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 is....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.