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October 6: On this day in 1974, ex-Leaf defenseman Kenny Jonsson was born in Angelholm, Sweden. Jonsson was a first round draft choice of the Maple Leafs in 1993. After just 89 games as a Leaf, Jonsson, along with the Leafs' first round draft choice in 1997 were part of a package sent to the New York Islanders in 1996 in order to re-acquire Wendel Clark. With the Leafs first pick in 1997, the Islanders selected goaltender Roberto Luongo.
October 6: On this day in 1981, the Leafs began their 1981-82 season on a high note with a 6-1 victory in Winnipeg. Unfortunately the win was one of only 20 the Leafs recorded all season to set a team team record for the fewest victories in a season (minimum 70 game schedule). The Leafs finished the season at 20-44-16 and out of the playoffs.
October 6: On this day in 1982, the Maple Leafs opened their 1982-83 season with a 3-3 tie in Chicago. It was the first of an 18 game winless streak on the road, a team record. It was only in their 19th road game of the season on January 6th in the new calendar year of 1983 that the Leafs finally won away from Maple Leaf Gardens in defeating the Washington Capitals 3-1.
October 6: On this day in 1992, the Leafs opened the 1992-93 season at home with a 6-5 loss to the Washington Capitals which overshadowed a team record-tying performance by rookie Nikolai Borschevsky who scored two goals in his NHL debut. The feat was duplicated 15 years later on October 25, 2007 by rookie Jiri Tlusty who scored a pair just 35 seconds apart in his first NHL game, a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL record for most goals by a player in his first NHL game is 3; Alex Smart of the Canadiens in 1943 and Real Cloutier of the Nordiques in 1979.
