'67 Leafs: One for the ages - Updated with pics!

Gerritt · February 17, 2007

By LANCE HORNBY, SUN MEDIA

TORONTO -- It's been 40 years of heartache for Toronto Maple Leaf fans.

Waiting and waiting for another Stanley Cup.

Living off 1967, the last of a string of glory years for the Leafs.

At least 16 players from that Stanley Cup championship team have confirmed that they'll take part in ceremonies preceding the Edmonton-Toronto game Saturday at the Air Canada Centre, and most plan to attend a dinner March 22 to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The late Punch Imlach, never one to hand out many plaudits, had this summation of the '67 Leafs: ''They may not have been the best players, (but) they never quit, never let me beat them and they sure as hell weren't going to let the other team win.''

That character remains evident in the 40 years since their Cup triumph.

Here's a look at what the players who dressed for the Leafs in the '67 playoffs did then and what has become of them today:

GOALTENDERS

JOHNNY BOWER

- Then: After a mediocre regular season, he returned to form in the playoffs before getting hurt in the best-of-seven final against Montreal, won 4-2 by the Leafs.

- Post '67: Played until 1969-70. Became a Leafs' scout, ran a goaltending school, did TV commercials, co-authored The China Wall with Bob Duff.

TERRY SAWCHUK

- Then: Had a record of 15-5-4 in 1966-67, a 2.65 GAA in the playoffs, allowed just two goals in Games 5 and 6 vs. Montreal.

- Post '67: Claimed by Los Angeles in the expansion draft. In 1970, after play-fighting with teammate Ron Stewart, he developed gall bladder problems and died of complications.

DEFENCE

BOB BAUN

- Then: Though Baun won four Stanley Cups with the Leafs, he saw less duty when Toronto switched to a four-man defence in the '67 playoffs.

- Post '67: Bounced around the NHL after expansion, but returned to the Leafs between 1970-73. Operated several Tim Hortons franchises in the GTA. Now writing books.

TIM HORTON

- Then: A physically dominant defenceman of his day.

- Post '67: Played more games on defence (1,185) than any Leaf except Borje Salming. Opened a donut chain that's now a Canadian staple. Died at 44 in 1974 in a car accident.

ALLAN STANLEY

- Then: Teamed effectively with Horton as his stay-at-home partner.

- Post '67: Retired in 1969. Owned a hockey school and golf resort near Fenelon Falls. Retired to Florida.

LARRY HILLMAN

- Then: Hillman and Marcel Pronovost were the most effective at shutting down the opposition in the playoffs.

- Post '67: Played for eight NHL teams and in the WHA before retiring in the mid-1970s. Coached the WHA's Winnipeg Jets, operated a hunting/fishing lodge in Kirkland Lake, just moved to St. Catharines.

MARCEL PRONOVOST

- Then: Angry when the Canadiens boasted of putting the Cup in the Quebec Pavillion at Expo '67, he was determined it would go on display in the Ontario building.

- Post '67: Played until his early 40s in the minors and then entered the coaching and scouting ranks. He has his name on the Cup from 1950 with Detroit and 2003 with the Devils, the longest gap in the history of the trophy.

AUT ERICKSON

- Then: One game in the playoffs put the Lethbridge native on the Cup.

- Post '67: Ended career in 1970 with the Oakland Seals, coached the minor-league Phoenix Roadrunners. Lives in Phoenix, retired after working for America West Airlines.

FORWARDS

RW JIM PAPPIN

- Then: Second-line winger had the last Cup-winning goal in team history and is the last Leaf to lead the playoffs in scoring.

- Post '67: Traded to Chicago, he was a valued member of the Blackhawks and then ended his career with California and Cleveland. Scouted for Chicago and Edmonton, worked for Club Car, a golf cart company.

C PETER STEMKOWSKI

- Then: Centered the line that shut down the faster Canadiens.

- Post '67: Traded in the Frank Mahovlich blockbuster to Detroit in 1968. Recently ended a long career as a colour analyst with NHL teams such as the Islanders and Sharks.

LW BOB PULFORD

- Then: Team's alternate captain scored a double-overtime goal in Game 5.

- Post '67: Coached L.A. and Blackhawks, experiencing playoff losses to the Leafs in 1975 and '86, respectively. Now a Hawks' senior VP.

LW FRANK MAHOVLICH

- Then: It was perhaps Mahovlich's worst year with the Leafs, just 18 goals and an ongoing feud with Imlach, but he rebounded in the playoffs.

- Post '67: Traded to Detroit with Stemkowski, Garry Unger and the rights to Carl Brewer for Norm Ullman, Paul Henderson and Floyd Smith. Won two Cups with Montreal and played with the WHA's Toronto Toros, ran a travel agency and has served in the senate as a Liberal since 1998.

C DAVE KEON

- Then: A force at both ends of the ice, Keon could skate, be a playmaker, check and kill penalties. He was rewarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

- Post '67: He endured Harold Ballard and the gradual decline in club fortunes until a full divorce drove him to the WHA in 1975. Moved to Florida, took up real estate.

C MIKE WALTON

- Then: ''Shakey'' didn't even have 40 games of NHL experience when Imlach gave him a full-time playoff role.

- Post '67: Dealt to Boston where he became one of the few '67 Leafs to win another Cup. Retired in 1979, has worked in real estate in Toronto.

LW BRIAN CONACHER

- Then: Replaced the injured Larry Jeffrey on a line with Red Kelly and Ron Ellis.

- Post '67: Ended playing career with Detroit and the national team. Did broadcast analysis for the first Canada-Russia series, managed Copps Coliseum and the Gardens, now working on books about the '72 series and the Gardens in the 1990s.

C RED KELLY

- Then: Underrated two-way player had a big role in '67 in the regular season and playoffs. Game 6 against Montreal was his 1,480th and last in the NHL.

- Post '67: Coached the Kings and Penguins, but most notably the Leafs from 1973-77. Retired from the aerospace industry and is recovering from abdominal surgery.

RW GEORGE ARMSTRONG

- Then: Scored the empty-net clinching goal vs. the Habs, but played in only nine of the 12 playoff games.

- Post '67: Stayed with the Leafs until 1971, setting club record with 1,187 games. Won two Memorial Cups coaching the Marlies. Became a scout with Quebec, still works for Toronto, coached the Leafs briefly in 1988-89.

RW RON ELLIS

- Then: Young winger rarely went out of position. Led the team in regular-season scoring with 22 goals.

- Post '67: Remained in Toronto until 1979, one of just five to play in more than 1,000 games as a Leaf. After working in insurance and sporting goods, has been with the Hockey Hall Of Fame since the early 1990s.

LW LARRY JEFFREY

- Then: After fighting injuries his whole career, he was hurt in Chicago semi-final.

- Post '67: Retired with the Rangers in 1969. Has worked in scouting, t-shirt promotion and tugboat operations. He currently owns standardbred horses in Goderich.

RW EDDIE SHACK

- Then: ''The Entertainer'' was an extra foward, but lightened the dressing-room atmosphere as a foil to heavy-handed Imlach.

- Post '67: Dumped by Imlach after the Cup, he drifted through four teams, but returned for two Leaf seasons. Pushing everything from Christmas trees to soda pop.

C MILAN MARCETTA

- Then: A 30-year-old minor leaguer who got the chance of a lifetime, a few shifts in the playoffs.

- Post '67: Soon went back into obscurity. Ran a hockey school in Anchorage, Alaska, worked in building maintenance. Slowed by a bout with emphysema.

GM/COACH

GEORGE 'PUNCH' IMLACH

- Then: Briefly went to the hospital with suspected heart problems during the regular season, but regained his touch in the playoffs.

- Post '67: Fired in 1969, he built the expansion Buffalo Sabres, then returned briefly as Leafs GM in 1979-81. He died in 1987.

Enjoy the game tonight boys! it should be a doozie!

Gerritt.

Here are some random shots from the game... Enjoy!

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Gerritt.

Edited February 18, 2007 by Gerritt

lew · February 17, 2007

Thanks Gerritt, some interesting stuff there and those names bring back a lot of fond memories.

I haven't watched a professional game in 40 years and that was the last NHL team I ever saw play hockey.

carp-starter · February 17, 2007

Thanks Gerritt. I am very close to what lew has done - almost.

Since the 1967 year I also have not watched a pro hockey game except for one Leafs playoff game in the spring of 1994. We had just bought a brand new express cruiser (27' 10") and were docked at Starport Landing - in 1994 it was called Crate's Marina.

I got the key to the huge rec room and watch the game. Cannot remember who had won. That one game was enough. It was freezing cold in that room. The next night we went out to Orillia and spend over $500.00 for an AC/DC, 9 inch TV that also had a VCR. But I could not pick up a Leafs game. Neither could I pick up the Leafs on the radio.

The next night we again went back to Orillia to rent some tapes. I had to become a member before I could rent a tape. The good thing was that the first tape was free. "Ah, this is good" I said. It was good because I never went back to rent a tape. Always brought tapes from home.

It was interesting to see the 1967 players listed. There were 3 players that I could not recognize. Today, I would not recognize any Leafs players except for one - whatever his name is - the one who has never been capable to take the Leafs over the top to win the Stanley Cup.

I guess we will have to wait another 40 years.

carp-starter

Carp · February 17, 2007

Thanks for the reminder Gerritt.

I'll be watching for sure.

I still remember having Dave Keon's hockey card in my collection when I was very young.

It should be an emotional time for both fans and players alike, especially those who were around for the last cup victory.

I don't think this ceremony would be the same without Keon.

Nice to have him back in Toronto. Maybe he'll bring some magic here for the current team.

walleyejigger · February 17, 2007

wow some big names there,

ur mother told u to quit horsing around for a reason...... that's why play fighting is somewhat of an oxymoron

TERRY SAWCHUK

- Then: Had a record of 15-5-4 in 1966-67, a 2.65 GAA in the playoffs, allowed just two goals in Games 5 and 6 vs. Montreal.

- Post '67: Claimed by Los Angeles in the expansion draft. In 1970, after play-fighting with teammate Ron Stewart, he developed gall bladder problems and died of complications.

DanTheMan · February 17, 2007

lew · February 17, 2007

Hey Dan, I was wondering when you'd jump in on this :lol: :lol:

DanTheMan · February 17, 2007

Hey Dan, I was wondering when you'd jump in on this

Hahahaha

You know me to well Lew :lol:

jil101ca · February 17, 2007

Weds while at work there was a sudden bustle in the store ( I work at Timmies). the hockey buffs were all excited because Johnny Bower just walked in. I'm not a hockey fan but got Johnny to sign a player's card for mark's grandpa who is a big hockey buff.His son lives somewhere in the area and he was her to visit. Cool eh?

urbanangler1990 · February 17, 2007

too bad i wasnt around when they went all the way, maybe in my generation, soooooon...

bpsbassman · February 18, 2007

Thanks for the summary Gerritt. I just got in the door to see Bower, Keon and Armstrong come out. Actually I thought that there would have been a longer ovation. But then again a lot of people don't remember the glory days (I was 17) and also probably all the Executives in the lower bowl probably hadn't shown up yet.

The price you pay for having a "Corporate" team where the regular fan can't afford to go.

bucktail · February 18, 2007

Ok Ill sound like the bad guy.....why are they celebrating the fact they have sucked for 40 years?

It's kinda like me celebrating my daughter graduating high school at the age of 39.

Nice to honour the older players but they have been doing it for 40 years, what's the point.

40 years of first round draft picks .. no Gretzky, Messier, Yzerman,Lemiuex,Sakic....etc. I used to say "even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while" But apparantly thats not the case.

Thats my rant.. BPSBASSMAN is right on the money...the price you pay for a corporate team. Best thing that would happen is that no one would go!

xrap · February 18, 2007

4-3 tonight, we passed these stinkin habs

danbo · February 18, 2007

The "Big M" was my childhood hero..

Back in the 80's I worked for North York Works Dept..how ironic, that I was his Garbageman! Lol.

"Clear the track, here comes Shack! He knocks 'em down & he gives 'em a whack!"

GO LEAFS GO!!!!

leafs website link

Edited February 18, 2007 by danbo

danbo · February 18, 2007

http://www.mapleleafs.com/fanzone/wallpaper.html

Gerritt · February 18, 2007

Well Guys n Gals,

We had a fantastic time!!! first we hit the fishing show... i picked up a few small items and disposed of a couple as well....Moe I hope they keep your tootsies warm!! then I headed to the sister in laws for a beverage....UGHHHH...

Then off to the ACC :thumbsup_anim: while I have been to a ton of games the resident liability has never been to one... so this was a BIG deal... it was nice to see the boy play a decent hockey game tonight... I took a crap load of pics too... I will post em sometime tomorrow if anyone is interested...

It was also nice to see all the Ol' timers be recognized for their contributions and for the cup victory!! the place erupted when Keon and Bower came out... man... I swear some guys were balling their eyes out!

well for you hockey guys I will post some pic tommorrow

have a good night... I am beat...

Gerritt.

Beans · February 18, 2007

I sure hope you didn't leave early to miss some traffic...What a finish !!!

Gerritt · February 18, 2007

Bump!

Carp · February 18, 2007

Nice pics Gerritt.

I have to admit I was a little teary eyed myself watching the festivities.

At one point, my 7 year old son stares at me for a bit and says, "Dad, what's wrong

with your eyes ?"

I shake it off and snarl, "Nothing, just had something in my eye buddy."

When the national anthem was sung, I made the whole family stand up, even though we were at home,

as a show of respect for the anthem, the country, the hockey legends and

all those who fought for us in the wars.

The announcer asked everyone to remove their hats for the singing of the national anthem and the camera catches one young guy and his girlfriend. He had a baseball cap on backwards, but refused to remove it. Looked as if they argued a bit with the camera capturing the whole thing. JERK !

Bobby Baun still has those massive hands.

Dave Keon looked very frail and a little emotional in a brief post ceremony interview,

but great to have him back.

Jigger · February 18, 2007

Hey Dan where are the Habs going? I'd love to see all the Canadian teams in the playoffs, but the Bleu-Blanc et Rouge are going to ruin that. Thats what happens when your players don't give a hoot, just want to get their cheque and bugger off. I'm surprised Gainey has let it go on as long as he has, but hes got bigger problems.

That was not a celebration of heroes, it was an introduction. Keon looked like he was eager to be anywhere else. The Leafs have been playing nice for so long now, if hes not going to play nice, just leave the guy be.

Garyv · February 19, 2007

Brought back a bunch of old memories. When I first came to Canada to run the office we purchased a block of season tickets and used them as perks. As years went by and the 70's turned into the 80's we had trouble giving them away. I still think the best years of watching hockey ( in my age bracket were the 50's, 60's and 70's ) I was at the game when Baun broke his ankle after taking a puck. He went into the dressing room and returned to play the rest of the game. Guys back them had no only guts but a love of the game that went beyond dollars.

One funny side note. During one of Shacks final seasons while playing the Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium just about every time he went passed Chicago defense-man Keith Magnuson... Maggie would drop the gloves and start swinging. The third time besides the fighting penalty Keith was thrown out of the game. After the game a reporter for the Chicago Tribune asked Shack why Magnuson was so ticked at him. Eddies reply...he didn't like what I told him about my date with his mother last night!

Edited February 19, 2007 by Garyv

Mike Pike · February 19, 2007

Wow, that was awesome Gerritt! This was a terrific post and it helped me enjoy last night's game and festivities even more.

Thanks for taking the time to put it all together. Must have been great being there.

Cheers!

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