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October 9: On this day in 2011, ex-Leaf Nik Antropov scored a backhand goal at the 02:27 mark of the third period in the inaugural season of the Winnipeg Jets in a 5-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens. The Assist came from M. Stuart & A. Burmistrov. The Winnipeg Jets dropped the puck on their inaugural season Sunday night in front of an electric sold out crowd of 15,004 excited fans. The energy in the building was chilling to say the least as the GO JETS GO chants shook the MTS Centre.
October 9: On this day in 1926, ex-Leaf goalie Al Rollins was born in Vanguard, Saskatchewan. Rollins won a Stanley Cup and the Vezina trophy with the Leafs in 1951. His 1.77 G.A.A was not only the best in the league in 1951, it was the best average in the NHL between 1940 and 1972. Rollins played 112 games in goal for the Leafs between 1949 and 1952, including a complete 70 game schedule in 1951-52. His record with the Leafs was an admirable 57-30-24. He went on to win the Hart trophy as the NHL's MVP with Chicago in 1954, even though the Black Hawks finished in last place.
October 9: On this day in 1942, the Leafs acquired Mel "Sudden Death" Hill in a special Dispersal Draft of former Brooklyn American players whose team had folded the prior season. Hill played 146 games over four seasons in Toronto and put up 49 goals and 110 points. He won a Cup with the Leafs in 1945, chipping in 5 points in 13 games. "Sudden Death" is most famous for the three playoff overtime goals he scored in the 1939 Semi-Finals for Boston and his 1939 playoff record of three overtime goals in a single series is an NHL record that stands to this day.
October 9: On this day in 1947, future Leaf goalie, Wayne Thomas was born in Ottawa, Ontario. Thomas played in 97 games as the Leafs backstopper over two seasons between 1975 and 1977 with a winning record of 38-37-18. He was in goal for the Leafs on February 7, 1976 when teammate Darryl Sittler set his NHL record of 10 points in one single game. He was claimed by the Rangers in the Waiver Draft of 1977.
October 9: On this day in 1954, the Maple Leafs and the Black Hawks skated to a 3-3 tie. In the 1953-'54 season, the Leafs set a team record for the most tie games in one season in their history with 22. Their overall record that season was 24-24-22, good enough for 3rd place and a playoff spot in the six team NHL. The NHL record for most ties in one season was 24 set by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1969-70.
October 9: On this day in 1974, the Kansas City Scouts were welcomed to the NHL with a 6-2 loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto. It was the first and only time the two teams met in a season opener. The Scouts lasted only two seasons before moving to Colorado to become the Colorado Rockies. The same night, Leafs captain Dave Keon notched his 350th career goal with Toronto, a Maple Leaf franchise first.
