Dave Keon has received the recognition he so richly deserved leading up to the home opener of the Toronto Maple Leafs centennial season.
The four-time Stanley Cup champion was immortalized with a bronze statue on Legend’s Row along with fellow Hockey Hall-of-Famers Walter “Turk… Broda and Tim Horton on Thursday.
On Friday, the native of Rouyn-Noranda, QC was selected by 31-member committee made up of prominent members of the hockey community and fans as the greatest Leafs player of the past 100 years.
The #Leafs top 100 players in their history. pic.twitter.com/aS0Vg0wqBe
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) October 14, 2016
The top five players on the club’s all-time list were centers; Keon, Syl Apps, Ted “Teeder… Kennedy, Darryl Sittler and Mats Sundin.
Horton was acknowledged as the highest ranked defenseman in team history(#6), just ahead of Borje Salming(#8). Johnny Bower was the top goaltender (#7), with five-time Cup winning netminder Broda ranked #10. The only winger in top 10 was Frank Mahovlich at #9.
Only two players in the top 20 of the list are not currently members of the Hockey Hall of Fame; wingers Wendel Clark(#15) and Rick Vaive (#20).
Prominent players who played in Toronto during their period of playoff futility also made the list. Tomas Kaberle was ranked #37, Phil Kessel #48, Bryan McCabe #63, Darcy Tucker #70, Dion Phaneuf #88 and Tie Domi #93.
Winger James van Riemsdyk is the only current member of the Maple Leafs on the list, at #100.
Bower (who won four Cups from 1962 – 1967) was listed atop a group of 10 goaltenders at #7, with Broda at #10, Curtis Joseph (#35), Terry Sawchuk (#43), Felix Potvin (#45), Harry Lumley (#47), Lorne Chabot (#51), Mike Palmateer (#58), Ed Belfour (#71), George Hainsworth (#81).
#Leafs Legends Row after last night's addition of Horton (2nd from left), Keon (4th from right) and Broda (far right) pic.twitter.com/SCTLkt2TWP
— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) October 14, 2016
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