February 23: On this day in 1927, Jimmy Thomson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Thomson played 5 games for the Leafs during the 1945-46 season, but became a full time player the next season when he was teamed on defense with Gus Mortson. Together, they were known as the "Gold Dust Twins." Like Mortson, Thomson won four Stanley Cups with the Leafs. Thomson became Leaf team captain for the beginning of the 1956-57 season until Ted Kennedy came out of retirement to resume the roll. Jimmy Thomson played his final season in Chicago to where he was sold by Leaf G.M. Conn Smythe as punishment for his involement in the formation of a Players' Association.
February 23: On this day in 1929, the Leafs beat the Canadiens 2-1 in Toronto, interrupting what would have been a 25 game unbeaten streak by the Montreal Canadiens and handing the Habs their only loss between mid-January to the end of the season. Earlier in the same season, the Boston Bruins had gone 13 straight games without a loss until being shutout 3-0 by the Leafs in Boston on February 2. The Bruins were the eventual Stanley Cup winners in 1929.