Doug Gilmour - Honored

The Toronto Maple Leafs paid tribute to one of the most beloved players in franchise history Saturday night, raising former captain Doug Gilmour's No. 93 jersey to the rafters of the Air Canada Centre.

Former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Doug Gilmour salutes the crowd at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)

The ceremony took place prior to the Leafs' home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After watching his banner raised, Gilmour dropped the puck in a ceremonial faceoff between Toronto forward Nik Antropv and Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby.

In a short but emotional speech, Gilmour, flanked by his family and parents, thanked several people, including former Toronto coach Pat Burns and former Leafs general manager (and current team executive) Cliff Fletcher, the man who brought Gilmour to Toronto in a 10-player trade with the Calgary Flames in 1992.

"I want to say thank you to the fans. You guys cheered us each and every night. You inspired our hockey club to make us that much better. … I love you, God bless you all, thank you," Gilmour told the crowd.

During a stoppage in play late in the second period, a special video montage honouring Gilmour played on the scoreboard before the former Leafs captain and Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry were introduced to the crowd.

Gilmour, 45, is the 17th player to have his jersey raised to the rafters by the Maple Leafs. Other notable players who have been honoured include Johnny Bower (1), Red Kelly (4), King Clancy (7), Tim Horton (7), George Armstrong (10), Wendel Clark (17), Borje Salming (21), and Darryl Sittler (27).

Only two numbers, Bill Barilko's No. 5 and Ace Bailey's No. 6, are officially retired and out of circulation.

A seventh-round pick (134th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 1982 NHL draft, Gilmour is perhaps best known for his time with the Leafs from 1991-97 when he twice helped the club reach the conference finals (1993 and 1994) of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Gilmour, who earned the nickname "Killer" for his relentlessness and intensity on the ice, compiled 452 points in 392 games with the Maple Leafs.

He established Maple Leafs records for career playoff points (77) and assists (60) in just 52 games, set the team's single season records for points (127) and assists (95) in 1992-93, and collected a club-record six assists in one regular-season game.

Gilmour, from Kingston, Ont., retired with 450 goals and 1,414 points with 1,299 penalty minutes in 1,474 games over 23 NHL seasons with St. Louis, Calgary Flames, Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.

He won a Stanley Cup with the Flames (in 1989), and the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward while with the Maple Leafs (in 1993).

Gilmour retired in September 2003 after his second tenure in Toronto was cut short by injury.

He currently serves as the coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs.

Playing career:

Junior hockey

Gilmour started playing junior hockey for the Cornwall Royals of the OHL in the 1980–81 season. He spent three seasons with the team, helping the team two consecutive Memorial Cup championships. He was injured during the 1981 championship run, but in the 1981–82 season, he returned to score 46 goals and 119 points. Gilmour was not drafted in his first year of NHL eligibility, but in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, the St. Louis Blues drafted him in the 7th round, 134th overall. He did not make the Blues for the 1982–83 season, and was returned to Cornwall. He won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the leading scorer in the OHL with 70 goals and 177 points. He was also named OHL MVP. During the season he set a league record with a 55 game scoring streak.

Professional career

St. Louis

Gilmour had difficulty reaching a contract with the Blues, who were still concerned that he was undersized for the NHL game. He almost resorted to playing professional hockey in Germany. Two weeks before the 1983–84 NHL season started, Gilmour and the Blues agreed on a contract and he joined the team. Injuries allowed him to play in the fourth line center slot, and he became a defensive specialist. Teammate Brian Sutter nicknamed him "Killer" because of his intensity on the ice, and name similarity to convicted killer Gary Gilmore. The nickname is also reported to stem from his resemblance to Charles Manson.

During his first three seasons with the Blues, Gilmour was a consistent defensive presence who averaged 50 points. In the 1986 playoffs, he broke out and scored 21 points in 19 games, as the Blues lost in the Conference finals. This made Gilmour one of the only players in history to lead in postseason scoring without making it to the Stanley Cup Finals; Peter Forsberg would also achieve that feat in 1999 with the Colorado Avalanche.

Just prior to the 1988–89 season, Gilmour was traded to the Calgary Flames along with Mark Hunter, Steve Bozek, and Michael Dark for Mike Bullard, Craig Coxe and Tim Cokery. The Blues traded Gilmour after he was named in a civil suit alleging sexual improprieties with a teenaged babysitter. Gilmour denied that the incident occurred, and a grand jury did not find enough evidence to indict him. The Blues didn't admit publicly that the pending lawsuit against Gilmour was a reason for the trade, but Gilmour was convinced it was the reason: "I didn't want to leave St. Louis but from what has happened the past week, on our part and on the St. Louis Blues' part, it was our best solution."

Calgary

Gilmour was hastily traded to the Calgary Flames from St. Louis after the 1987–88 season. With Calgary, Gilmour went on to win a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989. Before the decisive game six of the series, he kissed and shook hands with Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry for good luck; Cherry, who also hails from Kingston, affectionately called his favourite player "Dougie". Gilmour netted the championship-winning goal against the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto

Several months after the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Cliff Fletcher to be their new general manager, he made a blockbuster trade with Calgary in February 1992. Fletcher had previously served as Calgary's general manager before coming to Toronto, and he was responsible for putting together their 1989 championship team. The Leafs acquired Gilmour along with Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Kent Manderville, and Rick Wamsley in exchange for Gary Leeman, Alexander Godynyuk, Jeff Reese, Michel Petit and Craig Berube. The 10 player deal was the largest in NHL history, and statistically speaking, one of the most lopsided.

Toronto fans did not need to wait long for the Gilmour acquisition to pay off, as the feisty forward produced well for the remainder of the 1991–92 season. He then went on to have a breakout year, scoring a franchise-record 127 points during the 1992–93 regular season. In the playoffs, he played a key role as the Leafs took out the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues, both in seven games. Gilmour finished the postseason with 35 points, behind only Wayne Gretzky. Gilmour was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy as regular-season MVP and won the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward, the first major NHL award that a Leaf player had won since 1967.

One of Gilmour's most memorable goals was scored during the 1993 second round playoffs series against the St. Louis Blues, in the second sudden death overtime period. Many fans remember him skating back and forth behind the St. Louis net multiple times before finally sliding the puck behind a sprawling Curtis Joseph, the latter who would also become famous with the Leafs years later.

In the Conference Finals, Gilmour's team met Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings. During Game One, Gilmour was levelled by a hard hit from the Kings' Marty McSorley, and Leafs captain Wendel Clark pummeled McSorley with several blows. Toronto was leading the Conference series against Los Angeles 3-2 and many fans, including CBC's Don Cherry, were hoping for an all-Canadian final as the Montreal Canadiens already advanced. However, during overtime of game six, Gretzky high-sticked Gilmour, drawing blood, without being assessed a penalty by the referee, Kerry Fraser, and then scored the winning goal moments later to stave off elimination which ignited the '100th Stanley Cup Controversy'. During game seven back at Maple Leaf Gardens, the Leafs were trailing 5-3 after Gretzky completed his hat-trick. Gilmour's team would score one goal but couldn't find the equalizer, which sent the Kings to the finals.

Gilmour finished the 1993–94 season fourth overall in regular season scoring with 111 points, just one behind third place finisher Adam Oates. Gilmour made his second consecutive trip to the NHL All-Star game and finished as runner-up for the Selke Trophy. In the playoffs, he led his Leafs to the Western Conference Finals (formerly Clarence Campbell conference), although they fell to the Vancouver Canucks in five games. The Leafs were the only team in the NHL to reach back-to-back conference finals over the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons. Over the course of the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons, only Oates scored more points than Gilmour.

When the Leafs traded captain and fan favourite Wendel Clark to the Quebec Nordiques in the off-season of 1994, Gilmour was named team captain.

Throughout his six years as a Leaf, he was one of the most popular players on the team and in the league. He was a fan and media darling, as the spokesman for the NHLPA in community and charity events, and he also appeared in a series of memorable "Got Milk?" TV commercials, one which also featured his wife.

Later career

Fletcher traded Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils in 1997 for Steve Sullivan, Alyn McCauley and Jason Smith. Gilmour was their best postseason performer but the Devils suffered early exits in the playoffs.

In the summer of 1998 Gilmour signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago was Toronto's opposition on the night of the last game in historic Maple Leaf Gardens. Gilmour ended up scoring in that game and in the closing ceremonies, he was given a standing ovation by the Toronto fans.

In spring of 2000, Gilmour was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. He made an immediate impact with the struggling team, which had been Stanley Cup finalists the past season, helping them to make the playoffs. However, he was felled by stomach flu and only played in five playoff games. In 2000–01, injuries limited Gilmour's regular season stats but he had a strong playoff performance as the rejuvenated Sabres beat the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, although they were upset by the Pittsburgh Penguins in a tough second-round series.

Gilmour, a well-traveled player by this time, then signed as a free agent in 2001 with the Montreal Canadiens, where he would fill a much needed role as a veteran leader. Gilmour had a good playoff run with the Canadiens but it was cut short by the Carolina Hurricanes. Notably before a playoff game, Gilmour also taped a message to Habs fans not to boo the US national anthem.

Rumours floated around the hockey world that Gilmour was considering retirement. To the delight of Maple Leaf fans, the 2003 NHL trade deadline brought good news: the Canadiens traded Gilmour to the Maple Leafs for a sixth round draft pick so that he could finish his career in Toronto. However, in his first game back with the Leafs, Gilmour and Flame Dave Lowry accidentally collided on Gilmour's second shift, resulting in Gilmour breaking his leg. He missed the remainder of the season and officially announced his retirement on September 8, 2003 after John Ferguson, Jr. declined to re-sign him.

Gilmour had 450 goals and 964 assists in 1474 games in his NHL career. He remains eligible for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

On September 15, 2006 the Maple leafs announced that Gilmour would become their player development advisor. On August 7, 2008 the Maple Leafs announced that Gilmour would become an assistant coach for the Leafs American Hockey League farm team, the Toronto Marlies.

On November 17, 2008 Gilmour left the Marlies to take over the head coaching position with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.

On January 31, 2009 Gilmour's number 93 was honored by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gilmour became the seventeenth player to be honored by the Maple Leafs.

Awards and achievements

* 1982–83: OHL - Red Tilson Trophy (Most Outstanding Player)
* 1982–83: OHL - Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Leading Scorer)
* 1982–83: OHL - First All-Star Team
* 1988–89: NHL - Won Stanley Cup championship with the Calgary Flames
* 1992–93: NHL - Nominated for Hart Trophy (League MVP)
* 1992–93: NHL - Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)
* 1992–93: NHL - Played in All-Star Game
* 1993–94: NHL - Played in All-Star Game
* 2006–07: FCHL - Had division named in his honour

Records

* 1992–93: NHL - Most points in one season (127), Toronto club record
* 1992–93: NHL - Most assists in one season (95), Toronto club record
* 1992–93: NHL - Most assists in one game (6), Toronto club record
* 1988–89: NHL - Two fastest shorthanded goals (scored 4 seconds apart) NHL record

On This Day November 12th.

Program Cover - first game at Maple Leaf Gardens

November 12: On this day in 1931, Was opening night at Maple Leaf Gardens. A cheap seat to the Maple Leafs' first game at the Gardens before a sellout crowd of 13,233 cost 95 cents. Top seats went for $2.75. The Leafs lost to the Black Hawks 2-1. The first goal scored at Maple Leaf Gardens was by Harold "Mush" March of the Hawks. The first Leafs goal was scored by Charlie Conacher. Erected in five months at the height of the “Great Depression,” the Gardens was financed by Conn Smythe and associates who had raised $160,000 and bought the Toronto St. Pats in 1927. The veteran of the First World War and an outspoken patriot, Smythe re-named the team the Toronto Maple Leafs. Later that season, the Leafs would eliminate Chicago in the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup under the Maple Leaf banner and their third overall in franchise history. The Gardens originally included a six-lane bowling alley, a billiards room and a gymnasium. These areas were transformed over the years into carpenter and electrician workshops and storage areas.  Seating capacity was steadily increased to 15,646 after various renovations over the years. The Gardens remained the Maple Leafs' home until the Air Canada Centre opened in 1999.

November 12: On this day in 1931, Foster Hewitt, from his newly constructed ‘gondola’ high above the ice surface, began his famous Hockey Night in Canada radio broadcasts that would become the definitive Saturday-night tradition for Canadians coast-to-coast. Because of Foster’s description of Leaf games and his build up of their star players, the Leafs became ‘Canada’s team’.

November 12: On this day in 1998, the Leafs clobbered the Blackhawks 10-3 in Chicago. During the 1998-99 season, in Pat Quinn's first year as head coach in Toronto, the Leafs scored 268 goals, more than any other team in the NHL. Leading the Leafs in goal scoring that season was Sergei Berezin with 37.

November 12: On this day in 2011, Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour and Joe Nieuwendyke were introduced at the ACC as the newest inductees to the Hockey Hall Of Fame. Toronto spoiled the party by losing to the Ottawa Senators 5-2.

November 12: On this day in 2012,

Mats Sundin and Joe Sakic former Quebec teammates enter hockey’s palace of honour as both are inducted to the Hockey Hall Of Fame.

The look on Mats Sundin’s face said it all.

While listening to Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee chairman Jim Gregory read off a statistical section on Joe Sakic’s newly minted plaque, Sundin turned to his fellow inductee with amazement.

“Geez,” whispered Sundin, who was part the 2012 class, along with Sakic, Pavel Bure and Adam Oates accepting their Hall of Fame rings ahead of Monday night’s official induction ceremony in Toronto.

A sheepish Sakic smiled, knowing his former teammate joins him in hockey’s famed palace with similarly impressive credentials.

Sakic finished his career as the eighth highest scorer in NHL history with 1,641 points, won a pair of Stanley Cup rings, and was MVP of the 2002 Olympics after leading Canada to a gold medal for the first time in 50 years.

Sundin scored 564 career goals and piled up 1,349 points. He also captained Sweden to its first Olympic gold medal in 2006.

Together in Quebec

Both recognized the greatness in the other early on when their careers began with the Quebec Nordiques in the late 1980s. Sakic, selected 15th overall in 1987, arrived two years ahead of Sundin, the No. 1 overall pick in 1989.

The two played four difficult seasons together with the young Nordiques, a team going through an enormous rebuilding phase at the time.

“As a 19-year-old, Joe Sakic just established himself as one of the best players in the league,” said Sundin. “And just to watch the way he performed on the ice, how he carried himself off the ice, how he was with the media. He was a perfect role model for myself. Joe was one of the guys that I looked up to when I broke in and really set the tone.”

Sundin’s talent was obvious from the moment he stepped in an NHL arena. What struck Sakic more were Sundin’s leadership abilities, even as a teenager.

“What a tremendous captain,” echoed Sakic. “I’m very proud to have [had] a chance [to play with him]. We were two guys that basically grew up together in Quebec City. To both be here in the same weekend, it’s pretty special to me.”

Their paths to the Hall of Fame took different turns.

Although Sakic remained with the Nordiques, Sundin was traded to Toronto in 1994 when he couldn’t reach a contract agreement with Quebec.

By the time the Nordiques moved to Colorado at the start of 1995-96 season, the pieces were already in place for a Stanley Cup run. The famous Eric Lindros deal with Philadelphia in 1992 netted the franchise the rights to Peter Forsberg, among others. Then in the first year of the team’s move to Denver, general manager Pierre Lacroix pulled off a coup after getting goaltending legend Patrick Roy in 1995.

With the silky smooth Sakic as Colorado’s playoff master, the franchise became a perennial power, winning Stanley Cups in 1996, and again in 2001. He still holds the NHL post-season record with eight career overtime goals.

“We had a really good team the year before in Quebec City and we just fell short in the first round,” said Sakic, Colorado’s executive adviser and alternate governor. “Obviously when you make a trade for Patrick Roy, it was Pierre’s way of showing: ‘OK ,you’ve got the best ever so go out there and get it done.’ We had some really good teams there, obviously.”

Sundin face of the Leafs

Sundin wasn’t as fortunate with his supporting cast, yet wouldn’t trade his place in history. For 13 seasons — 11 as captain — Sundin was the face of the Leafs. He is Toronto's all-time leader in goals (420) and points (987).

The team’s undisputed leader often deflected credit when the Leafs had any measure of playoff success, like the two occasions they advanced to the conference finals, but he was always the first to take responsibility in failure.

Sundin adored his time in Toronto, one that hasn’t wavered despite an almost half-a-century Stanley Cup drought.

“Winning the Stanley Cup in Toronto, I don’t think anyone can envision,” he said in a self-deprecating tone. “I’ve got so much out of my career over these 18 years, [it’s] way too much that I could ever ask for. I’ve got too much from hockey that I’ve got no regrets.”

Olympic glory

Sundin and Sakic do share similar Olympic experiences.

After enduring a disastrous 1998 Nagano Games, the expectations for Canada soared four years later in Salt Lake City, Utah. Canada didn’t start off well, enduring an embarrassing 5-2 defeat to Swedish behind Sundin’s two goals.

The Canadians did rebound, reaching the gold-medal final against the hometown U.S., where Sakic sealed the win with a goal.

“I just remember it was the best game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Sakic, who led the tournament in points. “The speed of the game, what it meant, it was unbelievable to be there for that. We really wanted to win a gold medal.”

In those same Olympics, Sundin and the rest of his teammates suffered more humiliation as Sweden was shocked in the quarter-finals to qualifier Belarus. The loss prompted a Swedish newspaper to publish the exorbitant NHL salaries of each player the following day.

However, redemption was found four years later in Turin, Italy.

Sweden reached the top of the mountain, defeating Finland in the gold-medal game with a team that also featured Forsberg, former Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom, Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, Vancouver’s Henrik and Daniel Sedin twins, and Detroit wizard Henrik Zetterberg.

It was the crowning achievement for Sundin and his nation, which finally become kings at a time when all hockey countries were represented by their best players.

“It was kind of our last chance to [win] in our prime,” said Sundin, now an adviser to the Swedish national team. “So it was very special, especially [after] the failure of '02 and '98 where we had similar teams and we couldn’t get the job done. For Swedish hockey it was a big recognition and a certification that we’re a great nation in the game of hockey.”

On This Day September 8th.

September 8: On this day in 1970, Paul DiPietro was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. DiPietro came to the Leafs after winning a Cup with the Canadiens in 1993. He only played 32 games for the Leafs over two seasons between 1994 and 1996 while bouncing back and forth from the minors. As a Leaf, DiPietro put in 5 goals and added 5 assists.

September 8: On this day in 2003, Doug Gilmour rumours floated around the hockey world that Gilmour was considering retirement. To the delight of Maple Leaf fans, the 2003 NHL trade deadline brought good news: the Canadiens traded Gilmour to the Maple Leafs for a sixth round draft pick so that he could finish his career in Toronto. However, in his first game back with the Leafs, Gilmour and Flame Dave Lowry accidentally collided on Gilmour's second shift, resulting in Gilmour breaking his leg. He missed the remainder of the season and officially announced his retirement on September 8, 2003 after John Ferguson, Jr. declined to re-sign him.

On This Day February 13th.

February 13: On this day in 1971, Mats Sundin was born in Bromma, Sweden. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played his first four seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994, where he played the majority of his career, serving 11 seasons as team captain.

At the end of the 2007–08 NHL season, Sundin had been the longest serving non-North American born captain in NHL history. Sundin last played for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2008–09 season before announcing his retirement on September 30, 2009.

February 13: On this day in 1993, Doug Gilmour tied a Leaf team record set by Babe Pratt On January 8th, 1944 when he assisted on all six of Toronto's goals as the Leafs defeated the Minnesota North Stars 6-1. On same night Pat Burns celebrates 200th NHL regular-season win. In that same 1992-93 season, Gilmour set the current team records of 95 assists in one season and 127 points in one season.

February 13: On this day in 1999, The Maple Leafs played their final game at Maple Leaf Gardens. Their opponents were the Chicago Blackhawks and just as on opening night in November of 1931, the Blackhawks defeated the Leafs, this time 6-2. Bob Probert of the Hawks scored the last goal at 11:05 of the third period. The last Leaf player to score a goal at MLG was Derek King at 8:15 of the second period.

This is the last live "Coaches Corner" from that game.

On This Day January 2nd.

Jim Harrison 4 assists in a 13-0 romp over Detroit. Photo by Mike Moore private collection.

January 2: On this day in 1971, the Leafs inflicted the worst defeat that the Detroit Red Wings ever suffered in their history. The Leafs scored 13 unanswered goals and came within one of tying a team record for the most goals in one game (14) set in 1957. They did set a team record with 7 goals in the third period. most assists (11) in one period. most points (18). Final score - Leafs 13, Wings 0. Jacques Plante and Bruce Gamble shared the shutout in nets. Former Wings, Norm Ullman and Paul Henderson each had two goals and two assists. Jim Harrison had four assists, two of them on goals scored by a rookie named Darryl Sittler.

January 2: On this day in 1980, the Leafs began a new decade with a 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders. The 1979-80 season was the first of ten consecutive seasons that the Leafs would finish with a losing record in the 21-team NHL. In the calendar 10 year period between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1989, the Leafs compiled a dismal regular season record of W-228, L-410, T-87 for a winning percentage of just .374 and better than only the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils. In the 1980's, the Leafs allowed 593 more goals than they scored.

Doug Gilmour (aka) "Killer"

January 2: On this day in 1992, the Leafs and the Calgary Flames conducted the largest regular season trade in NHL history. The Leafs sent Gary Leeman, Michel Petit, Jeff Reese, Craig Berube and Alexander Godynyuk to Calgary in exchange for Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun and Rick Wamsley. The key prize in the deal turned out to be Doug Gilmour who led the Leafs in scoring for the next three straight seasons including an all-time Leaf record high of 127 points in 1992-93. Gilmour also had an all-time high of 77 career playoff points as a Leaf.

Jeff Brown

January 2: On this day in 1998, the Leafs acquired defenseman Jeff Brown from Carolina for a 4th round draft choice. Brown played in just 19 games as a Leaf before being traded a couple of months later to Washington where he ended his NHL career of 747 regular season games and a very respectable total of 584 points, 9 of which were with the Leafs.

Brian McCabe

January 2: On this day in 2006, Chad Kilger scored the first two Leaf goals of the new calendar year and Bryan McCabe scored the overtime winner as the Leafs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. As at the end of the 2006-07 season, the Leafs have an all-time winning record against the Penguins of W-64, L-62, T-17, O/L-0. The Leafs have a perfect series record of 3-0 in the three times the two teams have met in the playoffs.