Leafs to honour numbers of Gilmour and Clark
- Thread starter moosejaw
- Start date
leafschik1967
Verified Member
They aren't retired. The Leafs only retire numbers if the player dies young. They are just honoured - raised to the rafters, but still in circulation.
They seem like good choices for honoured numbers to me. Clark in the 1993 playoffs against the Kings is one of my top 2 Leafs memories of all time. Doug Gilmour's playoff performance is the other. They didn't bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto, but they definitely brought greatness when they were on the ice.
They seem like good choices for honoured numbers to me. Clark in the 1993 playoffs against the Kings is one of my top 2 Leafs memories of all time. Doug Gilmour's playoff performance is the other. They didn't bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto, but they definitely brought greatness when they were on the ice.
bto3105
Transactions Moderator, Upstanding Member,
Well deserved for both. Killer was a star in Toronto but Wendel was an Icon. One of the greatest leafs ever to wear the Blue and White. Number 17 should be retired as it's not right seeing anyone else wearing the "heart of Toronto" Jersey.
moosejaw
Registered Trader
Thanks for the clarification.
Honoring numbers is ridiculous. I agree that they are great choices, but why not have a Leaf HOF, without the significance of raising their jersey to the rafters(or photos or whatever they choose to do.) Otherwise it just seems redundant to me. I don't see anyone coming in anytime soon wearing #17 or #93 without raising some eyebrows.
Honoring numbers is ridiculous. I agree that they are great choices, but why not have a Leaf HOF, without the significance of raising their jersey to the rafters(or photos or whatever they choose to do.) Otherwise it just seems redundant to me. I don't see anyone coming in anytime soon wearing #17 or #93 without raising some eyebrows.
hextall27
Verified Trader,
What about Bester, hey Dean?
*chukle chukle*
*chukle chukle*
cards-gotta-go
Banned User
In my opinion, a thinly veiled attempt to make fans remember the good ol' days, while the product they ice this season will stink link rotting fish.
As far as I'm concerned, numbers should only be honored/retired for those who get into the HHOF.
The more honoring of numbers that gets done league-wide, the more it cheapens and weakens the significance of the event.
As far as I'm concerned, numbers should only be honored/retired for those who get into the HHOF.
The more honoring of numbers that gets done league-wide, the more it cheapens and weakens the significance of the event.
leafschik1967
Verified Member
The HHOF has been diluted in the past few years. It should be for the upper echelon of, the truly elite hockey players. Not just "guys who played a long time and racked up stats."
Retiring / honouring numbers should be a way for a franchise to recognize a player who was important to the team, even if they aren't necessarily worthy of league-wide recognition. The HHOF is the ultimate honour. But for guys who were a step below, or were more local legends, honouring jerseys, or inducting them into a 'Team HOF' is the way to go.
Retiring / honouring numbers should be a way for a franchise to recognize a player who was important to the team, even if they aren't necessarily worthy of league-wide recognition. The HHOF is the ultimate honour. But for guys who were a step below, or were more local legends, honouring jerseys, or inducting them into a 'Team HOF' is the way to go.
Khabby
Verified Trader,
Those 2 are better now than half the guys the Leafs put on the ice!
iidaemmi
Verified Trader
I think big question is why you ask why??
Gilmour have some records, did you notice?
1992-93: NHL - Most points in one season (127), Toronto club record
1992-93: NHL - Most assists in one season (95), Toronto club record
MOST POINTS IN ONE SEASON. Its tell me everything what I need to know.
Both players are Leafs biggest heroes alltime, thats why.
Harri
cards-gotta-go
Banned User
Owning records is not justification for having your number honored. And if setting a team record IS the justification... then wow.
I thought the Leafs biggest heroes would include George Armstrong and Darryl Sittler... Wendel Clark? Wow, how the once "mighty" Leafs have fallen...
leafschik1967
Verified Member
Both Sittler and Armstrong have their jersey numbers honoured in a similar fashion. Clark was face of the Maple Leafs after he was drafted, and Gilmour shouldered that title during the early 90s. Poor teams can still have good players that are memorable to the fans of the franchise - although the Leafs of the early 90s weren't the same bottom dwellers of the 80s.
This isn't a league-wide decree. Its the Maple Leafs organization honouring two of its stars, and two of its fan favorites.
will-411
Verified Trader,
Since the Leafs have a policy of not retiring numbers, how else would people suggest they 'honor' their beloved players? Have those of you questioning the practice and suggesting a Leaf HOF ever actually looked at the banners raised to honor the players? It's a picture, their name and number... so instead of a weak, back in the corner, out of the way photo and plaque in partial darkness, they hang up a banner as their tribute. What's the kerfuffle about?
What Leaf fans SHOULD be worried about is if they are honoring Gilmour and Clark this season, the ONLY player they have left to honor is Mats Sundin (maybe Cujo gets consideration...). No other player since Dougie has provided the Leafs with the talent and skill Mats has. For such a storied franchise, it sad to see the story is going to be the talent pool of past glory is dead now, and forever how long it takes Mats Stajan to be a league star (ie - forever).
Cory
What Leaf fans SHOULD be worried about is if they are honoring Gilmour and Clark this season, the ONLY player they have left to honor is Mats Sundin (maybe Cujo gets consideration...). No other player since Dougie has provided the Leafs with the talent and skill Mats has. For such a storied franchise, it sad to see the story is going to be the talent pool of past glory is dead now, and forever how long it takes Mats Stajan to be a league star (ie - forever).
Cory
bto3105
Transactions Moderator, Upstanding Member,
Whoa!!!!!
Below the belt from the nations capital. LOVE IT!!!
There were few who played the all around intense game. Wendel was that kind of player that could turn a game around with a goal or his fist. The team wasn't great then and he was a mega star.
Clark is right up there with Keon,Kennedy and Mahovlich etc ,as the greatest to play in Tor. His body gave out young but his blood was true Blue
Now Bester......Fellas,the only place his jersey will be raised is in my rec room but all kidding aside.....Him and Palmateer faced the most ever shots per game. Again,the team wasn't great!!!
Everyone has an opinion ,just my 2 cents
Dean
DredJAw
Upstanding Member,
I agree 100%.
If the Canucks honored Trevor Linden would anybody complain or argue against it? Whats the big deal "honouring" a fan favourite that played well for your organization? A lot of teams have players that their fanbase love and would honor that probably wont go into the Hall of fame or get their jersey # retired: Koivu, Wesley, Foote, Madden, etc.
Moosejaw said earlier that honouring a number is "redundant". I think whats redundant is the fact that EVERY.SINGLE.MOVE the Leafs ever make gets trampelled on one way or the other. I mean, FFS shut up sometimes. I'm sorry if your inferiority complex gets the best of you but I urge you to just try and keep your verbal diarrhea to yourself instead of consistantly lambasting the Leafs for every god for saken move they make or don't make.
The team brings it on itself. Sorry, but it does IMO. When the firings of both Maurice and Ferguson are picked up by the national news networks (CTV, etc), determined to be a top story and talked about amongst the rest of the news of the day (not a "sports minute", but with Afghanistan, Iraq, and such) it makes non-Leafers shake their heads, upset, or what-have-you. When you have an organization that brings that much attention on itself, and it's being forced down the throats of Canadians from coast to coast, you're going to have those kinds of reactions. Are they overboard sometimes? No doubt. But there are some tangible reasons why many, myself included, pick on the Leafs so damn much.
newfiecomicguy1
Transactions, Hockey & Comic Book Moderator, April
If they have to wait until the LEafs win a cup then they will never honor anyone. How about guys like Sittler and Salming, they didn't win anything for the Leafs but the certainly deserve to be honored.
Clark and Gilmour are 2 of the most popular leafs ever. They played with such big hearts that the fans still love and respect them. Gilmour still holds several leaf records and was the biggest part of the big Leaf turn around in the early 90's. Why not honor them, the fans certainly want it. I am actually considered making the trip from NL to attend the game.
Clark and Gilmour are 2 of the most popular leafs ever. They played with such big hearts that the fans still love and respect them. Gilmour still holds several leaf records and was the biggest part of the big Leaf turn around in the early 90's. Why not honor them, the fans certainly want it. I am actually considered making the trip from NL to attend the game.
