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).
#4
This jersey number has been worn by a few hockey immortals, but also by the likes of Jeff Finger and Cory “Criss… Cross.
Honorable Mentions
Harry Watson – A four-time 20 goal scorer, Watson won four Stanley Cups with the Leafs from 1947 to 1951 and scored 236 goals in a 15-year NHL career. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1994.
Dave Ellett – Acquired from the Winnipeg Jets for Eddie Olczyk in 1990, Ellett was the main offensive cog on the Leafs blueline for seven seasons, including the 1993 and 1994 Western Conference Finalists.
Finalists
Leonard “Red… Kelly (1960-1967)
Toronto Totals – GP - 470, G – 119, A – 232, Pts – 351, PIM - 74
Stanley Cup Championships – 4 (1962-64, 1967)
Lady Byng Trophy Winner - 1961
Hockey Hall of Fame – Inducted 1969
Can aptly be likened to Babe Ruth(a Hall-of-Fame caliber player as a pitcher and power-hitting outfielder). Kelly was a six-time First Team NHL All-Star defenseman in the first half of his career, winning four Stanley Cups, two Lady Byng Trophies and a Norris Trophy with Detroit Red Wings dynasty in the 1950’s.
Traded to Toronto in 1960, Leafs coach Punch Imlach moved Kelly to center take advantage of his defensive and playmaking abilities. Teamed with Hall-of-Famer Frank Mahovlich, he scored 20 goals three times, averaged over 30 assists in his seven seasons in Toronto and won another four championships.
Clarence “Hap… Day(1924-1937)
Toronto Totals – GP – 543, G – 86, A – 113, Pts – 199, PIM – 582
Stanley Cup Championships – 1(1932)
Hockey Hall of Fame – Inducted 1961
Day served as team captain from 1926 to 1936, teamed with King Clancy to make up one of the league’s best defense tandems of the 1930’s and was a key member of the Leafs first Stanley Cup in 1932. After retiring, Day took over as coach in 1940 and led Toronto to five championships in the 1940’s.
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The Toronto Marlies added some depth with the signings of forwards Denver Manderson and Brett Findlay to AHL deals this week.
The 25-year-old Manderson split time between the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers and scored two goals and nine assists in 36 games in the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.
The 21-year-old Findlay played three seasons in the OHL with Peterborough and the Soo Greyhounds under new Leafs Asst. GM Kyle Dubbers, scoring 59 goals and 87 assists in 193 games. He split time between the now defunct San Francisco Bulls and Alaska Aces of the ECHL in 2013-14, with 22 goals and 32 assists in 69 games.
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