Maple Leafs retired 17 numbers prior to Saturday’s home opener
By Leah Smith
As part of the celebration of the Maple Leafs’ centennial season, the franchise retired the numbers of 17 players. This is a major shift in how the team honors its past great players.
A quick glance into the rafters of the Air Canada Centre, and there are many great Maple Leafs and their numbers up there. But only two of those players, Ace Bailey and Bill Barilko, had have their numbers officially retired by the organization.
That changed on Saturday night in a half hour ceremony before the home opener against the Boston Bruins. In an introduction video it was explained that, since 1993, great Maple Leafs have been honored by having their numbers raised to the rafters. But they were not retired so that current players could pay tribute by wearing the numbers of past greats who have worn the blue and white.
In another sign of the changing attitudes in the Toronto front office when in comes to honoring the history of the franchise, the philosophy has changed. The 16 players who had their numbers honored would join the two previously retired numbers. Bailey and Barilko had their numbers retired because they suffered a tragedy while in a Leafs uniform. Bailey suffered a career-ending injury during a game, and Barilko went missing after a plane crash in 1951.
In addition to the 18 players whose numbers were previously honored, another player was added: Dave Keon. For years, he had distanced himself from the franchise and part of the reason was because they refused to retire his number. Just a day before Keon had his number retired, he was named the greatest player in Leafs history. A statue of Keon was also added to Legends Row along with Turk Broda and Tim Horton.
Here is the list of retired Leafs numbers and players.
1 — Johnny Bower, Turk Broda
4 — Hap Day, Red Kelly
5 — Bill Barilko
6 — Ace Bailey
7 — King Clancy, Tim Horton
9 — Ted Kennedy, Charlie Conacher
10 — Syl Apps, George Armstrong
13 — Mats Sundin
14 — Dave Keon
17 — Wendel Clark
21 — Borje Salming
27 — Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler
93 — Doug Gilmour
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Only one current Maple Leafs player had to change their number because of these retirements. James van Riemsdyk switched from number 21 to 25.