Darryl was a choppy skater which seemed to make him quick around the net and gave him that extra burst of speed when he needed it. He had a unique skating style. Darryls game was composed of a masterful combination between skill and toughness. He was strong on the puck and had a deceptivley hard shot and was a forrunner of a power forward style of play, strong, good dish, Darryl was a hard-nosed player, completely accountable he played in all the tough area's of the ice and was willing to drop 'em. fought only a few times a year but was rarely on the losing end. He had superior instincts and was capable of unpredictable spurts of offensive greatness.tough, skilled, fast, good puck distributor. A very good player simular to Joe Sakic His style has been enherited though adapated by Gilmour Yzerman Crosby Sakic and Inginla
The game was more nasty back in the 70's an era of bradway bullies set the tone. Darryl was able to dodge sticks elbows and bone crushing hits on the ice and use his brains and wits to out last the bandits who ran MLG off the ice.
Darryl's hero was Jean Belliveau and that is who he tried to model his game after. He had a physical element. He was a terrific leader.. He seemed to have that sense that the greats did to get to the right places at the right tim
Darryl was A Quintiessential leaf.
Sittler's ties to the NHL started early. His first good pair of hockey skates belonged to former neighbour Rod Seiling, who was starring with the New York Rangers. By fifteen, Darryl was being noticed, and during the midget draft in 1967, was selected third overall by the Junior A London Nationals, coached by Leaf legend Turk Broda.
He was drafted by the Leafs 8th overall in the 1970 Entry Draft." Unlike today's top fifty or sixty picks, very few of the better players eligible for selection attended the draft session," Darryl stated. Toronto had the eighth pick, and chose the London Knights centre. "I was hard at work building swimming pools in London," laughs Darryl, remembering his draft day. "I'd been a Maple Leaf about five or six hours before I found out. I heard the news on the radio on the way home from my summer job that evening."
Jim Gregory, the Leafs' general manager, had plans for Darryl, but they weren't at centre ice. "We felt we were in good shape at centre then with Ullman,Keon,Walton and Harrison. But we did need help on the left side," he told the Toronto Star. "Just about everybody in the organization had a chance to scout Sittler and they all rated him very high."
Johnny McLellan (Leaf coach) told me he'd give me a chance to make the team as a Left Winger, Sittler was determined to make it. "As I watched Keon zip up and down the ice, I wondered if I'd ever get close to Keon's speed and skills," Sittler mused in a Toronto Sun article. Leaf management tipped there hat that they had designs on the young forward when they gave him #27 which was the number Frank Mahovlich had worn. "I figured management was trying to send me a message." sittler said.
Sittler had worn 9 as a junior.His idols were centres - Norm Ullman and Jean Beliveau. Mahovlich was a left winger. But I was well aware what he'd done as a Leaf. He'd been one of their greatest players so it gave me a really good feeling when I was handed his number."
He saw limited action in his first pro season in 1970-71 because he
broke his wrist and missed ten weeks of action, but was back for the playoffs. He scored a modest 10 goals and collected 18 points in an abbreviated rookie season.
Because of the injury he had an unremarkable sophomore year scoring just 32 points.When he returned to training camp the following year, Darryl was determined to do better. However he neeeded strength and conditioning to his injured wrist because it was giving him trouble. He couldn't shoot hard enough and wasn't releasing the puck quickly enough. He strengthened his wrist by squeezing springs and played with a brace on my wrist."
In 1972-73, he began to establish himself as an offensive star, finishing with 77 points - a total he would better in all but three of his subsequent 12 seasons in the NHL.
In 1973-74 the leafs signed him to a lucarative 5 yr deal. Things were looking up for the leafs under coach Red Kelly. Sittler and his young team mates Borje Salming, Inge Hammarstrom, Lanny McDonald and Ian Turnbull would all be part of a memorable 1970's leafs team.
The following seasons illustrated Darryl's consistency - 36 goals and 80 points in 1974-75, 41 goals and 100 points in '75-76 and 38 goals and 90 points in '76-77
Darryl Sittler is arguably the most popular player in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs. No other player performed so well for so long amidst the cartoonish buffoonery of Leafs owner Harold Ballard.
The Leafs were in a rebuilding phase early in his career and many veterans either retired or were traded.September 1975 the 24-year-old Sittler took over the captain's duties, becoming the second-youngest captain in Leafs history after Teeder Kennedy.
"We wanted Sittler as the captain because he wasn't afraid to speak up for his teammates, he was a man respected by both players and management," stated Jim Gregory
Sittler had an incredible year in 1975-76. On February 7, 1976, he produced the greatest offensive game in the history of the National Hockey League, guaranteeing his place in the record books even after Wayne Gretzky had come and gone. Toronto was hosting the Boston Bruins, a team on a seven-game winning streak. The Bruins had recently reacquired Gerry Cheevers, but coach Don Cherry wanted to give the goalie a rest before his upcoming Boston homecoming and started rookie netminder instead. Poor Dave Reece, who was in goal for the Bruins that night, would never play another NHL game
The Leafs beat up the Bruins 11-4, but Sittler was the big story. He had two assists in the first period, three goals and two assists in the second and another hat trick in the third. The total of six goals and four assists set a league record for points in one game that had previously been held by Maurice "Rocket" Richard with eight.
The big night helped Sittler become the first Leaf to reach the 100 mark in scoring in a season, collecting 41 goals and 59 assists. But he wasn't finished.
Much has been made about the 'Pyramid Power' that Red Kelly used to help motivate his team. The Leafs were under terrific pressure to beat the Flyers. Owner Harold Ballard predicted that the Leafs would whip the Flyers in five games. Kelly, whose sons had visited Egypt and spoke passionately about the supernatural powers of the pyramid, gave their father an idea. He placed pyramids under the Leaf bench and in the dressing room. "Red put a pyramid in the dressing room. I put my sticks underneath it hoping it might help." It seemed to help, but so did the assistance of something else - "I have a tie I wear when it's a crucial game," admitted Sittler. "I wore it one night when I got three goals. I had it on the time I had the ten points against Boston. I felt this game was so crucial, I went to the cleaners to pick up the tie specially." Whether it was pyramids or lucky ties, Darryl had another outstanding game. "I don't really know how to describe how I feel. I guess I feel lucky. I just don't know why it happened
During the playoffs in April against the Philadelphia Flyers, Sittler scored five goals in one game, tying the playoff record.
In September, during the Canada Cup in Montreal, Sittler would make headlines again with his scoring ways. This time it wasn't the quantity but the quality and the timeliness that made the impression. In overtime of the second game of the best-of-three finals versus Czechoslovakia, Sittler held onto the puck on a partial breakaway until Czech goalie Vladimir Dzurilla committed himself and an opening presented itself. The goal secured the championship and made Sittler an overnight hero in Canada. "It was an experience I'll never forget. Just being on the team was fantastic" said sittler.
Most Memorable Goal
In his autobiography, Sittler explained the integral role of assistant coach Don Cherry's in Darryl's landmark goal on September 15, 1976. With the score tied at four after regulation time, Cherry addressed Team Canada "'I've been upstairs watching this guy, Dzurilla, for three games,' he began. 'He likes to come out real fast to cut down the angle on any rush. After you go in over the blueline, fake a slapper. If you see him come out of his net, draw it back in and go wide and deeper. He'll leave you with most of the net empty.'" During overtime, Sittler carried the puck down the left wing, faked a shot at netminder Vladimir Dzurilla, who had come out fifteen feet to cut down the angle, then skated past the goalie and deposited the puck into the open net at 11:33 of overtime to give Team Canada a sweep in the best of three final over Czechoslovakia to claim the first Canada Cup title. "After I scored the goal, the whole team surrounded me out on the ice and we went into a group hug with Lanny (McDonald) leading the world in oxygen-threatening squeezes and hollering," wrote Darryl in 'Sittler.' The goal scoring hero earned a spot as the tournament's All-Star left winger, as well.
In 1977-78, Sittler registered 117 points and was selected to the league's Second All-Star Team. The Leafs had their best playoff showing in years, making it to the semi-finals. But things began to fall apart, for the franchise and for its captain, in 1979-80 when cantankerous owner Harold Ballard replaced much of his management, bringing in Punch Imlach to run the team.
On July 4, 1979, Harold Ballard shocked the hockey world by re-hiring Punch Imlach to run the Maple Leafs. One of his first moves was to prevent Darryl from participating in a 'Hockey Night in Canada' intermission feature called 'Showdown.' Both Sittler and Leaf goaltender Mike Palmateer had been selected to participate in the skills competition. In his first meeting with the new GM, Sittler quotes Imlach as saying, "I'm the GM. You don't decide to go to 'Showdown,' I decide, and I don't want you to go." Darryl went to the show's taping and, in spite of a last ditch effort by the Leafs to prevent the two stars from taking part, did so wearing generic sweaters. But it was the first of a series of confrontations between Imlach and Sittler. Eventually, to assert his power, the Leafs' general manager traded away a number of players close to Darryl, who happened to have a no-trade clause in his own contract. First to go was Pat Boutette, a former teammate with the London Nationals. Then, it was Lanny McDonald, Sittler's closest friend on the Leafs. "The shock was so palpable, some of the guys fell back or slumped in their seats as if they'd been struck physically," Sittler recalled in his autobiography. Darryl questioned management and whether he wanted to continue as the team's on-ice leader. 'When I was made captain, it was the happiest day of my life,' Sittler wrote in a letter announcing his resignation as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "In a very emotional speech to the players, I explained what I was doing, and why I was doing it. Imlach was trying to break down this whole team, didn't want me as captain and wouldn't let me function as one. All of the outside controversy had gotten too big; all I wanted to do as play hockey."
Further changes took place that impacted on the team and on Sittler personally. Dave Hutchison was traded - he, too, a former teammate of Darryl's in London. Then, another linemate and friend, Tiger Williams, was sent to the Canucks. Darryl remembers, "I had my mind made up that I wanted to stay in Toronto. I was going to outlast this guy (Imlach). I didn't deserve any of this, I couldn't understand why it was happening to me, but I could overcome it."
Sittler was represented by Alan Eagleson, a lawyer and agent who never saw eye to eye with Ballard or Imlach. Relations were strained to the point that Sittler took a pair of scissors to the "C" on his sweater before a game in late 1979 to protest, among other things, the trade of Lanny McDonald to the Colorado Rockies. Ballard then threatened to lock Sittler out before the beginning of the next season. The two men resolved some of their differences and Sittler returned as captain, but it was a tenuous reconciliation. Midway through the 1981-82 season, Sittler went AWOL and demanded a trade. He was depressed and worn out from his battles with management in Toronto.
On January 20, 1982, Gerry McNamara, who had replaced Imlach as the team's general manager, called Sittler and informed him that he had been traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, a one-time nemesis but a team that nonetheless had a great deal of respect for Sittler.
After recovering from the nasty divorce with the Leafs, Sittler had a great season in 1982-83, netting 83 points and a spot in the All-Star Game.On the day he was to be named captain of the Flyers Draryl was shocked when Philadelphia traded him to the Detroit Red Wings before the 1984-85 season.
Unsure if he wanted to continue and move his family to yet another city, Sittler refused to report for five days. He did play one yr with Detroit, though at times he struggled to find a place in the lineup.
He retired after the season. Sittler was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. Two years later he returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs, this time working in the club's management in marketing and public relations.
NHL Totals 1096 Games 484 goals, 637 assists 1,121 points.
Playoff Totals 76 29 45 74 137
Second All-Star Team Centre (1978)
Career Notes:
Although just an hour down the highway from Toronto, Darryl was not a Leaf fan. "I grew up as the only Montreal Canadiens fan in a family of 10 and all were Leafs fans."-autobiography, 'Sittler.'
Once, while playing cribbage with Jacques Plante and Errol Thompson during a flight, Darryl came up with a perfect hand. "That's a one-in-a-million thing, something that happens to a very, very few cribbage players, even those who play the game every day all their lives," laughed Sittler in an interview with The Hockey News
In 1989, Herbie Lewis, Vladislav Tretiak, Alan Eagleson and Darryl Sittler were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, capping outstanding NHL careers. Darryl reflected in Mike Ulmer's book, 'Captains,' "The reality of it is, I was fortunate to play fifteen years, making a living at something I really loved doing. To end up in the Hall of Fame, to score the winning goal at the Canada Cup and all those other things that happened, even though we didn't win the Cup, I appreciated that."
Sittlers #27 was Honoured by the Leafs February 8, 2003. In 1993, the Leafs began a policy of "Honoured Numbers" for their greatest stars:
Sittler #27 Turk Broda and Johnny Bower (1), King Clancy and Tim Horton (7), Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy (9), Syl Apps and George Armstrong (10) and of course, Frank Mahovlich (27), in the pantheon of the Leafs greats. Only two numbers, Bill Barilko's No. 5 and the No. 6 worn by Ace Bailey, loaned to Ron Ellis and then re-enshrined, are out of permanent circulation. Sittler knew most of the players who's numbers hang from the rafters of the ACC.
- Served as team captain from 1975 until Dec. 29, 1979, when he removed the C from his sweater to protest the trade of Lanny McDonald. Accepted the captaincy again at the start of the 1980-81 season.
- On Feb. 7, 1976, set an NHL record with a 10-point game -- six goals and four assists.
- On April 22, 1976, scored five goals in one playoff game.
- In September 1976, scored the winning goal in overtime in the final game against Czechoslovakia to give Canada the first Canada Cup championship.
- In 1977-78, established career highs with 45 goals and 72 assists and led the Leafs to the Stanley Cup semi-finals.
- In 1989, elected to Hockey Hall of Fame
He was also one tough dude. In one of the best fights I ever saw, Sittler versus Gary Howatt (the Toy Tiger) of the New York Islanders. They dropped the gloves at centre ice at Maple Leaf Gardens and just pounded each other for about 3 minutes (at one stage they were just alternating punches to the head back and forth), then after fatigue they both dropped to there knees at the same time and while on there knees continued to slug it out for another 2 minutes. They both quit at the same time. They recieved a standing ovation. Seemed like they both landed about 50 punches each.
Sittler was the real deal, would have been a first line centre on any team in the NHL to-day Leaf Fan -nick Northern Dancer
- Remember Darryl played in a different era, and played both ways.
The biggest disappointment as a Darryl fan was that he didn't get the Lou Marsh award in 1976. Lafleur got it, I believe.Sitt had his 10 point night, ended up 3rd in league scoring, I believe he had his 5 goal playoff game against Philly that year, scored the Canada Cup winning goal in the first true world cup of hockey, was voted to the tourney all star team..........should have been a tap in - he got screwed- Big Phil
He had a career high of 45 goals and 117 points in '77-78. And despite not winning a Cup he was still a pretty good playoff performer. he did everything very good. He could skate, shoot, pass and if he had to drop the gloves he wasnt a bad fighter either. Sittler was once a second team all-star in 1978 when he was third in scoring.- Leaf Fan
