Ex-Leaf defenseman Jim Morrison's amazing journey: 10 years in between NHL gigs

In the early days/years of expansion (post-1967) I watched a lot of guys play NHL hockey who were good players, but would never have made i...

When Bobby Orr (supposedly) scored twice on his own net against the Maple Leafs

It was, I believe, during the 1968-'69 (maybe ’69-’70, I’m just not sure) season that I recall the Bruins making one of their fairly “r...

Former Leaf farmhand Bob Perreault: opening night shutout in 1962-’63 against the Habs still stands out

One of the things I seem to enjoy is writing about some of the individuals and characters who have played goal for the Maple Leafs in my li...

Where are those Maple Leaf nicknames? When classic nicknames added color to the game

I admit I have a penchant for thinking a lot (too much, maybe) about hockey’s old days. But hey, at my time in life, I guess that’s OK. T...

As we wait for the Kaberle move, Vintage Leaf remembers the big Plante-Worsley trade of the summer of ’63

It’s summertime and while hockey is a twelve month of the year business, there is not much for most fans to get excited about these days....

Last night’s 6-5 game a bit like the 1973 finals, Game 5- when Chicago beat Montreal 8-7

I can’t honestly say I was expecting the score we saw in Game 1 last night, but both teams came out rested and maybe we shouldn’t be surpr...

Before Bobby Orr there was Doug Harvey—also the NHL’s first modern-day “player-coach”

I’ve posted many times in this space about Bobby Orr, who, it’s fair to say, revolutionized the way defensemen (at least some) felt they we...

Maple Leaf (and Red Wing) great Red Kelly’s last rush in Game 6 of the ’67 Cup final

When Punch Imlach was building the Leafs into a legitimate Cup contender in the late 1950s, he believed they were one big centerman away fr...

HOF’er Bobby Pulford: Four Cups in Toronto as the best third-line center in hockey in the 1960s

Yesterday, I wrote about long-time Red Wing forward Kris Draper. Though the Wings were eliminated by the surging San Jose Sharks on the wee...

The man they called “Snowshoes”: remembering Allan Stanley and his standout Maple Leaf career

Allan Stanley was widely considered to be slow afoot—on skates. I have vivid memories of watching Stanley in his Leaf years, which began...

Jim Pappin: '67 Leaf Cup Hero—also remembered for the one that got away

Jim Pappin was a fine all-around player with several NHL teams throughout his career. A respected NHL’er, he scored almost 300 regular-se...

1971 Bruins-Habs playoff classic: The Montreal mystique made the Bruins chronic under-achievers

Granted, it was still in the early years of expansion, but the 1970-’71 Boston Bruins shattered all kinds of all-time, long-standing NHL g...

The Leafs and Rangers in the spring of ’62 : What a playoff series

When the playoffs began in the late winter of 1962, the Leafs were due for something big.  They hadn’t won a championship since 1951, and ...