Eighteen years ago, Boston Bruins goaltender Andrew Raycroft took the National Hockey League by storm. Boston’s fifth-round pick in 1998 had spent the previous three seasons bouncing back and forth on Interstate 95 between Boston and Providence. In fact, a majority of Raycroft’s early professional career in the AHL, playing in 121 games on the Bruins’
Maple Leafs History
Usually, July 1 is reserved for the signing of big free-agent contracts, but July 2 has seen its fair share of new deals getting done too. One Hall of Fame goaltender found a new home twice on this date, and another future Hall of Famer was born in Canada. Eddie the Eagle Cashes In…..Twice Goaltender
May 25 is one of the most memorable days in National Hockey League history. Not only was a bold prediction made true, but three Stanley Cup champions were crowned as well. The THW time machine is warmed up and ready to take us back to relive all the best moments from this historic date. Mark
If you think the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews 2021-22 season is spectacular, you should’ve seen what Rick Vaive was doing 40 years ago. Many younger Maple Leafs’ fans may not know, and several diehard fans would rather forget, but the 1980s were a brutal era for the franchise. It was the most chaotic time
This article was originally written in January, 2015. If you’ve been following the 2015 NFL Playoffs, you already know the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers are moving on to the Divisional round. A team that finished the regular season at 7-8-1 advanced by virtue of defeating an Arizona Cardinals team with a third-string quarterback. In
Miles Gilbert Horton, better known as “Tim” Horton thanks to a nickname his mother gave him before giving birth, was born on Jan. 12, 1930, in Cochrane, Ontario, a mining region in the north of the province. Horton stood out from the crows in a lots of ways, including from the first time he laced
On Christmas Day, THW re-published a story I wrote about one of my favorite memories with my father. He was a minor league hockey player himself in St. Catherines when he was young; and, when I was about 10 years old, he took me to Toronto to see Maple Leafs’ Gardens. In his opinion, the
On this date, the most storied franchise in the history of the National Hockey League signed one of its future legends. Also, three different team captains were named, and a whole slew of moves were made before the start of regular-season action. The THW time machine is fired up and ready to take through the
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Amazon are hard at work promoting their new docuseries: All or Nothing. The only thing missing is a red-carpet preview complete with photographers and entertainment reporters lined up as the actors appear for an early viewing. I will not be watching, and it doesn’t matter how many players promote it or
Sept. 18 was a good day for National Hockey League debuts as a former number one overall pick, and a new franchise took to the ice for the first time. Also, the largest crowd to ever gather for an NHL game showed up in Florida for a preseason tilt. Finally, a pair of future Hall
In 2015, my THW colleague Andrew Forbes wrote a series of posts on the all-time best forwards in Toronto Maple Leafs history. With the 2019-20 NHL regular season now on hiatus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed time to add my own thoughts to his. I encourage Maple Leafs fans to read his
The Pittsburgh Penguins traded away one of the greatest players in their franchise history on this date. Plus, a pair of Hockey Hall of Famers were born who won three Stanley Cups between them. So let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the best moments from July 11. Pittsburgh Penguins Trade
I’ve always admitted that many of the readers of my THW’s Toronto Maple Leafs’ posts have (a) been Maple Leafs’ fans much longer than I have and (b) know so much more about the team than I do. In fact, over and over again, I find myself in awe of your knowledge as readers and
Two National Hockey League seasons concluded on this date, one in a very memorable fashion. June 24 has also hosted four different NHL Entry Drafts over the years, which welcomed plenty of star power into the league. Let’s begin our daily look back at all the history made on this date. 17 Seconds The term
June 28 is the anniversary of one of the most remarkable trades in Toronto Maple Leafs history. It was the trade that sent Maple Leafs captain and fan-favorite Wendel Clark for a young Swedish center iceman named Mats Sundin. Related: What Mats Sundin Meant to Toronto Hockey The trade, at the time, shocked Toronto’s die-hard
Hockey fans in Bean Town have enjoyed what they have seen on this date. Fans in the Windy City can’t complain either. This date has also seen numerous players join the National Hockey League via the draft, and a whole new franchise was added to the mix. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time
June 10 is a memorable date for a handful of fan bases across the National Hockey League. There were champions crowned in the most dramatic of fashions as well as some franchise-altering draft picks. This was also the date when the hockey world lost one of its greatest players. Hockey World Says Goodbye to a
In this latest series of articles, we’re looking back at some former NHLers that once suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some only played a game donning the blue and white, while others may have played significant time in the Big Smoke. Related: Maple Leafs’ Forgotten Ones – Mikael Renberg They might not be