9. Ted Kennedy

There are so many former Maple Leafs who fans and writers have dubbed as the consummate representative of the team.  One that comes up often, and certainly did in his day, was Ted Kennedy.

Kennedy played his entire NHL career for Toronto, debuting as a teenager in 1943 and scoring 49 Points in 1943-44 and 54 Points in 1944-45, with the latter season earning Kennedy and the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.  Kennedy had arrived, leading all skaters in Goals (7) in the playoffs, and his two-way skills and selfless play endeared him to his teammates and coaches alike.

Toronto would win three straight Cups (1947-49), with Kennedy being a key performer in all of them.   It was as though he saved his best performances when it mattered the most, and he lit the lamp twice in the Cup-winning game in 1948. Kennedy and the Leafs were considered one of the first dynasties in the NHL, and while he was not the top star, he was the glue.

In 1949-50, Kennedy again had a decent year, but the playoff semi-final against Detroit saw the Center injure the Red Wings’ up-and-coming star, Gordie Howe, on a botched check.  Some believed (including the Red Wings) that Kennedy did this on purpose, and it invigorated Detroit who upset the Leafs.  Kennedy would, however lead Toronto to a Stanley Cup win the following season, his fifth overall.

In the 1950s, Kennedy's production remained the same, but his individual trophy case gained accolades.  Kennedy was a Second Team All-Star in 11950, 1951, and 1954, and even though he was not a post-season All-Star in 1954-55, he was named the Hart Trophy winner.  With all due respect to Kennedy, he likely should not have won the award, as it was more of a lifetime achievement honor, more than actual recognition of what he accomplished that season.  Kennedy retired after that year but did return a year later for 30 Games before retiring for good.

He overall had 560 Points in 696 Games with another 60 in 78 Playoff Games.

Kennedy was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, and in 1993, he was part of the prestigious group that was honored by the Leafs with a banner.  His number 9 was retired (along with Charlie Conacher) in 2016.