Maple Leafs by the numbers: #26 Allan Stanley

So, uh, sorry about forgetting JVR yesterday, he shouldn’t switch numbers like that. So never mind, about that I’m lost in a sea of numbers. JVR hasn’t appeared yet! Here’s number 26.

Allan Stanley (1958-1968)
Stats: 633GP - 47G - 186A - 233Pts - 318PM
Awards: Stanley Cup - 1962, 63, 64, 67

Stanley joined the Leafs a decade into his NHL career when he had already been a runner up for the Calder, and played for the Blackhawks, Rangers, and Bruins. He would come to the Leafs in a one for one trade for Jim Morrison in 1958. He’d spend another nine season with the Maple Leafs, winning Stanley Cups in 1962, 63, 64, and 67, and be runner up for the Norris trophy in 1960 and 1961. Once his career with the Leafs was over in 1968, he would play one season with the Flyers before retiring. He would enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

Other 26’s:
Gary Aldcorn (1957-58)
Stats: 59GP - 10G - 14A - 233Pts - 318PM

Aldcorn wore three numbers in his up and down career with the Leafs, always splitting time between the Leafs and Rochester Americans. He would find a permanent home in the NHL with the Red Wings and Bruins for two seasons before leaving the NHL.

Bob Baun (1956-57)
Stats: 20GP - 0G - 5A - 5Pts - 37PM

Baun would make his Leafs debuit as #26, but the next season he would switch to #21 and do a lot of great things for the team as we’ll find out later in the week.

Dave Burrows (1978-1981)
Stats: 151GP - 5G - 27A - 32Pts - 72PM

Burrows was a Penguin for the first seven seasons of his NHL career before being traded to the Leafs in the summer of 1978. He’s play two and a half season for the Leafs before being sent back to the Penguins early in the 80/81 season. He would retire that summer.

Jack Capuano (1989)
Stats: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

The NCAA grad joined the Leafs but spent almost his entire time in the system in the minors, getting in one game as a Leaf. He would be traded to the Islanders near the end of 1989, but only play five more NHL games for the Bruins and Canucks. He went into coaching not long after retiring and is currently an associate coach for the Florida Panthers.

Russ Courtnall (1983-84)
Stats: 14GP - 3G - 9A - 12Pts - 6PM

A first round pick for the Leafs in 1983, Courtnall made his NHL debut that season, playing 14 games and spending the rest of the year with Team Canada and the Victoria Cougars. He would make the NH full time the next season before being traded to the Canadiens for John Kordic.

Chris Evans (1970)
Stats: 2GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Chris “Not Captain America” Evans spent most of his time as a Leaf in the minors, but did make it up for two games. He would stick in the NHL with the Blues, before leaving for the WHA and then Germany. He would share a name with Maple Leafs superfan, and the real Captain America, Chris Evans.

Petter Granberg (2014)
Stats: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Granberg was a fourth round pick for the Leafs, but never made it past the Marlies for more than one or two games. After two seasons he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Nashville Predators.

Paul Healey (2001-2003)
Stats: 65GP - 6G - 14A - 20Pts - 18PM

Joining the Leafs after the Flyers and Predators, Healey played two seasons split between Toronto and St. John’s. After that he would bounce around the AHL, NHL, Europe and ECHL before retiring.

Jamie Heward (1996-97)
Stats: 20GP - 1G - 4A - 5Pts - 6PM

Heward joined the Leafs after a few years in the minors, played two seasons and then left. He would return to the Leafs in 2009 as a salary dump from the Lightning, but not play a game.

Bill Kitchen (1984-85)
Stats: 29GP - 1G - 4A - 5Pts - 27PM

After spending a few years in the Canadiens farm system ,Kitchen came to the Leafs to...spend a few years in the Leafs farm system. He was called up once, and retired after the following season.

Chris Kotsopoulos (1985-1989)
Stats: 182GP - 11G - 37A - 48Pts - 221PM

Kotsopoulos came to the Leafs from the Hartford Whalers in exchange for Stewart Gavin. He stuck with the Leafs for four seasons, racking up over 200 penalty minutes. After his final year with the Leafs he played one season with the Red Wings in Adirondack then retired.

Mike Krushelnyski (1990-1994)
Stats: 269GP - 50G - 63A - 113Pts - 210PM

Arriving in Toronto via the Los Angeles Kings (going there in the Gretzky trade), he would play out almost four seasons with the Maple Leafs, including a big year they went to the ECF against his old team in 1993. He would leave after the 93-94 season for the Red Wings.

Rick Ley (1968-69)
Stats: 38GP - 1G - 11A - 12Pts - 39PM

Ley was a Leafs third round pick and made his debut in the 68-69 season. He would play three more seasons for the Leafs wearing #2 before leaving for the WHA.

Bob Liddington (1971)
Stats: 11GP - 0G - 1A - 1Pts - 2PM

His stint in Toronto was his only NHL time, he would leave the Leafs to join the WHA and after that he spent his career in the minors.

John-Michael Liles (2013-14)
Stats: 6GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Liles first two seasons in Toronto were played with the number 24, and after he played six games from October to January of the 13-14 season, Liles would be traded with prospect Dennis Robertson to the Carolina Hurricanes for Tim Gleason. He’s currently playing with the Boston Bruins.

Frank Mahovlich (1957)
Stats: 3GP - 1G - 0A - 1Pt - 2PM

The Big M joined the Leafs for three games after the St. Michael’s Majors season ended in 1957. He would wear #26 and then switch to #27 when he made the Leafs full time.

Wally Maxwell (1953)
Stats: 2GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Maxwell played two games for the Leafs after the Toronto Marlboros OHA season ended in 1953. He wouldn’t play pro again, playing in the NCAA and Senior A circuits.

Basil McRae (1983-1985)
Stats: 4GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 19PM

Coming to the Leafs from the Nordiques, McRae played four games over two seasons for the Leafs, and then left for the Red Wings. He is currently a co-owner of the OHL’s London Knights, and Director of Player Personnel with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Barry Melrose (1980-1983)
Stats: 173GP - 5G - 15A - 20Pts - 420PM

Joining the Leafs off waivers from the Jets, Melrose played two and a half seasons in Toronto before playing three season with the Red Wings and their AHL team.He went into coaching after retiring, most recently in 2008-09 with the Lightning.

Lyle Moffat (1974-1975)
Stats: 22GP - 52G - 7A - 9Pts - 13PM

After leaving the NCAA Moffat played in the Leafs system for two years before finding success with the Jets in the WHA.

Craig Muni (1984-85)
Stats: 8GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Muni’s final appearance on this list is now. Minor league, blah blah blah, used to coach the Buffalo Beauts.

Ben Ondrus (2006-2008)
Stats: 19GP - 0G - 2A - 2Pts - 25PM

A longtime Marlie, Ondrus made brief appearances with the Leafs grabbing whatever number was available.

Nathan Perrott (2003-2005)
Stats: 19GP - 0G - 2A - 2Pts - 25PM

Perrott joined the Leafs from the Nashville Predators. He played two seasons in the NHL, and the lockout in the AHL, before being traded to the Dallas Stars for the pick that brought us Leo Komarov.

Nikita Soshnikov (2016-Present)
Stats: 57GP - 5G - 4A - 9Pts - 16PM

A Russian free agent, Soshnikov has spent last season in #26, and has worn it in his single game this year.

Ben Smith (2016)
Stats: 16GP - 2G - 4A - 6Pts - 2PM

Coming to the Leafs at the 2016 trade deadline, he would leave the team in the off-season then be claimed on waivers from the Avalanche early in the 16-17 season. He’s currently wearing #18.

Mike Stevens (1990)
Stats: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

A career AHLer played one game for the Leafs before never seeing the NHL again. Like most people on these lists he ended his career in Germany.

Mike Van Ryn (2008-09)
Stats: 27GP - 3G - 8A - 11Pts - 14PM

Van Ryn came to the Leafs from the Florida Panthers, in exchange for Bryan McCabe. He would only play 27 games due to injuries and retire that off season. He is currently the head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners.

Darren Veitch (1990-91)
Stats: 2GP - 0G - 1A - 1Pt - 0PM

Coming to the Leafs from the Red Wings for Miroslav Frycer, Veitch played half a season in #25 then played two games in #26 and was traded to the Blues for Keith Osborne.

Kurt Walker (1975-1978)
Stats: 66GP - 4G - 5A - 9Pt - 93PM

Walker played up and down with the Leafs for three seasons, and then floated around the minors the rest of his career.

Daniel Winnik (2014-16)
Stats: 114GP - 11G - 28A - 39Pt - 35PM

Winnik was traded by the Leafs two seasons in a row, bringing us three picks, Brooks Laich, and Connor Carick.

Craig Wolanin (1996-1998)
Stats: 33GP - 0G - 4A - 4Pts - 19PM

Coming to Toronto at the end of his career, Wolanin finished out his career with the Leafs after being traded by the Lightning.

Dmitry Yushkevich (1995-96)
Stats: 69GP - 1G -10A - 11Pts - 54PM

Yushky played his first season with the Leafs in #26 before swapping to #36 full time. He was picked to represent that number here.

Mike Zigomanis (2010-11)
Stats: 8GP - 0G -1A - 1Pts - 4PM

Signed as veteran presence on the Marlies, Zigomanis was called up in the 10-11 season, and played out his contract in the AHL after that.

Who was the best #26 for the Maple Leafs?