67: The Maple Leafs, Their Sensational Victory, and the End of an Empire
Encyclopedia
67: The Maple Leafs, Their Sensational Victory, and the End of an Empire is a book
about the Toronto Maple Leafs
' last Stanley Cup
victory in 1967, written by Toronto Star
journalist
Damien Cox
and former Leaf general manager Gord Stellick
. The book, which was published in 2004 and issued in a softcover edition in 2007, has been called "the best" of the books about the Maple Leafs team of 1966-67
.
. The chapters focus on the players frustrations with Punch Imlach
, the Maple Leafs going for the "quick fix" by sacrificing youth, which would be truly felt with the formation of the World Hockey Association, and the struggles that endured within Conn Smythe
’s family and Harold Ballard
’s ambition to make Maple Leaf Gardens more profitable.
and Terry Sawchuk
, would be dead and Harold Ballard would be in jail. The fact that a lurid pedophile scandal was beginning at Maple Leaf Gardens
is also featured in the book.
. Other examples of future NHL legends that the Leafs passed on in the 1960s include the failure to draft Ken Dryden
, a junior teammate of Conn Smythe's grandson, Tommy, in the 1964 NHL Draft.
The tone of the early chapters is that the Maple Leafs could have had a very talented team into the 1970s but Imlach's arrogance was a key contributor to the demise of the franchise. Another aspect that is discussed in the early chapters is the 1964 trade for Andy Bathgate
with the New York Rangers
. Imlach would give up Dick Duff
, 28 years old, Bob Nevin
, 26, Bill Collins
, 20, and two prospects raised in Southern Ontario, Rod Seiling
, 19, and Arnie Brown, 22, in exchange for Andy Bathgate, 31, and Don McKenney, 29. Although Bathgate helped the Maple Leafs win the 1964 Stanley Cup, players such as Dave Keon
acknowledged that Leafs management was going for the "quick fix". Bathgate, seen by Leafs management as the next Gordie Howe, would be shipped to the Detroit Red Wings
in 1965.
The book also explores how the Maple Leafs not only lost an opportunity to obtain Ken Dryden, but that the Maple Leafs actually had Gerry Cheevers
in their system and lost him. Once the Maple Leafs obtained Terry Sawchuk
in the inter-league draft of 1964, the Maple Leafs had a dilemma in 1965. With Johnny Bower, Sawchuk, and Cheevers in their system, one goalie had to be left unprotected. The Leafs kept the 24-year old Cheevers unprotected while they protected the 40-year old Bower and the 35-year old Sawchuk.
, Al Smith, and Gary Smith. As Bower struggled with injuries, Al Smith actually sat on the bench for two of the last three Stanley Cup games. For many inside the organization, the controversy was that Smith was on the bench, and not a proven player like Gamble. The concern was that if Sawchuk was injured, having Smith instead of Gamble would be a huge risk. The source of the controversy was that Bruce Gamble was competing for the Rochester Americans
. Imlach was a part owner of the Americans, and was anxious to protect Rochester's roster at playoff time, as a means of protecting his investment.
. It was quickly realized that any attempt to create a union would be easier to achieve with Leafs players as his base of power.
Eagleson would form the Blue and White Group, a group of friends he had known from the Maple Leafs, including Carl Brewer
, Bobby Baun
, Bob Pulford
, and Billy Harris, along with a car dealer, a jeweller, and three other lawyers. Eagleson's motive was to educate these players about investments, and use their funds more intelligently. Pulford, Brewer and Harris would earn university degrees after their playing degrees.
The Leafs' acquisition of Andy Bathgate would prove advantageous to Eagleson. A friendship was forged into Toronto which would follow Bathgate to Detroit, where Eagleson would start to talk to Red Wings players about the concept of a union. The book discusses how Eagleson was responsible for three of the most influential hockey events of 1967. The first event would be the insistence that Eagleson would negotiate Bobby Orr's first pro contract with the Boston Bruins
. This would lead to the beginnings of "agents" in hockey. Secondly, Carl Brewer fought to have his amateur status reinstated. Lastly, Eagleson would be involved in representing the Springfield Indians
during their negotiations with owner Eddie Shore
over players rights.
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
about the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
' last Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
victory in 1967, written by Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Damien Cox
Damien Cox
Damien Cox is a sports columnist for the Toronto Star. He has covered the NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs as a reporter and columnist for over 22 years, as well as the 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics, and many other international hockey events...
and former Leaf general manager Gord Stellick
Gord Stellick
Gord Stellick is a Canadian sports broadcaster and former NHL executive. Stellick formerly hosted The Fan 590 Morning Show with Don Landry, and also appears on Hockey Central on Rogers Sportsnet...
. The book, which was published in 2004 and issued in a softcover edition in 2007, has been called "the best" of the books about the Maple Leafs team of 1966-67
1966–67 Toronto Maple Leafs season
The 1966–67 Toronto Maple Leafs season was the fiftieth season of the Toronto NHL franchise, fortieth as the Maple Leafs. The Leafs finished third in the NHL with a record of 32-27-11 for 75 points to qualify for the playoffs...
.
Plot summary
The structure of the book is composed of one chapter discussing a Maple Leafs playoff game from 1967 while the other chapter discusses the behind the scenes details at Maple Leaf GardensMaple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
. The chapters focus on the players frustrations with Punch Imlach
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach , was an NHL coach and general manager. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Early career:...
, the Maple Leafs going for the "quick fix" by sacrificing youth, which would be truly felt with the formation of the World Hockey Association, and the struggles that endured within Conn Smythe
Conn Smythe
Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe MC was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens...
’s family and Harold Ballard
Harold Ballard
Harold E. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League as well as their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. A member of the Leafs organization from 1940 and a senior executive from 1957, he became part-owner of the team in 1961 and was majority owner from February...
’s ambition to make Maple Leaf Gardens more profitable.
Key aspects
Various chapters are dedicated to different players who made contributions to the Maple Leafs triumph. These would include Johnny Bower, Frank Mahovlich, Allan Stanley, Jim Pappin, and Dave Keon. An effort is made to discuss the tragic events that would unfold in the years after the Stanley Cup victory. Within five years of 1967, two members of that team, Tim HortonTim Horton
Myles Gilbert "Tim" Horton was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in 24 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. He was also a businessman and a co-founder of Tim Hortons. He died in an...
and Terry Sawchuk
Terry Sawchuk
Terrance Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Early life and playing career:Sawchuk was born and raised...
, would be dead and Harold Ballard would be in jail. The fact that a lurid pedophile scandal was beginning at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
is also featured in the book.
Losing the edge
The book also discusses how the Maple Leafs empire was beginning to crumble as early as 1960. The first element that readers are exposed to is how Punch Imlach ignored minor hockey organizer Anthony Gilchrist's overtures to consider signing Bobby OrrBobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
. Other examples of future NHL legends that the Leafs passed on in the 1960s include the failure to draft Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
, a junior teammate of Conn Smythe's grandson, Tommy, in the 1964 NHL Draft.
The tone of the early chapters is that the Maple Leafs could have had a very talented team into the 1970s but Imlach's arrogance was a key contributor to the demise of the franchise. Another aspect that is discussed in the early chapters is the 1964 trade for Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. Imlach would give up Dick Duff
Dick Duff
Terrence Richard "Dick" Duff was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 18 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League . He also served as head coach of the Leafs for part of the...
, 28 years old, Bob Nevin
Bob Nevin
Robert Frank Nevin is a former professional ice hockey right wing who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1957–58 and 1975–76.-Career:...
, 26, Bill Collins
Bill Collins (hockey)
William Earl Collins is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals.-External links:...
, 20, and two prospects raised in Southern Ontario, Rod Seiling
Rod Seiling
Rodney Albert Seiling is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1962, Seiling played only one game with the Leafs and spent most of his time in the minors. The next year he would participate with the Canadian hockey team that played in the 1964 Winter...
, 19, and Arnie Brown, 22, in exchange for Andy Bathgate, 31, and Don McKenney, 29. Although Bathgate helped the Maple Leafs win the 1964 Stanley Cup, players such as Dave Keon
Dave Keon
David Michael Keon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He played professionally from 1960–61 to 1981–82, including 15 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986....
acknowledged that Leafs management was going for the "quick fix". Bathgate, seen by Leafs management as the next Gordie Howe, would be shipped to the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in 1965.
The book also explores how the Maple Leafs not only lost an opportunity to obtain Ken Dryden, but that the Maple Leafs actually had Gerry Cheevers
Gerry Cheevers
Gerald Michael "Cheesey" Cheevers is a former goaltender in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association between 1961 and 1980, most famous for his two stints with the Boston Bruins, where he backstopped the team to Stanley Cup wins in 1970 and 1972...
in their system and lost him. Once the Maple Leafs obtained Terry Sawchuk
Terry Sawchuk
Terrance Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Early life and playing career:Sawchuk was born and raised...
in the inter-league draft of 1964, the Maple Leafs had a dilemma in 1965. With Johnny Bower, Sawchuk, and Cheevers in their system, one goalie had to be left unprotected. The Leafs kept the 24-year old Cheevers unprotected while they protected the 40-year old Bower and the 35-year old Sawchuk.
Five to a crease
In 1966–67, the Maple Leafs had five goaltenders suit up during the regular season. Besides Bower and Sawchuk, the Maple Leafs employed Bruce GambleBruce Gamble
Bruce George Gamble was a professional ice hockey goaltender who played 10 seasons in the NHL between 1962 and 1972, with some years in the minor leagues in between...
, Al Smith, and Gary Smith. As Bower struggled with injuries, Al Smith actually sat on the bench for two of the last three Stanley Cup games. For many inside the organization, the controversy was that Smith was on the bench, and not a proven player like Gamble. The concern was that if Sawchuk was injured, having Smith instead of Gamble would be a huge risk. The source of the controversy was that Bruce Gamble was competing for the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
. Imlach was a part owner of the Americans, and was anxious to protect Rochester's roster at playoff time, as a means of protecting his investment.
The union
One of the elements that is widely recognized throughout the book is the power and influence that the Maple Leafs wielded throughout the league. This would be one of the key motivators for an unlikely subject of the book, Alan EaglesonAlan Eagleson
Robert Alan Eagleson is a disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted felon in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter...
. It was quickly realized that any attempt to create a union would be easier to achieve with Leafs players as his base of power.
Eagleson would form the Blue and White Group, a group of friends he had known from the Maple Leafs, including Carl Brewer
Carl Brewer
Carl Thomas Brewer was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He had attended De La Salle College prior to his hockey career....
, Bobby Baun
Bobby Baun
Robert Neil "Bob, Boomer" Baun is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for 17 seasons from 1956–57 to 1972–73.-Playing career:...
, Bob Pulford
Bob Pulford
Robert Jesse Pulford is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League...
, and Billy Harris, along with a car dealer, a jeweller, and three other lawyers. Eagleson's motive was to educate these players about investments, and use their funds more intelligently. Pulford, Brewer and Harris would earn university degrees after their playing degrees.
The Leafs' acquisition of Andy Bathgate would prove advantageous to Eagleson. A friendship was forged into Toronto which would follow Bathgate to Detroit, where Eagleson would start to talk to Red Wings players about the concept of a union. The book discusses how Eagleson was responsible for three of the most influential hockey events of 1967. The first event would be the insistence that Eagleson would negotiate Bobby Orr's first pro contract with the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. This would lead to the beginnings of "agents" in hockey. Secondly, Carl Brewer fought to have his amateur status reinstated. Lastly, Eagleson would be involved in representing the Springfield Indians
Springfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with...
during their negotiations with owner Eddie Shore
Eddie Shore
Edward William Shore was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, iconic for his toughness and defensive skill.Shore won the Hart Trophy as the...
over players rights.
Contents
| Chapter | Title | Page # |
|---|---|---|
| None | Acknowledgements | ix |
| None | Prologue | 1 |
| Game One | Maple Leafs at Blackhawks | 5 |
| 1 | Losing the Edge | 11 |
| Game Two | Maple Leafs at Blackhawks | 39 |
| 2 | The Tribe | 45 |
| Game Three | Blackhawks at Maple Leafs | 61 |
| 3 | Five to a Crease | 65 |
| Game Four | Blackhawks at Maple Leafs | 93 |
| 4 | Turnaround | 97 |
| Game Five | Maple Leafs at Blackhawks | 119 |
| Game Six | Blackhawks at Maple Leafs | 135 |
| 5 | The Union | 141 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game One | Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 171 |
| 6 | Owning the Empire | 177 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game Two | Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 203 |
| 7 | The Artists | 207 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game Three | Canadiens at Maple Leafs | 227 |
| 8 | The Family Way | 235 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game Four | Canadiens at Maple Leafs | 253 |
| 9 | The Unsung Heroes | 257 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game Five | Maple Leafs at Canadiens | 275 |
| Stanley Cup Final, Game Six | Canadiens at Maple Leafs | 287 |
| 10 | The Dismantling | 297 |
| None | Index | 311 |
See also
- National Hockey League rivalriesNational Hockey League rivalriesRivalries in the National Hockey League have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen for many different reasons, the primary ones including geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, on-ice incidents , and cultural, linguistic, or national pride.The importance of...
- List of the most frequent NHL playoff series
- List of Stanley Cup champions
- List of NHL seasons
- List of NHL players
- List of ice hockey teams in Ontario
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