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December 1: On this day in 1946, Leaf defenseman Jim McKenny was born in Ottawa, Ontario. McKenny got his first NHL goal on February 25, 1967 in a 4-0 shutout of the Red Wings, but only played 6 regular season games during the 1966-67 season and did not qualify to get his name on the Stanley Cup. Altogether, McKenny had 327 points as a Leaf in 594 regular season games and 16 points in 37 playoff games between 1966 and 1978.
December 1: On this day in 1949, goaltender Gilles Mayer made his first and only start of the season when General Manager Conn Smythe benched regular goalie Turk Broda for being too fat. Mayer and the Leafs were shutout by the Red Wings 2-0. Broda dropped a few pounds and met his targeted weight. He was back in goal for the next Leafs game and shutout the Rangers 2-0. Mayer went on to play a total of 9 NHL games over 4 seasons, all with the Leafs. His career record was 2-6-1.
December 1: On this day in 1951, the Leafs set a team record by scoring five power play goals in one game. Scoring for Toronto were Tod Sloan, Ted Kennedy, Sid Smith, Fleming Mackell and Bob Solinger. The Leafs defeated the New York Rangers 8-2. The Blue & White finished the 1951-52 season in third place behind the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens with a respectable record of 29-25-16.
December 1: On this day in 1957, Toronto rookie Frank Mahovlich scored his first NHL hat trick as the Maple Leafs won 7-2 at Chicago. Mahovlich had a total of 6 hat tricks in his NHL years as a Leaf.
December 1: On this day in 1987, George "Punch" Imlach, the former Leafs General Manager and Coach died in Scarborough, Ontario, at the age of 69 after suffering a fourth heart attack. Imlach was the Leafs bench boss for more games than any other Coach in club history. In 750 games between 1958 and 1969 and 10 more in 1979-80, he compiled a winning percentage of .563 with a record of 365-270-125. He won four Stanley Cups with Toronto and won 47 out of 92 playoff games. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
December 1: On this day in 1988, Bernie Nicholls of the Los Angeles Kings set team records that still stand as of 2007 with six assists and eight points in a 9-3 victory over the visiting Maple Leafs. His teammate Dave Taylor bagged a hat trick and added an assist. Wayne Gretzky picked up five assists.
December 1: On this day in 1993, Dave Andreychuk recorded his first hat trick as a Leaf helping the Leafs to a 4-2 defeat of the St. Louis Blues . In 1993-94, Andreychuk recorded his second consecutive 50-goal season and as of 2007, he has been the last Leaf to score 50 or more goals in one season.
December 1: On this day in 2009, Tomas Kaberle surpasses Tim Hortons point record of 458 points as a Maple Leaf with an assist in a 3-0 victory over the rival Montreal Canadiens. His 459 points ranks him 15th. on the all time scoring sheet for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
