Think you know all there is to know about the Toronto Maple Leafs? Let’s find out. We’ve dug into the past to pull out some key moments by some of the great players and coaches in the franchise’s history. Enough already, let’s get to it.
How Well Do You Know the Leafs’ History?
When was the last time the Leafs won the Cup and who did they beat?
On May 2, 1967, the Leafs defeated the Canadiens in six games to hoist the Cup.
What is the only Original Six team the Leafs have not defeated in the Stanley Cup Final?
The Leafs have won 13 Cups. Oddly, all of them were over Original Six teams – The New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens. The only team they have not beat in the Final are the Boston Bruins.
What was Syl Apps’ nickname?
He was nicknamed Slippery Syl because he was impossible to catch.
What Toronto goalie was forced to leave a 1972 playoff game, when New York Ranger tough guy Vic Hadfield threw his mask into the stands during a brawl at Madison Square Garden?
Bernie Parent. He had signed after the season with the Miami Screaming Eagles of the WHA but returned to the NHL (Philadelphia reacquired him) the next year … and the rest is history.
When was the last game played at Maple Leaf Gardens?
The final game was played on Feb. 13, 1999 against the Chicago Blackhawks, the same team that opened the Gardens on November 12, 1931. The Leafs lost both games (6-2 and 2-1 respectively).
How many NHL teams has Wendel Clark played for?
While mostly in Toronto, Clark played for six teams. Leafs (85-94, 95-98), Quebec Nordiques (94-95), New York Islanders (95-96), Tampa Bay Lightning (98-99), Detroit Red Wings (98-99), and Chicago Blackhawks (99-00).
How many team names has the Toronto franchise had?
There were three names: The Arenas (1917-19), The St.Patricks (1919-1926), and The Leafs (from 1927 to present). The Toronto Blueshirts played in the NHA from 1912-1917 and then folded, so it is not the same franchise.
Who scored the last goal at Maple Leaf Gardens?
Chicago enforcer Bob Probert lit the lamp for the last time.
Which Leafs alumnus was conspicuously absent from the commemorative ceremony when they played their last game at Maple Leaf Gardens?
Dave Keon, widely considered one of the best ever Maple Leaf players, was not there. He captained the team from 1969 to 1975 and won four Stanley Cups with the team. By 1975, Keon and Ballard’s relationship had soured, and they could not agree on a new contract. Keon opted to leave for the WHL, where he remained for five years while Ballard repeatedly refused to trade his rights to other NHL teams, including turning down an offer for Keon from the New York Islanders as they were putting together the final pieces of their dynasty. Keon continued to hold a grudge against the Leafs after Ballard’s death, saying in an interview once that “the new ownership was no different than Ballard,” a statement that became somewhat prophetic as time went on.
Why did Darryl Sittler tear the ‘C’ off his sweater in 1980?
It all started the season before, when Harold Ballard hired former Leafs coach Punch Imlach as general manager and immediately fell into conflict with Sittler and many of the other players. Unable to trade Sittler because of a no-trade clause, Imlach instead opted to trade Sittler’s close friend and fan-favorite, Lanny MacDonald to the Colorado Rockies. After renouncing the captaincy, Sittler handed a statement to the media which read that he felt the captain’s job was to be an intermediary between players and management and that he was unable do this as he had no communication with management.
Who did the Maple Leafs defeat in their first game at the ACC in February 1999?
The Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime.
How many Leafs have won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year?
Ten. Syl Apps (1936-37), Gaye Steward (1942-43), Gus Bodnar (1943-44), Frank McCool (1944-45), Howie Meeker (1946-47), Frank Mahovlich (1957-58), Dave Keon (1960-61), Kent Douglas (1962-63), Brit Selby (1965-66) and Auston Matthews (2016-17).
What happened in Game 7 of the 2013 NHL playoffs between the Leafs and Bruins?
The Leafs led the heavily favored Bruins 4-1 with less than 11 minutes remaining before allowing the Bruins to come back to tie the game in the 3rd period and then win in overtime. No team in NHL history had ever blown as big a lead with as little time remaining in a Game 7.
How many Toronto Maple Leafs players, coaches, and or management are in the Hockey Hall of Fame so far?
There are a whopping 76. The most recent inductees include Dave Andreychuck (2017), Eric Lindros, Pat Quinn (2016), Phil Housley (2015) and Pat Burns (2014).
What center is nicknamed ‘The Chief’?
George Armstrong was one of the greatest forwards in the history of the Maple Leafs. He played his entire NHL career (1949-71) with the Maple Leafs, scoring 296 goals. The Chief played on four Stanley Cup champion teams and scored 26 Stanley Cup playoff goals during his NHL career. Armstrong was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.
What was Hall of Fame defenseman Tim Horton’s nickname?
Horton was known as ‘Superman.’ He played a total of 1,446 games, amassing 518 points for the Leafs, Rangers, Penguins and Sabres. Sadly, Horton was killed in a car crash on February 21, 1974 while returning to Buffalo after a game. He was first star of that last game, and was posthumously elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977. And yes, he’s a founder of the Tim Horton’s donut chain.
Which Leafs defenseman incited a near riot in Boston with a thunderous check on Bobby Orr during a 1969 playoff game?
Pat Quinn destroyed Orr, knocking the Bruin superstar out of the game. After the controversial hit, Bruins fans then pelted Quinn with bottles and attacked the Leafs’ bench.
How many times have the Maple Leafs lost in the Stanley Cup Final?
They’ve been runner-up eight times. The last loss was in 1959-60 season.
What Leaf won the Calder Trophy in 1947, the same year Gordie Howe broke in with Detroit?
Howie Meeker scored 27 goals as a rookie. Gee willickers! I’ll be gosh darned!
What color were the seats directly behind the boards in Maple Leaf Gardens in 1998?
The seats were gold. Reds were the second set of seats after the golds and greens after that.
Maple Leaf Gardens was the last of the ‘original six’ arenas in the NHL to be used for NHL games. Oh, and Platinum seats were added in the Air Canada Centre.
Who did the Leafs give up in 1973 for goalie Doug Favell and a first-round draft pick?
The Leafs gave up Bernie Parent in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Parent was originally acquired from the Flyers in a trade in 1971, and had played well for one season with the Leafs before leaving the NHL for the rival WHA. In 1973, Parent wanted to return to the NHL but did not want to play for the Leafs, who owned his rights, and a trade back to the Flyers was arranged.
Parent emerged as the league’s premier goalie with the Flyers, leading them to back-to-back Stanley Cups and winning two Vezina trophies and two Conn Smyth trophies for being the playoff MVP.
Who was the first Leaf to score 100 points in a season?
In 1976, Darryl Sittler recorded an NHL record 10-point game, en route to a 41-goal, 59-assist, 100-point season.
Who has scored the most regular season goals in Leafs’ history?
Mats Sundin, who wore number 13 and was captain for 11 seasons (from 1994 to 2008), tallied 420 regular season goals in 981 games. The next closest is Darryl Sittler with 389 goals.
Who was suspended for the remainder of the 2001 playoffs and the first eight regular season games for elbowing Scott Niedermayer?
Tie Domi called the smash to Scott Niedermayer’s head – payback for a Niedermayer stick to the face in an earlier game – “the dumbest thing I did in my career.”
Who was in goal when the Leafs captured the 1967 Stanley Cup?
Terry Sawchuk won four Stanley Cups in his career, but only one of them with the Leafs. He led the team past the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in the 1967 Final.
Who did the Leafs make captain in 1997 as the first ever European captain of an NHL team?
Mats Sundin and the Leafs made history as he became captain on September 30, 1997.
Who coached the Toronto Maple Leafs to their last four Stanley Cup Championships?
George ‘Punch’ Imlach, who played from 1941-49, led the Leafs to glory as head coach in the 1960s.
Which Leaf defenceman led the NHL in penalty minutes in an incredible eight years in succession?
The Maple Leafs’ Red Horner led the league in penalty minutes from 1932-1940. More recently, Colton Orr led the league in 2011-12. Dave Williams led the league in 1976-77 and 1978-79.
How many times have the Leafs had the first overall draft pick (since the inception of the Entry Draft in 1963)? Who did they pick?
The Leafs had the first overall selection twice. In 1985, they chose Wendel Clark from the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and most recently, in 2016, they chose Auston Matthews out of the Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions (ZSC Lions) in Switzerland
Who was the last member of the Leafs to win the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL’s most gentlemanly player?
Alexander Mogilny won the award in 2002-03. The winger scored 33 goals and added 46 assists for 79 points. He had 12 penalty minutes.
What trophy, named for a former owner of the Maple Leafs, is awarded each year to the player judged to be most valuable to his team during the Stanley Cup playoffs?
The Conn Smythe Trophy.
Which Hall of Fame player requested that his number be taken out of retirement so that another player could wear it?
Irvine ‘Ace’ Bailey’s number 6 was the first jersey retired by any NHL team and one of only two ever retired by the Leafs. Prior to the start of the 1968-69 season, Ron Ellis asked Bailey to wear his old number. After Ellis left hockey, the number was retired for a second time.
Which team did the Leafs beat for their last Stanley Cup in 1967?
The Leafs defeated the Canadiens in six games.
Who is the only man to have been captain, coach and GM of the Leafs?
Clarence Henry ‘Happy’ or ‘Hap’ Day played 14 seasons for the Leafs and New York Americans. He enjoyed a 33-year career as a player, referee, coach and assistant general manager, 28 of which were spent in various capacities with the Maple Leafs. His name appears on the Stanley Cup 7 times—1932 (as Captain), 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949 (as coach) and 1951 (as assistant manager); all with the Maple Leafs. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961
Who has the highest career plus rating (plus-155) in team history since plus-minus was first kept in 1967-68?
Despite two bad years from 1983-85 (minus-60), Borje Salming was still a plus-155 with the Leafs.
When the last time the Leafs hosted the All-Star game?
The Air Canada Centre was the site of the 2000 All-Star game. The World team beat the North American team, 9-4.
Of all the Leafs goaltenders who won the Vezina, which one did it with the lowest goals against average?
In 1950-51, Al Rollins went 27-5-8 with a 1.77 GAA.
Which team did the Leafs combine with to score 20 goals in one game in 1986?
Edmonton. Who else? Miroslav Frycer scored four goals and Russ Courtnall and Steve Thomas each had two as the Leafs won 11-9. Andy Moog allowed five goals and was replaced by Grant Fuhr who let in the rest. Tim Bernhardt played the entire game for the Leafs. Some guy by the name Gretzky had a hat trick for the Oilers. Kurri had five assists.
What year did the Leafs set a team record for points with 105?
In 2003-04, the Leafs went 45 wins, 24 losses, 10 ties and 3 overtime losses. It was a .628 points percentage. That year they lost in the Conference Semifinals. The Leafs highest points percentage (.679) came in the 1950-51 season, when they went 41-16-13 and went on to win the Stanley Cup.
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In 2017-18, they bested that with an impressive 105-point performance. With Mike Babcock behind the bench, they went 49-26-7. In the postseason, they lost in the first round to the Boston Bruins in seven games. The Leafs were ahead by a score of 4-3 after two periods of Game 7, but allowed four straight goals to fall, 7-4.
Who succeeded Foster Hewitt as the voice of the Leafs?
Foster Hewitt, who became famous for the phrase “He shoots, he scores!” and broadcast Hockey Night in Canada for decades, handed the reigns over to his son, Bill Hewitt in 1958.
What was goalie Johnny Bower’s nickname?
Bower’s earned the nickname: ‘The China Wall’ as he had the most wins in Leaf history from 1958-1970. He played 15 seasons for the Rangers and Leafs, compiling a record of 250-195-90 and 37 career shutouts. He had a 2.49 career GAA with the Leafs.
What Leaf scored six goals in a single game? Against what team and what goalie?
Darryl Sittler torched Bruins’ goalie Dave Reece for six goals in 1976. Sittler also had four assists, for a ten-point game. The final score was 11-4.
“To see the number of players who’ve gone through the League, guys line Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, even today’s players like Sidney Crosby — I still hold the record. … I’m proud to hold the record. I hope it lasts a lot longer.” –Darryl Sittler on his record, which still stands to this day
What year did the Leafs make the playoffs despite having the second worst record in the league?
The 1987-88 Maple Leafs finished in fourth place in the Norris Division with a record of 21 wins, 49 losses, and 10 ties for 52 points. It was the second-worst record in the league, yet they qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their .325 winning percentage is the third-worst in franchise history and one of the lowest ever for a playoff qualifier. The Leafs lost to the Red Wings, the only team in the Norris Division with a winning record, in six games in the Division Semifinals.
Can you name all five 20+ goal scorers from the 2008-09 season?
Jason Blake (25), Alexei Ponikarovsky (23), Niklas Hagman (22), Nik Antropov (21) and Mikhail Grabovski (20).
What is the Leafs’ longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances?
The Leafs made the playoffs for 15 straight seasons, from 1930-31 to 1944-45. It’s the tenth longest postseason streak in league history. The Bruins have the record with 29 straight seasons.
Can you name all eight different coaches the Leafs had in the 1980s?
It was a rough decade for the franchise. The revolving door of coaches includes: Dick Duff, Punch Imlach, Joe Crozier, Mike Nykoluk, Dan Maloney, John Brophy, George Armstrong, Dough Carpenter.
In which year did the Leafs come back from a 3-0 game deficit to win a Stanley Cup?
In 1942, the Leafs stormed back to defeat the Red Wings four games to three. The Leafs won by scores of 4-3, 9-3, 3-0 and 3-1.
What defenseman holds the record for scoring five goals in a single game?
In 1977, Ian Turnbull set an NHL record for defensemen by scoring five goals in a 9-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Maple Leaf Gardens.
So, How’d You Do?
Did you get a few right? Did you know more than you thought? Regardless, we hope you had some fun and learned a few things along the way.
This is just one installment of Original Six trivia. Be sure to check out the Rangers, Canadiens, Blackhawks, Bruins and Red Wings versions as well.
