The Toronto Maple Leafs have a rich history that includes numerous All-Stars, Stanley Cup winners and Hall-of-Fame players. There have been 852 players who have donned the Blue and White since their entry into the NHL in 1917, with dozens wearing the same jersey number over the years.
In this completely non-scientific exercise, we’ll take a look at who wore which number and vote on who was the best. Some decisions will be so apparent that voting will not be necessary, as in the case of #93(unless there is a sizeable faction that believes that Alexander Godynyuk had a better Leaf career than Doug Gilmour).
#11
Honorable Mentions
Gary Leeman – One of only two Maple Leafs who’ve reached the 50-goal plateau, Leeman like future linemate Wendel Clark was converted from defense to wing by the Leafs. Along with Clark and fellow Notre Dame alum Russ Courtnall, the trio formed the “Hound Line… which had a modicum of success in the late ‘80’s until Clark’s back problems hampered his ability to play.
Leeman scored thirty goals or more three straight seasons from 1988 to 1990, but struggled the next two years and was the key cog in the deal with Calgary to obtain Doug Gilmour in January 1992.
Howie Meeker – More known to my generation as a between periods commentator on Hockey Night In Canada, Meeker scored 27 goals in 55 games with Toronto in 1947, winning the Calder Trophy and Stanley Cup in his first NHL season.
Meeker’s offensive numbers dropped significantly after his rookie season, but he was a member of four championship Leafs teams before retiring in 1952.
Finalists
Harvey “Busher… Jackson (1929 – 1939)
Toronto Totals – GP – 432, G – 186, A – 165, Pts – 351, PIM – 342
Stanley Cup Championships – 1 (1932)
First Team NHL All-Star – 1932, 1934, 1935 and 1937
Hockey Hall of Fame – Inducted 1971
The left winger on the “Kid Line… with Hall-of-Famers Joe Primeau and Charlie Conacher, Jackson made the Leafs as an 18-year-old in 1929 and was the youngest league scoring leader in the history of the NHL until some guy named Gretzky broke his record.
Jackson was successful on the ice, scoring over 20 goals five times in a six-year span(1931-1937) and winning the Stanley Cup in 1932, but his partying ways and drinking off the ice led to Conn Smythe trading him to New York in 1939.
David “Sweeney… Schriner (1939 – 1946)
Toronto Totals – GP - 244, G – 109, A – 83, Pts – 192, PIM - 75
Stanley Cup Championships – 2 (1942, 1945)
First-Team NHL All-Star – 1941
Hockey Hall of Fame – Inducted 1962
Schriner was born in Tsarist Russia in 1911 and emigrated to Western Canada with his family before World War I. After thriving with the New York Americans for five seasons, he was traded to Toronto in 1939 for five players(including Jackson).
In six seasons with the Leafs, Schriner scored 20 or more goals three times, scored the Cup winning goal in Game 7 of the 1942 Final against Detroit to complete the improbable 3-0 series comeback and another championship in 1945 before retiring in 1946.
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The Maple Leafs are expected to announce more changes to their management this week. The club dismissed Assistant GM’s Dave Poulin and Claude Loiselle in late July and hired 28-year-old Soo Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas.
Sources indicate that Team President Brendan Shanahan and GM Dave Nonis will add two more assistants to go along with Dubas to split of the day-to-day responsibilities, which include running the AHL Toronto Marlies and negotiating player contracts.
From Steve Simmon’s Sunday column in the Toronto Sun, Shanahan continues to get acquainted with his new club, as he traveled to Prince Edward Island this past week to meet with team captain Dion Phaneuf.
The Mimico, ON native has been on what could be called a tour of the organization since leaving the NHL’s Department of Player Safety in April for a five-year deal with MLSE for $2.5 Million per year and while not moving any core players, replacing the head coach or the GM, he has revamped the coaching staff, the management staff and this week reshuffled the media/public relations department.
#ALSIceBucketChallenge from @joshrimerhockey complete: http://t.co/NOLURirOuB :) I challenge to @andipetrillo @sarahmclachlan & @TMLfansRob
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) August 17, 2014*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******
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