Keon, Horton and Broda to be added to Legends Row.

[BayStreetBully]

Sorry I just don't dig the the Big M....stats aren't much different than Rick Vaive....we hardly hear a whisper of Vaive being honoured....or other comparables Ronnie Ellis, Bob Pulford.....the Big M was also not known as a leader.
Now that Keon, Horton and Broda are honoured to make it ten, lets turn the page and hope to see the likes of Marner, Nylander, Reilly be the next ones honoured.

Even though Big M did it while winning 4 cups? I would love to honour Vaive if he won 4 cups with us.

I was curious because you are old enough to have watched Mahovlich play... His stats are better than anyone else's on the team during those years. How are his stats then not good enough, unless he was being carried by someone else on the team? Was his leadership that bad to negate his stats? Was it anything else? I just don't get it and I am genuinely curious.

 

[Killion]

Yes... In fact the first team to retire a number was the Toronto Maple Leafs, which retired Ace Bailey's number #6 on February 14, 1934, prior to an All-Star game organized in his honour.

Yep.... and Ace Bailey as you know employed off-ice by the Leafs for decades thereafter as a Timekeeper etc. He was so impressed with what he saw of Ron Ellis early in his career that upon his insistence, the #6 "un-retired" temporarily, retired again after Ellis had hung them up.

When Keon's statue is unveiled it will be the best day in a very long while for me as a Leaf fan.

... yeah, ditto on that. my favorite all-time.

 

[rojac]

Sorry I just don't dig the the Big M....stats aren't much different than Rick Vaive....we hardly hear a whisper of Vaive being honoured....or other comparables Ronnie Ellis, Bob Pulford.....the Big M was also not known as a leader.
Now that Keon, Horton and Broda are honoured to make it ten, lets turn the page and hope to see the likes of Marner, Nylander, Reilly be the next ones honoured.

Mahovlich scored his 48 goals in 1960-61 when the season was 70 games and the average goals per game per team was 3.00.

Vaive scored his 54 goals in 1981-82 when the season was 80 games and the average goals per game per team was 4.01.

 

[diceman934]

The big M had something that Vaive never had. ....class

 

[diceman934]

Keon my all time favorite Leaf player.

 

[Brewsky]

The curse of Keon to finally be lifted.

Ignore the past 50 years everybody, now that the curse is lifted, the real Leafs history should jump from 1975 when Keon last played here to 2016...so uh...sure does feel good to have won a Cup just 9 years ago huh boys?

 

[Grandrift145]

The curse of Keon to finally be lifted.

Ignore the past 50 years everybody, now that the curse is lifted, the real Leafs history should jump from 1975 when Keon last played here to 2016...so uh...sure does feel good to have won a Cup just 9 years ago huh boys?

Next season will be magical

 

[Dreakmur]

He looks so happy to finally be back!

 

[BayStreetBully]

I was hoping the fans would give Keon a louder and a longer ovation today. Maybe he came back too late.

 

[HellasLEAF]

I was hoping the fans would give Keon a louder and a longer ovation today. Maybe he came back too late.

they cut it off I thought, bet it could have kept going but looks like Rogers needed to keep things on schedule. In truth, Keon could have had a night all to himself, but shared impressive company in Horton and Broda that needed their due.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I was hoping the fans would give Keon a louder and a longer ovation today. Maybe he came back too late.

well it's not that late

I honestly just think - thanks to Ballard and the teachers afterwards - we really don't know a lot of our history. It's like... completely lost. I would gather that out of every five Leaf fans, 1 would have zero clue who Keon is, 1 would have passing knowledge, 1 would know the history, and 2 would totally and completey know what's what.

now apply that to a crowd of 19,000
that's where my math fails me - but..

that's why I am very happy Shanahan is really trying to incorporate our history
we lost a good 25+ years... we can't get that back, but we can learn and respect it.

 

[BayStreetBully]

they cut it off I thought, bet it could have kept going but looks like Rogers needed to keep things on schedule. In truth, Keon could have had a night all to himself, but shared impressive company in Horton and Broda that needed their due.

To me it sounded like Andy Frost cut it off because the ovation was basically done. Gilmour and Clark get massive ovations and Keon doesn't. I get that the younger crowd (myself included) never got to see him play and much of the fans in the ACC weren't even born in the 60's, but I think the fans have it backwards. They should be cheering louder and longer for the older Leafs who made it an honour for younger players to be a Leaf. I suppose I can't blame the fans though, if they don't know anything about Keon to begin with.

 

[BayStreetBully]

well it's not that late

I honestly just think - thanks to Ballard and the teachers afterwards - we really don't know a lot of our history. It's like... completely lost. I would gather that out of every five Leaf fans, 1 would have zero clue who Keon is, 1 would have passing knowledge, 1 would know the history, and 2 would totally and completey know what's what.

now apply that to a crowd of 19,000
that's where my math fails me - but..

that's why I am very happy Shanahan is really trying to incorporate our history
we lost a good 25+ years... we can't get that back, but we can learn and respect it.

You're right, we really don't know our history. This is one area where the Habs get it right. As do the Yankees and Red Sox. The Leafs need to promote the first half of their history better- the 1917-1967 era. Even the biggest of Leafs fans don't even know anything about our Arenas and St. Pats era stars. Shanahan is doing well though, it's a good start.

 

[Daisy Jane]

You're right, we really don't know our history. This is one area where the Habs get it right. As do the Yankees and Red Sox. The Leafs need to promote the first half of their history better- the 1917-1967 era. Even the biggest of Leafs fans don't even know anything about our Arenas and St. Pats era stars. Shanahan is doing well though, it's a good start.

well that's something I think if anything - more than the Stanley Cups that previous management robbed us of - that we were robbed of and denied, and I would think really that would/should be the thing media should harp on more.

Like - St Louis hasn't won a cup in almost 50 years either. - us not wining one (even being in the final -, like rreally that's a meh. greatness doesn't = cups). but we were robbed of so much history because of sheer willingness to ignore it. we can't get back. we're so disconnected from it. Shananahn is doing his best to bridge the gap - so i really hope in 10 years it's like it never was gone.

 

[deletethis]

I'd like to add that the pre-game ceremonies were actually entertaining. The visual presentations (videos) were very well produced. They were broadcast quality productions.

 

[Mess]

You're right, we really don't know our history. This is one area where the Habs get it right. As do the Yankees and Red Sox. The Leafs need to promote the first half of their history better- the 1917-1967 era. Even the biggest of Leafs fans don't even know anything about our Arenas and St. Pats era stars. Shanahan is doing well though, it's a good start.

Shanny could start a new tradition that changes now the way things were done in the past and that Leaf greats have their Jersey's officially retired by the organization.

They could have Keon (#14), Bower (#1) and Mahovlich/Sittler (#27) ceremony during their centennial season making a official.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

I was hoping the fans would give Keon a louder and a longer ovation today. Maybe he came back too late.

Yeah I was kind of shaking my head that the crowd didn't pick up on what was said in his intro about him being in the dressing room and the crowd chanting "We want Keon! We want Keon!" and him coming out and obliging. What more perfect opportunity after he was introduced than to do the chant?

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

well that's something I think if anything - more than the Stanley Cups that previous management robbed us of - that we were robbed of and denied, and I would think really that would/should be the thing media should harp on more.

Like - St Louis hasn't won a cup in almost 50 years either. - us not wining one (even being in the final -, like rreally that's a meh. greatness doesn't = cups). but we were robbed of so much history because of sheer willingness to ignore it. we can't get back. we're so disconnected from it. Shananahn is doing his best to bridge the gap - so i really hope in 10 years it's like it never was gone.

It's a strange club. Burke started bringing it back with Keon then Leiweke comes in and wants it gone.

 

[ACC1224]

I was hoping the fans would give Keon a louder and a longer ovation today. Maybe he came back too late.

Quietest ceremony I've ever attended.
Way too many Hab fans in the building, spoiled it.

In hindsight, they could have picked a better opponent.

 

[Northern Dancer]

You're right, we really don't know our history. This is one area where the Habs get it right. As do the Yankees and Red Sox. The Leafs need to promote the first half of their history better- the 1917-1967 era. Even the biggest of Leafs fans don't even know anything about our Arenas and St. Pats era stars. Shanahan is doing well though, it's a good start.

I don't disagree with the view Leafs have been abysmal about promoting their history. But all the info, history is there in books (many different authors including Steven Harper). To completely blame MLG or MLSE is a tad lazy for a fan.

 

[-DeMo-]

well it's not that late

I honestly just think - thanks to Ballard and the teachers afterwards - we really don't know a lot of our history. It's like... completely lost. I would gather that out of every five Leaf fans, 1 would have zero clue who Keon is, 1 would have passing knowledge, 1 would know the history, and 2 would totally and completey know what's what.

now apply that to a crowd of 19,000
that's where my math fails me - but..

that's why I am very happy Shanahan is really trying to incorporate our history
we lost a good 25+ years... we can't get that back, but we can learn and respect it.

you also forgot about 1/3 of those fans at the game probably are not even big hockey fans to begin with and were given the tickets through there work or something.

they cut it off I thought, bet it could have kept going but looks like Rogers needed to keep things on schedule. In truth, Keon could have had a night all to himself, but shared impressive company in Horton and Broda that needed their due.

don't know why they would do all 3 in the same night... they should each have had there own ceremony to begin with. if they truely belong in Legends row, which being 30 years old never seen any of them play. if they truely belong on Legends Row then they each deserved to have there own nights.

 

[deletethis]

I don't disagree with the view Leafs have been abysmal about promoting their history. But all the info, history is there in books (many different authors including Steven Harper). To completely blame MLG or MLSE is a tad lazy for a fan.

You don't even need to read a book. They can just go to Wikipedia and read about the players. There are some nice overviews about Keon and Horton especially and many other Leafs of the distant past.

Here's some other former star players on the Leafs that I bet many fans can't name:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Thomson_(ice_hockey,_born_1927)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Smith_(ice_hockey)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busher_Jackson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Drillon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Pulford

 

[Budsfan]

 

[BayStreetBully]

Shanny could start a new tradition that changes now the way things were done in the past and that Leaf greats have their Jersey's officially retired by the organization.

They could have Keon (#14), Bower (#1) and Mahovlich/Sittler (#27) ceremony during their centennial season making a official.

It appears the Leafs currently have a practice of keeping honoured numbers out of circulation anyway, with JVR being the last to wear such a number. Why not just make it official if it'll make all the greats happy? You could make it part of the Leafs' centennial season celebration next year, converting an "honoured" number into a "retired" number every 2 weeks. You could convert them all in the span of one year that way, or at the very most two years.

You might run into the problem of asking whether Wendel Clark deserves to have his #17 retired. I say retire all current honoured players, and then raise standards for future players.

 

[BayStreetBully]

I don't disagree with the view Leafs have been abysmal about promoting their history. But all the info, history is there in books (many different authors including Steven Harper). To completely blame MLG or MLSE is a tad lazy for a fan.

I don't blame MLSE in the sense that it's not their direct obligation to educate fans, but you couldn't expect fans to go read up on books or Wikipedia to learn the Leafs' history. It's up to MLSE to be proactive and reach out to the fans and make history come to life.

Legends Row is a fantastic start. The next best thing they can do after that is set aside some space in the ACC for an exhibit covering players who a) couldn't make Legends Row because of room, and b) don't deserve a statue but still deserve a mention in Leafs' history. That way, you can cover players like Reg Noble, Babe Dye, Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau, Red Horner, Bill Barilko, Bob Baun, Allan Stanley, Carl Brewer and others.

The possibilities are infinite depending on how much space MLSE can set aside for such a project. I think it's especially beneficial for them to include Noble and Dye because the Leafs are the only team besides the Habs who can trace their history back to the founding of the NHL. Why wouldn't they take advantage of those extra years of history that no one else can?