey by three points for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
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