Sunday, August 22, 2010

A Great Virtual Hockey League!

Hey All....Come join a fantastic virtual hockey league. Pick your players, free agents, make trades, play the games! But you won't beat this team...
Led by the fabulous Colby Adney and Malcolm Riina and the fantastic goaltending of Patrick Chancey, the Teemen will be victorious!
Visit the Teemen and their counterparts at www.metroho.com

Monday, July 5, 2010

Leaf Number of the Day #10

The recent signing of Colby Armstrong, a winger cut in the truculent style that Brian Burke seems to enjoy, got me to thinking. Surely, if there is any hockey god out there, the kid has to, I repeat, HAS TO, wear good old number 10. The last guy named Armstrong who played for the Leafs turned out to be a fairly decent player. Here then, is a small Maple Leaf history of the number 10

George (The Chief) Armstrong


That's him, sharing a sip from the Cup with Andy Bathgate after the 1964 Stanley Cup final. George broke into the NHL with the Leafs in 1951 and stuck around until his retirement in 1971. He succeeded Teeder Kennedy as the Leafs captain and passed that honour onto Dave Keon to start the 1970 season. 4 Stanley Cup wins, (all as Captain), 7 All-Star elections, 1187 (!) games played and all as a Leaf. A Leaf from day one, he returned in the 1988-89 season to serve as Head Coach for 47 games. He never was a glorious goal-scorer (his best season was 23 goals) and he mellowed as he got older, but in his day he'd stick an elbow in someones ear as easy as Gordie Howe would. Born with Native heritage, the Irish-Algonquin wound down his career with the greatest exclamation mark a Leaf fan could ask for. An empty-net goal in the 1967 Stanley Cup final to ice the win and the Cup for the Leafs over the hated Montreal Canadiens.

George Ferguson

Ferguson was drafted 11th overall by the Leafs in 1972 and went on to play 6 seasons with the Buds. He was traded to Pittsburgh with Randy Carlyle for Dave Burrows. (Ouch). Went on to 4 consecutive 20+ goal seasons with the Penguins. He did centre Lanny McDonald and Errol Thompson for a while before Darryl Sittler was given the spot. He now coaches the Trenton Sting in his hometown of Trenton, ON.


John Anderson

Drafted 11th overall like his predecessor above, Anderson found the net a lot more often then Ferguson did with the Leafs scoring 189 goals in 8 seasons with the Buds. Traded to Quebec for Brad Maxwell (double ouch) his goal scoring started to dwindle, but he made the most of his time building and gaining an understanding of the game which eventually led to a Head Coaching job in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers. The other reason he is famous in Toronto is for his chain of hamburger restaurants...John Anderson Burgers might not be as big as Tim Hortons donuts, but they made a mean banquet burger.


Bill Berg

"I wouldn't know Bill Berg if I ran over him with a car." So said Pat Burns when hearing about the then new Maple Leaf. Berg would make his mark in this city over the next 4 years as a defensive specialist. Currently employed by the NHL network as an analyst and on the Fan 590, he also operates a water store in his hometown of Beamsville, ON


Other notable #10's

Syl Apps, Teeder Kennedy, Ron Francis, Alex Steen, Glenn Anderson and Garry Valk

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Just Some More Random Musings

This is what happens to your brain when your team is 29th. Your mind tends to wander to things inane.

What if--JFJ hadn't traded Tukka Rask for Andrew Raycroft? Then Boston would really suck!


What if--JFJ hadn't traded a first round choice for Vesa Toskala? Then the Leafs wouldn't have J.S. Gigiuere

What if--The Leafs hadn't signed Jason Blake. Then Leaf fans definition of lots of money for very few goals would still be Owen Nolan


What if--Kerry Fraser had the cojones to give Gretzky the penalty he deserved? Then the Habs would have been Cupless for 25 years!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Enough with the staged fights and the fights after a clean hit. Fights are important to hockey when they mean something. When you are trying to swing the momentum towards your team. When your star player gets hit in a dirty fashion, not just hit. Not when some sad sack on the opposing team has the gall to throw a bodycheck. Not when the heavyweights from each team are on the ice, neither having scored a goal in 60 games, decide to duke it out at centre ice. Those fights mean nothing and both figuratively and literally leave the league with a black eye.
Along with the stupid fights...

STOP BANGING YOUR STICKS ON THE BOARDS AFTER A FIGHT! It looks like a bunch of juveniles offering encouragement.
No waving to the crowd, no posturing for the TV cameras, no pretending of putting on championship belts. This is not basketball or football where posing and funny face-making have become just as important as the scoring of points. This is hockey. Respect the game and each other.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




For newer Leaf fans, the following is the criteria you need to follow before choosing a team to cheer for during Leafless playoff years.
  1. Do not cheer for a team that has never won the Stanley Cup
  2. Do not cheer for a team that has gone longer than the Leafs without winning the Stanley Cup
  3. Do not cheer for a team that has gone as long as the Maple Leafs without winning the Stanley Cup
  4. Do not cheer for a team that has not won the Stanley Cup since the 70's
  5. Do not cheer for a team that is an intense rival of your Toronto Maple Leafs.
This formula eliminates the following teams and therefore Leaf fans shall not cheer for the following teams in this years playoffs

Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes and the Nashville Predators are all teams who have never won the Cup and fall under Category 1

Chicago Blackhawks have not won the Cup since 1961 and are representative of category 2

Los Angeles Kings entered the NHL in 68, the first year that the Leafs went on their Cupless streak and having never won a Cup also fall under category 3

Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers haven't won a Cup since the early to mid 70's. They fall under category 4

The hated Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are just that. Hated. They easily qualify under category 5.

That leaves Detroit and Colorado in the West and New Jersey, Pittsburgh and the Rangers (if the Blueshirts make it) in the East. Choose wisely, fellow Leafers, choose wisely. Myself, I am pulling for a Detroit/New Jersey final with the Devils winning it for dear Pat Burns

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Captain's Log

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip does start;
The ship has weather’d every season, playoffs apart;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of blue,
Where on the bench my Captain tries,
To bring the winning back to you.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the cheers;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the applause does near;
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the fans a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the bench,
You’ll rise and lead us ahead.

My Captain does not answer, his face a steely mask;
My father does not feel my arm, he only sees his task;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with Stanley won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with gleeful tread,
Skate the ice where my Captain does,
A Cup at last for us.
With sincere apologies to Walt Whitman.

Captains for the Maple Leafs since the most famous year of all (1967 for those of you who haven't heard) have neither won the Cup, nor retired as Captain of the team. A rather sad state all things considered.




George Armstrong #10--The Chief...Captain from 57-69...Gave up the Captaincy to Davey Keon...7 time all-star...Leaf coach during the 88/89 season finishing 5th in the Norris division and out of the playoffs.


Dave Keon #14--Captain from 69-75...Keon bolted from the Leafs to join the WHA's Minnesota Fighting Saints...Ended up with Hartford Whalers and played for them when they were brought into the NHL...Best season was a 38 goal/76 point season in 70/71... Still has ill feelings toward the organization but did return for an appearance in 2007 when MLSE honoured the 1967 team...Received a long standing ovation from the crowd that night


Darryl Sittler #27--Captain from 75-79 and 80-82. Best season was in 77/78 when he scored 117 points, the second time he cracked the 100 point mark with the Leafs...Traded to Philadelphia in 82 for Rich Costello, a second round pick (Peter Ihnachuk) and Ken Strong because of the poor relationship between him and management (read Harold Ballard)...ironically, Ballard had turned down a 1980 offer of Rick McLeish and Andre Dupont for Sittler...Sittler now works as an ambassador for the Maple Leafs


Rick Vaive #22--Captain from 82-86...3 consecutive 50+ goal seasons with the Leafs from 81-84...Played one season with the WHA's Birmingham Bulls and then drafted into the NHL by the Vancouver Canucks...Traded to the Leafs with Bill Derlago for Tiger Williams and Jerry Butler...Traded to Chicago with Steve (Stumpy) Thomas and Big Daddy Bob McGill for Al Secord and Ed Olczyk before the 1987 season


Rob Ramage #8--Captain from 89-91...Arrived in Toronto from Calgary for a second round choice in 1989...Played with Vaive in Birmingham as part of the "Baby Bulls"...Leaf management managed to show their incredible ineptitude by accidentally allowing him to be picked off in the Minnesota North Stars expansion draft in 91...Recently in the news due to a DUI conviction


Wendel Clark #17--Captain from 91-94...Traded to Quebec
in 94 for Mats Sundin among others and rejoined the Leafs two years later in a trade with the Islanders...Best goal scoring season was 93/94 when he scored 46 goals despite playing only 64 games...Best fight season was, well, pick 'em...Left again for the Tampa Bay Lightning but ended with another small tour of duty with the Leafs in the 99/00 season.

Doug Gilmour #93--Captain from 94/97..,Acquired from Calgary along with ahhhh, you know that trade don't you?....Best Leaf season was 92/93 with 127 points...Victim of the most famous "non-call" in Stanley Cup Playoff history...Traded to New Jersey
in 1997 for Alyn McCauley, Steve Sullivan and Jason Smyth...Returned to the Leafs for a sixth round choice from the hated Montreal Canadiens at the 2003 trade deadline so Dougie could finish his career as a Toronto Maple Leaf...he did, however, his career ended much sooner than expected, breaking his leg on his second shift back....Now coaching his hometown Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL

Mats Sundin #13--Captain from 1997-2008...Consistently the Leafs leading scorer throughout his career...Came to the Leafs as a result of a draft day deal featuring Wendel Clark...First overall pick of the Nordiques in 1989...Leaf career leader in just about every offensive category...Became a free agent after refusing to waive his NTC and eventually signed with the Vancouver Canucks.

The next captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Let's look at the candidates presently with their odds of becoming the next captain of the Maple Leafs

  • Dion Phaneuf -- Showing great leadership traits 3-1
  • Luke Schenn -- Fan favourite, can grow into position 9-2
  • Phil Kessel -- Best player not always best captain 12-1
  • Tomas Kaberle -- If he's still here the next year or two 15-1
  • Nikolai Kulemin -- Is Toronto ready for a Russian captain? 20-1
  • Tyler Bozak --Young, good player, too many in front of him. 50-1
For whomever the honour falls to, that player has to realize that it is just that; an honour to be the captain of the team at the centre of the hockey universe. It may be the most sacred honour in all of hockey, if not all of sports. When you are captain of the Leafs you are put on a pedestal, you become an icon. Only precious few ever get the call. Even fewer can do it proud. So, Dion, Luke, Phil, Tomas, or whoever it may be, whenever you are called, do it well. A whole nation will be watching.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Your first look at the 2010/2011 Leafs

Hello Canada and hockey fans in the United States
and Newfoundland. Tonight we bring you your first glimpse of the 2010/2011 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Youthful!!! Exciting!!! Truculent!!! That's right. Y E T. As in...Not quite Yet. But soon, Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages. Very soon.

Mr. Burke has promised us that it is not a 5 year plan. He wants to be better sooner. Well, good luck to him and lets hope he doesn't stray from the path he's on as so many before him have done.


Let's take a look, shall we at our potential Leaf roster for 10/11

Forwards:
Nazem Kadri 20

Luca Caputi 21
Phil Kessel 23
Tyler Bozak 24

Nik Kulemin 24
Christian Hanson 24

Viktor Stalberg 24
John Mitchell 25
Mikahil Grabovski 26
Fredric Sjostrom 27

Colton Orr 28
Jamie Lundmark 29

Defence:
Luke Schenn 21
Carl Gunnarsson 24
Dion Phaneuf 25

Mike Komisarek 28

Francois Beauchemin 30

Tomas Kaberle 32


Goaltending:

J.S Giguere 33
Jonas Gustavsson 26

So that gives us only 3 players at 30 or over. Mr. Burke has certainly brought forth the youth for this team.


Waiting in the wings....
Gerry D'Amigo 19
Phillipe Paradis 19
Jesse Blacker 19
Kenny Ryan 19
Joel Champagne 20
Chris Didomenico 21
Jimmy Hayes 21
Dale Mitchell 21
Keith Aulie 21
Jurac Mikus 22
Tyler Ruegsegger 22


It's getting to be exciting to be a Leaf fan again. But please people, patience. Rome wasn't built in a day. Apparently building a Stanley Cup winner in this city takes even longer. Mr. Burke has a task ahead of him. It's gonna be fun!





Monday, February 8, 2010

Leaf Number of the Day...#3


Hello to all in Leafland. As of right now, Leafland i
s a fantastically fun place to be. The recent blockbusters have seemed to, at least temporarily, righted the Good Ship Maple Leaf as they set course for a proper rebuild of the greatest sports franchise in the known universe. A s a result of the shake-up, I have felt compelled to issue a new number of the day column.

So, kiddies, today's number is 3.
Of course, unless you've been living under Brian McCabe's overcoat, which he no longer needs as he is very comfortable losing in Florida you are aware that the latest Leafer to wear number 3 is Dion Phaneuf.

The number 3 in Leaf history is a lot like the number 8. Not too many incredible pieces of talent have worn it. That, my friends, is about to change.

This rock-em sock-em style of defenceman, has brought even more truculence to the Maple Leaf blueline and has propelled the d-corps of the buds to one of the best units in the NHL. Known more for his hard-hitting style, Phaneuf has been able to rack up some impressive point totals throughout his still young NHL career. 20 goal seasons and 60 point seasons have been reached and with the opportunity to man the point on the power-play for the Leafs, will more than likely soon be surpassed. A former Calder and Norris trophy finalist, he is sure to turn heads and climb back up to the stature of Norris trophy candidate now that he is in the centre of the hockey universe.


Other number 3's of distinction
  • Wade Belak--A fan favourite during his time here, the former first round pick of the Quebec Nordiques (12th overall), Wade was also known for his truculent behaviour. Playing both forward and defense positions, Wade loved to drop the gloves. Perhaps his most famous fight was on the ACC ice against Cam Janssen, then of the New Jersey Devils. In a game earlier in the season, Janssen had knocked Tomas Kaberle into Lala-land with a vicious head shot. No Leaf responded (I believe that Belak hadn't dressed for that game). Early in the next game between the two teams, Belak jumped on the ice when Janssen had just entered the game as well. Sitting in the greens, I could hear Belak call Janssen out. Standing at centre ice, a marathon brawl broke out between the two combatants. Belak outlasted Janssen for the victory, and all was well, once again.
  • Marcel Pronovost--Mostly remembered as a Detroit Red Wing defenceman, Pronovost came to Toronto, in the 65-66 season in a multi-player deal involving Andy Bathgate. He was a vital cog in the 1967 Stanley Cup victory. Retiring in 1970, he later coached the Buffalo Sabres for a season and a half, but fell victim to the housecleaning in Buffalo when his friend Punch Imlach was fired.
  • Bob Neely--Neely was another number 3 who played both forward and defense. Drafted 10th overall by the Leafs, Neely had also been drafted #1 in the WHA Amateur Draft by the Chicago Cougars. Neely played 4 1/2 seasons with the Buds, his best season coming in 76-77 when he potted 17 goals and added 16 assists.
Other number 3's--Al Arbour, Brad Selwood, Jim Benning, Sylvain Cote, Brad Marsh, Bob Manno and Bob Rouse.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Write a letter! Apparently, it works.

Here is an open letter to a certain Mr. Brian Burke that I posted on a Facebook group after the debacle on Saturday night. The group is TML Die Hards. A group where Leaf fans who have something positive to say about their team meet and exchange ideas, opinions, whatever is on their minds. I know the nay-sayers are probably thinking "positive Leaf ideas? Must be a small group." Harrumph, I say to you haters. Bandwagoners, don't bother trying to re-board. This Leafwagon is off-limits to you.

When I posted the letter, I, of course, had no idea what the next 24 hours would bring. Since my letter was obviously the fuel that drove the engine to get the trades done, I will be waiting for my referral cheque, Mr. Burke.

Here then, is the letter that made Mr. Burke do the deed.

Dear Mr. Burke:

I have been a Toronto Maple Leaf fan since I was 5 years old. I am now 52. For 47 years I have lived and died (mostly died) with the Leafs. I have watched players be run out of town, (Mahovlich, Walton, McDonald, Sittler, Murphy) I have watched high draft picks not reach anywhere near their potential (Ernie Moser, Jack Valiquette, Grant Marshall, Luca Cerada), countless times I have seen our first round picks traded away for some quick fix players like Owen Nolan, Tom Kurvers and have watched young talent be traded away for some fruitless playoff run.

I beseech you to build this team with young talent. I understand the Kessel trade, after all, he's only 22, but please, do like the others before you wouldn't do and get rid of the deadwood here. Get rid of the players like Mayers, Exelby (hell, they want out of here anyway). Move the likes of older players like Kaberle, Hagman. Trade away the underachievers like Ponikarovski, Toskala and Blake. If we are going to suck for a couple of years more, let's at least be exciting to watch. Reward the players for good play. Discipline them for bonehead mistakes. Make Toronto the place it once was. A place that free-agents wanted to play.

You have a fan base that is dying for a good product. You have, without a doubt, the most loyal fan base in all of sports. More loyal than Yankee fans, more loyal than Cowboy fans, even more loyal than Man U fans. And definitely more loyal than Hab fans. Reward those fans for their lifetime affection towards your hockey club.

Bring in the best coaching and scouting that money can buy. Show the fans that being a Leaf fan is once again a positive thing.

Mr. Burke, you could own this city just by developing a winner. You could be God-like if you ever developed a Stanley Cup Champ here. Just think how this city, your city, would react to a Maple Leaf Stanley Cup Championship. Just think. Then just do it.

Sincerely,


So you get the idea.

GO LEAFS GO!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Random Idlings

Just some random thoughts.....
  • Isn't it time the NHL took a page from the Canadian Hockey League and made their suspensions worthwhile?. I know that the juniors don't have a players association and that the NHLPA would no doubt fight tooth and nail if players were actually held accountable for their actions with SEVERE suspensions instead of the 3 gamers that Colin Campbell doles out, but come on. Wouldn't a 30 game suspension and no salary for those 30 games send more of a message then the proverbial wrist-slap and tongue-lashing?
  • A major penalty for high-sticking/boarding, etc results in the offending team being shorthanded for the full 5 minutes regardless of how many goals the opposition scores. Why not a 2 minute major for the less-serious high-sticking, head-shot and boarding calls. Keep the two-minute call for the accidental high-stick or "regular" boarding calls but like its 5 minute cousin, the player has to stay in the box for the full two minutes. I imagine the coaches would pretty soon wise up and keep repeat offenders on the straight and narrow.
  • Head shots continue to be a problem. Simple solution. Bring back the old equipment. Elbow pads and shoulder pads do not need hard plastic capping on them. They are weapons more than they are for protection now. Back in the day, if you launched an elbow into another players face the way they do now, you'd dislocate your elbow. Not pretty, but it sure stopped you from being reckless.
  • Jamal Mayers and Garnet Exelby want to be traded from the Leafs. What can you get for 2 guys who have spent more time in the press box and the penalty box than on the ice? Both have been healthy scratches more times than you can count and are on the team only because there is nowhere to put them. If they were sent down, they probably wouldn't clear waivers, but you won't get more than a 5th rounder for either of them. My advice? Get them out of town for anything imaginable before they infect the whole team. The Leafs need players who want to be here, who want to see the franchise succeed in terms of on-ice product. Get rid of the two for a bag of pucks, the rights to Bobby Orr, new padding for the players bench, anything.
  • Will Burke be going after any college players this year? Will he be signing the new Bozak and Hanson out of American College? One player to look at may be Bobby Butler out of University of New Hampshire. 33 points in 23 games so far this season. Undrafted and going on 23 years old, might be another good college signing.

Thursday, January 14, 2010


More memories... Does anyone out there remember...


Bernie Parent's mask being ripped off his head by Vic Hadfield during a bench-clearer in the 71 playoffs.


Forbes Kennedy losing it (and a whole bunch of fights) against the Boston Bruins in the 69 playoffs. The one where Quinn leveled Orr with the famous hit


Paul Harrison, Don Simmons, Rick St. Croix, Curt Ridley. Fred Boimistruck, Jim Benning, Dave Dunn

Shaky, Snowshoes, Suitcase, Swoop, Stash

The Hound Line


Pyramid Power


Winnipeg Jets

Mike Palmateer versus his drapes


The Bird, The Mouse, The Crow, Kitty and Dog


Coaches Brophy, Crozier, Nykoluk, Maloney, Watt, Carpenter and Armstrong

Ballard's Bunker

Mike Foligno's leap

Minnesota North Star logo

The L.A. Kings all-yellow uniforms

The J. P. Bickell Memorial Award

Ken Dryden's street-sweeper pose.

Yolanda

Brian Glennie's horsecollar

Got any of your own? Leave them in the comments section and I'll make sure to put them in the next post of Memories. The guideline is, of course, OLD SCHOOL!

Till next time. GO LEAFS GO...

Sunday, January 10, 2010

#31--Leaf Number OTD


Okay, kiddies, today's number is 31.

In honour of the one and only Curtis Joseph (pictured right, obviously), who is announcing his retirement on Tuesday January 12 at the ACC. Will there be a ceremony? Of course, there will be. There is a ceremony before every Leaf game it seems this year. But this one is warranted. Cujo won the hearts of every Leaf fan a few years after he almost broke their hearts as a member of the St. Louis Blues and taking the Blues to a 7th game in their playoff series against the beloved Leafs. Some say a shot off his mask, which actually removed his mask from his person, from Wendel Clark was the turning point in the series. I don't know. I just knew that he was a marvelous goalie. He spent some time in cold, cold Edmonton before smartening up and signing with the Leafs as a free-agent. Booed unmercifully in his first game back against the Oil, Cujo recorded a shutout. Of course he did. That was the way with Cujo. We could go on about his purported falling out with Coach Pat Quinn and his subsequent departure from the Leafs, searching in vain for a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings, but all the Leaf faithful had forgiven him by the time he returned to the Leafs for one last go-round in the big smoke. Happy Retirement Curtis. You're a part of my all-time Leaf team!

Allan Bester....Bester wore 31 while he toiled with the Buds. Bester spent parts of 8 seasons here in Toronto, appearing in 205 games and recording 7 shutouts. Defence wasn't part of the game back in the eighties. His best season was the 86/87 seasons where he contributed 2 shutouts and compiled a 3.65 gaa. He ended his career as a Solar Bear (???) in Orlando.

Grant Fuhr....The second best goaltender in Leafland to wear #31, Grant Fuhr only played two seasons with the Leafs and on February 3/1993 was moved to Buffalo for Dave Andreychuk, Darren Puppa and the Sabres first round pick. The Leafs had acquired him along with Glenn Anderson and Craig Berube for Vincent Damphousse, Peter Ing, Luke Richardson, Scott Thornton, future consderations and cash.

Other number 31's include...Don Beaupre, the aforementioned Peter Ing, Damien Rhodes, Al Smith, Marv Edwards and Gord McRae...quick question time...What was Gord McRae's nickname?....answer next post.........previous quick question answer....Rich Costello came to Toronto in the Darryl Sittler to Philadelphia trade. Wow.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Leaf Number Of The Day

Welcome to what hopes to be a regular feature at LFATWWTW. We're going to focus on certain sweater numbers and the history of said number through-out the history of the Leafs. Now, as they say on Sesame Street...

"Today's number i
s....8"









Number 8 as in the black hole of talent for Leaf numbers. Pictured here is Ron Ellis. The greatest number 8 ever for the Leafs and he only wore it for a moment in time. Ellis, who also wore #11, was given the treasured #6 by Ace Bailey and wore it for just about all of his career. When Ronny retired, the number was re-retired. Ellis played all his career with the Leafs scoring 332 goals and adding 308 assists. He retired in 75 after a 32 goal season and returned to the Leafs lineup in 77-78 scoring 26.

Jim Dorey, another #8, played defence for a struggling Leaf team from 68/69 until the 71/72 season. His claim to fame, of course, was his debut game. Playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins he set a record, at that time, for incurring 48 penalty minutes in a game. He jumped to the New England Whalers of the WHA in 72/73 and returned to the big smoke in 74 and played two years for the Toronto Toros.

Jack Valiquette, played 3 years with the Leafs scoring only 33 goals in that span. A long cry from his 63 with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound in his last year of junior.


Rob Ramage, captain of the Leafs from 89 to 91 managed to score 18 goals in those 2 years and racked up an astounding 375 penalty minutes. While playing with Colorado, Ramage helped Billy Smith become the first goalie to be recognized as a goal scorer. He was the culprit who shot the puck the length of the rink into his unguarded goal during a delayed penalty. Smith was the last Islander to touch the puck and therefore was credited with the goal. Ramage was recently sentenced to 4 years in prison after being found guilty of impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death in the fatal traffic accident that took the life of his friend and former NHL player Keith Magnuson. His lawyer is appealing the conviction and Ramage remains free on bail.


Currently wearing #8 for your Toronto Maple Leafs--
Mike Komisarek--Big free-agent signing in the summer of 09, started off trying to do too much and ended up doing too little. When healthy, he should be a stabalizing factor on the Leaf defence for a few years to come.

Some more number eights.....Pierre Jarry, , Walt Podubny, Aki Berg, Brit Selby, Greg Hotham, Richard Mulhern and Rich Costello.....quick question...What is Rich Costello's Maple Leaf claim to fame?....Answer...next post.