ATD Bio for Dave Keon:
8 All star game appearances
Calder Winner, 1961
Conn Smythe winner: 1967
Lady Byng Winner, 1962
WHA Most Gentlemanly Player: 1977, 1979
2nd All-Star team: 2nd in 1962, 1963,
Hart: 4, 6,
Selke: couple years of token consideration way after his prime
Lady Byng: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6 (this might be the most prolific Byng voting record ever)
All-Star voting: 2, 2, 3, 3, 7, 4 years of a single vote so he clearly was someone’s favorite player
Dave Keon could be a dazzling offensive player, utilizing bursts of speed and deft moves around the net. He also had what is widely considered to be one of the best backhands in the game, a deceptive, often powerful shot that flummoxed opposing goaltenders. He used his agility to avoid opponents' hits and remained injury-free for much of his career. He also used his speed and maneuverability as a pesky penalty killer, covering a large portion of the ice and turning shorthanded situations into scoring chances for his own team. He set a league record for most goals while killing penalties with eight in the 1970-71 season
Joe Pelletier
He combined skating and stick handling gifts with superior hockey sense in all zones of the rink, both offensively and defensively.
But Keon was tough in his own way. He was strong though slight, and mastered the art of angling opponents out of harm's way. While no one questioned Keon's heart or toughness, he always preferred to play within the rules. He won the Lady Byng as the NHL's most gentlemanly player in both 1962 and 1963. In fact he averaged only 6 minutes in penalties in each of his NHL seasons.
In a surprise championship, the Leafs captured their 4th Cup of the decade in 1967. Keon's relentless checking and premier faceoff abilities were first and foremost, and he was rewarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the league's most valuable playoff performer.
Stan Fischler, published in Boy’s Life Magazine, February 1964:
“And that,” says a grateful Imlach, “is why I call Dave Keon the most valuable player in the National Hockey League, the best center, and the most consistent guy in the business.”
Mikita, like Keon, a center and often has been frustrated by Dave’s defensive and offensive prowess.
“Keon is the best center in hockey,” says Maurice Richard, the former Canadiens star whose brother, Henri, competes against Keon for All-Star honors. “He’s a fine checker and terrific puck-carrier. The league hasn’t had a player like him in years.”
The Duff-Keon-Armstrong line has been to the Leafs what Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford have meant to the Yankees in their championship drives.
At the moment, it appears the rise or fall of the Toronto Maple Leafs will be determined by the skill and endurance of Dave Keon. Some observers thought the Leafs revolved around Frank Mahovlich, the big left wing who once valued at 1,000,000 dollars by Jim Norris, the Chicago Blackhawks owner. But last spring, Mahovlich scored no goals and only two assists in the Leafs’ drive for the Stanley Cup. Keon had seven goals and five assists.
“I wouldn’t trade him for Gordie Howe,” says Imlach.
Skating:
Keon was very clearly one of the top skaters of his day.
The Toronto Maple Leafs by Mark Stewart:
Opponents had to keep an eye on Dave Keon. He was a swift and tricky skater who loved to flash toward the net and catch goalies by surprise.
Emile Francis in Boy’s Life:
He lets the defenseman think he’s skating as fast as he can but Dave’s really in low gear. Then like a bullet he’ll jump into high gear and leave everyone standing still.
Montreal Gazette, March 19th, 1971:
And Keon placed second in two other categories…and the Bruins Orr is the superior skater in the league.
The Pittsburgh Press, May 8 1962:
[qu0te] The smooth skating Toronto center scored 71 of a possible 180 points to win the award [/quote]
Schenectady Journal, November 21, 1980:
He still shows flashes of the great speed that was his trademark so many years ago.
Offensive ability:
As can be seen by his finishes, Keon is a guy whose offensive skill gets underrated by simple top 10s. If you extrapolate out to top 20s, we see that Keon is an 8 time top 18 finisher in goals, a 7 time top 19 finisher in assists, and a 7 time top 20 finisher in points overall. Keon is a good support scorer, but cannot be counted on to carry an offense by himself.
NHL Point finishes:
Goals: 6, 8, 8, 11, 16, 16, 17, 18
Assists: 11, 13, 14, 14, 15, 19, 19
Points: 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17
The Toronto Maple Leafs by Mark Stewart:
…one of the best backhand shots in the NHL.
Meriden Journal, September 21, 1970:
Dave Keon, Toronto’s most consistent scorer in the National Hockey League during the last 10 years…
Bangor Daily News, April 7, 1971:
Toronto depends on the goaltending of Jacques Plante and Bernie Parent with centers Norm Ullman and Dave Keon the chief scoring threats.
The Sun, May 3, 1967
Keon was instrumental in leading the Leafs to their fourth cup championship in six years. He scored three goals and added five assists in the 12 games the Leafs played…
Faceoff ability:
Keon was a very good faceoff man. A couple quotes about this are above.
Montreal Gazette, March 3, 1971
I remember Dave Keon won the draw against me so clean that he put it into his own net.
Defensive ability:
Dave Keon was clearly one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL throughout his career. Ultimate Hockey awarded Keon three Retro Selkes during a stretch of years where mostly purely defensive forwards won them, such as Klukay, Pavelich, Provost, Marshall, Westfall (also Mikita was awarded a couple). Many of the defensive skill quotes are above.
Montreal Gazette, March 19, 1971
Dave Keon and Norm Ullman received the same amount of support and tied for first place when the coaches were asked to name the best checker in hockey. And Keon placed second in twoo other categories. According to the coaches, only Derek Sanderson is better at killing penalties…