In a story that is rich with insider anecdotes, tales and portraits of the colourful characters who have banged around the boards and boardrooms of Maple Leaf Gardens, Jack Batten gives an account that is nostalgic, funny and entertaining. First published in 1994, The Leafs is back with sixteen new pages of text, eight new pages of colour photographs. The Leafs is a must-have book for both long-time Leaf defenders and the newer generation. This is a dazzling tribute to the showcase of aggressive play, hard work, heart and dedication of a revered team, its coaches and its managers. (1999)
For many, being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan has become a curse from cradle to grave. False hope, hollow promises, and a mind-numbing lack of success - these words describe the Toronto Maple Leafs and the hockey club’s inexplicable mediocrity over much of the past decade. Author Peter Robinson has attended some 100 games over the past six seasons and has little to show for it except an unquenched thirst that keeps him coming back. Why does a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, long before many of its followers were even born, have such a hold on its fans? Robinson tries to answer that question and more while detailing what it’s like to love one of the most unlovable teams in all of professional sports. Being a Leafs fan requires a leap of faith every year, girding against inevitable disappointment. This book tells what that’s like, how it got to be that way, and what the future holds for all who worship the Blue and White.
A complete oral history of Canada’s most iconic team, compiled from interviews with some of the biggest names in hockey, then and now. Eric Zweig takes readers through the storied history of the Leafs through the eyes of their players, coaches, managers, and fans.
In 1967 the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup in a stunning defeat of the mighty Montreal Canadiens in Canada’s centennial year. Thirty-nine years later (and counting), no other Leaf team has been able to do it again. As the years pass, the legend grows. The men who were the Leafs in 1967--a scrappy group of aging players and unsung youngsters--were the kings of this universe, the last hockey heroes to skate in the world's most important hockey city. They were the men with the right stuff who enjoyed the perks and privileges that went with it. Sixty-Seven is not just another hockey book about that legendary team, but a unique and total look at the contradictions, the legends, the shame and the glory of '67. Within five years of that '67 victory, two key members of the team, Tim Horton and Terry Sawchuk, would be dead due to alcohol and drug-related issues. The man who had succeeded Smythe as King of Carlton Street, Harold Ballard, was in jail. The seeds of what would become a horrifying pedophile scandal a quarter-century later were being planted. All that had been built up over the course of decades was in the process of being torn down. Sixty-Seven will tell previously untold stories, funny and tragic, from the inside of that unforgettable dressing room. And beyond the story of the team, it will tell the story of the times, a time of innocence before Vietnam and Watergate, the last year of the Original Six-Team NHL, and the last gasp of the hockey dynasty built by the legendary Conn Smythe. The story of Sixty-Seven extends well beyond that of a hockey team that found a way to win.
Chronicling the Maple Leafs for 35 years, longtime Toronto Sun beat reporter Lance Hornby provides access into the Maple Leafs' inner sanctum as only he can. From the heyday of the 1940s when Toronto won five Stanley Cups in Maple Leaf Gardens to the current star-laden era with Auston Matthews and John Tavares, this book provides a one-of-a-kind, insider's look into the great moments and interesting anecdotes from the Leafs' storied history. Read about how a lifetime pass to Leafs games was lost in a poker game; why Charlie Conacher dangled King Clancy by his feet from an open hotel window; how Mike Babcock learned he was related to Dave Keon; the wild times of the historic Gardens during the chaotic Harold Ballard era; and the legendary pranks of Doug Gilmour, whose sense of humour only was rivaled by his skill on the ice.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Ultimate Book of Facts, Stats, and Stories is the definitive guide to everything you want to know about the Toronto Maple Leafs as they approach their centennial season. From the first puck drop in 1917 right up to the present day, it brings together the monumental games, the Stanley Cup wins, the blockbuster trades, and the many milestones in the club's celebrated history.
Did you know that the Tampa Bay Lightning won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2004? The win came 12 years after the Lightning began playing in 1992. Learn exciting facts about the team’s players, coaches, uniforms, and more in Tampa Bay Lightning, an Inside the NHL book.
An insider history of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL draft A singular, transcendent talent can change the fortunes of a hockey team instantly. Each year, NHL teams approach the draft with this knowledge, hoping that luck will be on their side and that their extensive scouting and analysis will pay off. In On the Clock: Toronto Maple Leafs, Scott Wheeler explores the fascinating, rollercoaster history of the Leafs at the draft, from first pick Wendel Clark to Auston Matthews and beyond. Readers will go behind the scenes with top decision-makers as they evaluate, deliberate, and ultimately make the picks they hope will tip the fate of their franchise toward success. From seemingly surefire first-rounders to surprising late selections, this is a must-read for Leafs faithful and hockey fans eager for a glimpse at how teams are built.
Whether you're a die-hard booster from the early days of Conn Smythe or a new supporter of John Tavares and Auston Matthews, these are the 100 things all Maple Leafs fans need to know and do in their lifetime. Authors Michael Leonetti and Paul Patskou have collected every essential piece of Maple Leafs knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, and ranked them, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist as you progress on your way to fan superstardom. 100 Things Maple Leafs Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true fans.
