Nitzy's Hockey Den

Montreal Arena, site of Toronto's first NHL game 100 years ago today, the NHL and the Maple Leafs franchise began. The Montreal Wanderers defeated the Toronto Arenas by a score of 10-9. Below are a few descriptions of that very first game from newspapers of the day. Toronto World newspaper, Dec 20, 1017 "About 700 people witnessed the initial professional hockey game of the season at the Arena, when the Wanderers won from Toronto by a score of 10-9. The play was somewhat ragged at times, and the visiting team (Toronto) was weak in goal. The Torontos had the better of the argument most of the game, but neither Hebert, who was the Toronto goalkeeper in the earlier part of the game, nor Brooks, in the second session, stopped the Wanderers shots as they might have done. Wanderers used Lindsay thruout and he proved more serviceable to the home team than either Hebert or Brooks." "The visitors' forwards, Skinner, Denneny and Noble, were fast and good shots, an...

Here's a great shot of the Leafs in their room from the good people at Vintage Sports Images . The two main players are easily identified as Dick Duff and Billy Harris; but the question is, when was the photo taken? Duff and Harris played together on the Leafs  from 1955/56 February 22, 1964 when Duff was dealt to New York Rangers in the Andy Bathgate trade. The photo could be from any one of these nine seasons, or could it? Checking the NHL Uniform Database  it is confirmed that the Maple Leafs added a tie-down to their sweater collar for the 1958/59 season. Therefore this photo can only be from 1955/56, 56/57 or 57/58. These three seasons were the first three in the NHL career of Billy Harris, by the 57/58 campaign he produced 16 goals and 44 points. That same season, Duff scored 26 goals and 49 points. They finished first and second in Maple Leafs point scoring that year.  A really nice photo behind the scenes of hockey life in the 1950's.

This little beauty is the latest addition to The Den, Punch Imlach's Hockey Tips issued by Chex cereal in 1962. This 32-page, thick-stock paper, full colour booklet was originally obtained by sending in two box-tops of Chex cereal. The one I picked up is in just about perfect shape and looks real nice on the shelf with the   How to Play Goal Booklet by Johnny Bower  and the  How to Play Forward Booklet by Dave Keon  that were put out by Coca-Cola a few years later. Coach Punch covers all the facets of hockey with the help of his star players on the Maple Leafs. Red Kelly helps illustrate the golden rule of hockey, "Always keep that head up". As a defenceman, Tim Horton apparently must "Stop the puck with his body, hands, stick, and so on." Not sure what "so on" refers to, but it probably hurts. Dave Keon reminds us that when stick-handling, "Stick blade lies flat on ice". I can attest by experience, this is true. The Big ...

Here's a very cool vintage hockey photo that came to me with zero identifying information. It's from my pals at Vintage Sports Images  and shows a melee between some old Leafs and Wings. Simply looking at the faces, we can see that the #19 Leaf at the left is the one and only Bill Barilko and the Red Wing on the right looks to be a very young Red Kelly.  Barilko and Smythe A young Leonard "Red" Kelly  Let's start with Barilko. Although more known for wearing his retired number 5, Barilko actually wore #19 more than any other number during his career with the Leafs. He only wore 5 in 1950/51, when he scored the Stanley Cup overtime winner. The previous two seasons, Barilko sported # 19, and his first two years he was #21. So, seeing Barilko with #19 in this photo means it can only be either 1948/49 or 1949/50.  In regards to Red Kelly, he began his career with Detroit in 1947/48 and by 1949/50 he was named to the 2nd All-Star Team, his first of eight...

Here's another great old image from the archives of Vintage Sports Images here in North Van. This one is a great action shot of the Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. In net for the Leafs is obviously Johnny Bower, but who are the rest of the guys? At first glance, the #19 Leaf appears to be Kent Douglas and checking the photo records it sure seems so. Also, Toronto wore this specific uniform with the bordered Leaf logo from 1963/64 through 1966/67. Douglas was the only player to wear #19 in that period. As for the Bruins #19, the only ones to wear it over this time frame were Doug Mohns, Reggie Fleming and John McKenzie. Pie McKenzie was a right-shooter and the guy in the photo is not Doug Mohns. It has to be Reggie Fleming in 1965/66 as he was traded to the Rangers on January 10, 1966 for...McKenzie. Doug Mohns Reg Fleming So, if it's 65/66 we can now easily visually identify the Bruin in the back as Tommy Williams using various photo databases. Williams was a...

Firewagon hockey. That's the only thing to call it. 15 goals for and 7 against in the first two games of the 2017/18 season for the Toronto Maple Leafs makes for fun hockey-watching. It is the most goals the Leafs have ever scored in the first two games of the season. Exactly 100 years ago, when the franchise was known as the Arenas, they potted 20 goals in the first two games and somehow lost one of them.  In fact, the Leafs are the first team in 27 years to score at least seven goals in each of their first two games of the season. In 1990/91 the Penguins opened the year with back-to-back 7-4 victories. In those two games the line of Kevin Stevens,  John Cullen and  Mark Recchi 9, 9 and 6 points respectively.  The Maple Leafs of 2017 have nine different players with at least three points and only Kadri and Matthews with four. Slightly more balanced scoring that the 90/91 Pens. The previous record for the Leafs was 13 goals in the first two games of 197...

I sure loves me some old hockey photos! Here's another from  Vintage Sports Images , a great pic of Gordie Howe and the Red Wings playing the Maple Leafs. Let's start with the goaltender. A look at the Society for International Hockey Research visual database from the late 1940's through the 50's (to hook up with the fact Howe is playing) and we can conclude it is Ed Chadwick. The Leafs goalie progression went from Turk Broda to Harry Lumley to Ed Chadwick (below) who played every game in 1956/57 and 57/58. This is definitely not Broda or Lumley in the photo. Johnny Bower then took the helm of the Leaf net afterward. Ed Chadwick So it is either 56/57 or 57/58, now to the other players. Leafs #3 is Jim Morrison who wore that number for a four year span. #17 for the Leafs in both of these seasons was Dick Duff, seen checking Howe.  The Red Wing battling Morrison in front of Chadwick is #16, a young Norm Ullman who wore that number his first three seasons before...

 Follow Chris Mizzoni   @NitzysHockeyDen 30 years ago today, may as well rewatch it to celebrate.  # game3 # 87CanadaCup 8:10 PM - Sep 17, 2017   17 17 Replies     46 46 Retweets     110 110 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy  Follow Chris Mizzoni   @NitzysHockeyDen Well that was quick... 26 seconds in. I recall that 16 year-old me did not enjoy that start. 8:16 PM - Sep 17, 2017   1 1 Reply     Retweets     likes Twitter Ads info and privacy This past Sunday was the 30th anniversary of Game 3 of the 1987 Canada Cup so I decided to rewatch the game in it's entirety. Five years ago, TSN re-broadcast all three final games and they now reside at the bottom of my PVR list with the trusty "lock" beside them so as not to be deleted, ever. I aso figured, what the hell, may as well live twe...