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21. Ace Bailey

21. Ace Bailey

Irvine “Ace” Bailey was not planning to turn his hockey playing into a professional career, and in the 1920s, that was not considered a lucrative option.  The Toronto St. Patricks saw an abundance of talent in Bailey, and he signed with them before the 1926/27 season.

Bailey was an instant star, utilizing his marksmanship and speed to become one of the premier snipers in hockey.  Bailey would lead the NHL in Goals in 1928-29 (22) and Points (32), and he had two more 20-Goal/40-Point years, which was an impressive accomplishment back then.

On December 12, 1933, the Leafs were on the road against Eddie Shore and the Boston Bruins.  During the game, the tenacious King Clancy checked Shore with brute force, leading the Bruin to seek vengeance.  Shore got up, and with the Leafs advancing to the Boston zone, he used his stick to viciously trip Bailey (who he thought was Clancy), who thunderously fell to the ice head-first. 

Bailey was not just knocked out cold; he was in a coma for ten days, of which it was thought he would never recover.  Bailey came out of the coma, but his playing career was over.  To help Bailey financially, an All-Star Game, the first of its kind in the NHL, happened in 1934, with Shore and Bailey shaking hands to start the game.

The Maple Leafs honored Bailey and made history in the process by becoming the first NHL team to retire a number when Bailey’s number 6 was retired.  

Bailey was finally elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Right Wing
  • Acquired: Signed as a Free Agent 11/3/26.
  • Departed: Forced to retire after a career-ending concussion on 12/12/33.
  • Games Played: 316
  • Notable Statistics:

    111 Goals
    81 Assists 
    192 Points 
    488 PIM 
    0.61 PPG 
    N/A Plus/Minus*
    36.2 Point Shares 

    20 Playoff Games
    3 Goals
    5 Assists 
    8 Points 
    12 PIM 
    0.40 PPG 
    N/A Plus/Minus*

    *Plus/Minus was not a statistic when Bailey played.

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Stanley Cup Champion (1932)
    Most Goals (1928-29)
    Most Points (1928-29)
    Most Goals per Game (1928-29)
    Most Points per Game (1928-29)
    Most Offensive Point Shares (1928-29)

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