Maple Leafs by the Numbers: #9 Duff, Conacher, or Ullman?

Dick Duff (1957-64)
Stats: 440GP - 130G - 135A - 265Pts - 458PM
Awards: Stanley Cup - 1962, 63

Duff switched to #9 after two seasons in #17 with the Maple Leafs, and wore it for the next six and a half seasons with the Maple Leafs. an average 40 point scorer from the wing, Duff would help the Maple Leafs win two Stanley Cups before being traded to the New York Rangers in a seven player deal.

Charlie Conacher (1929-38)
Stats: 326GP - 200G - 124A - 324Pts - 411PM
Awards: Stanley Cup - 1932

Charlie Conacher is regarded as one of the greatest Leafs to play in the early seasons of the franchise. If they had existed at the time he would have won five Rocket Richard awards for leading the NHL in goals, two Art Ross trophies for leading the league in points, and helped the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup in 1932.

Best known as the first power forward, he used his size to help take one of the hardest shots in the league, which led to him getting the nickname “The Big Bomber”. Despite playing each season with injuries, broken hands plagued him early in his career and a broken collarbone cost him the scoring race in the 1933-34 season.

After playing less than half the season from 1936-38, the Red Wings would offer the Maple Leafs $16,000 ($275,000 in 2017)for Conachers rights. He would play one year in Detroit, and another two with the New York Americans before retiring from playing for good. He tried coaching after retirement and found some success at the junior level, winning four straight OHA title from 1941-44 the Memorial Cup in 1944. He coached three seasons in the NHL with the Blackhawks, but missed the playoffs each season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967, and the Leafs retired his #9 at the start of the 2016-17 season.

Norm Ullman (1968-75)
Stats: 535GP - 166G - 305A - 471Pts - 160PM

Joining the Maple Leafs late in the 67-68 season in an eight player deal with the Red Wings after 13 seasons in Detroit, Norm Ullman would go on to play seven more in Toronto. He would perform at a high level, scoring more than 50 points in six seasons, more than 60 in five, and more than 70 three times. His production took a sharp decline in his final season in Toronto, seeing him score 35 points - his lowest total since his rookie year. After the 74-75 season he would play two more for the Edmonton Oilers of the WHA.

He currently writes long fanposts here at PPP.

Other #9’s

Stewart Adams (1932-33)
Stats: 19GP - 0G - 2A - 2Pts - 0PM

Adams played 19 games for the Maple Leafs, coming off a season with the Chicago Blackhawks. He spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Stars, and played three more minor league seasons before retiring.

Glenn Anderson (1992-94)
Stats: 149GP - 39G - 61A - 100Pts - 167PM

Anderson switched from #10 to #9 after the 91-92 season. He’d play in #9 for a season and a half until he was traded to the Rangers for Mike Gartner.

Nik Antropov (1999-2001)
Stats: 118GP - 18G - 29A - 47Pts - 71PM

Antropov wore #9 in his first two NHL seasons, before switching to #11 and then the long time #80 he would wear.

Colby Armstrong (2010-12)
Stats: 79GP - 9G - 17A - 26Pts - 47PM

Armstrong signed with the Leafs after two and a half seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers. He played only 79 out of 164 possible games, and was bought out of the third year of his contract. He would sign in Montreal but play less than half the season there, and retire afterwards. He’s not working as an analyst on Sportsnet.

Don Ashby (1975-78)
Stats: 138GP - 26G - 40A - 66Pts - 34PM

A 1975 first round pick for the Leafs, Ashby split his first year between the Leafs and Oklahoma City Blazers, and followed that up with playing all but three games for the Leafs in the 76-77 season. He would spend the next seasons mostly in the minors before switching to #8 for three games before being traded to the Colorado Rockies for Paul Gardner.

Andy Bathgate (1963-65)
Stats: 70GP - 19G - 44A - 63Pts - 42PM

Bathgate took #9 from Dick Duff when they were swapped for each other as part of a seven player deal between the Leafs and Rangers. In the 1965 off-season he would be part of an eight player trade between the Leafs and Red Wings.

Mark Bell (2007-08)
Stats: 35GP - 4G - 6A - 10Pts - 60PM

Bell signed a two year deal with the Leafs in the 07 off-season, but was a healthy scratch for most of the season, and he also served a 15 game suspension for being convicted of a DUI. He spent the next season with the Marlies before being released.

Lorne Carr (1941-46)
Stats: 23GP - 105G - 121A - 226Pts - 37PM
Awards: Stanley Cup 1942, 45

Joining the Leafs after seven seasons with the New York Americans, Carr would play five seasons with the Maple Leafs, wining two Stanley Cups along the way. He would retired after his final season with the Maple Leafs.

Lex Chisholm (1939-40)
Stats: 28GP - 6G - 8A - 14Pts - 11PM

Chisholm played two seasons for the Leafs, only the 39-40 season was spent just with the NHL.

Russ Courtnall (1985-89)
Stats: 226GP - 75G - 109A - 184Pts - 193PM

A first round pick for the Leafs in 1983, Courtnall switched to #9 after two seasons in #26 and #16. He would wear #9, for three seasons and nine games, until being traded to the Montreal Canadiens for John Kordic and a 6th round pick.

Mike Craig (1994-97)
Stats: 172GP - 20G - 30A - 50Pts - 116PM

Craig signed with the Leafs in the 1994 off-season after leaving the Dallas Stars as a free agent, and stayed with the Leafs for three seasons, totaling 50 points as a winger. These would be his last full NHL seasons, he would play in the minors with just a few call ups before leaving for Europe. He is currently an assistant coach in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Dick Gamble (1995-67)
Stats: 3GP - 1G - 0A - 1Pt - 0PM

Gamble played nine seasons with the Leafs AHL affiliate in Rochester but was only called up for three games total.

Stew Gavin (1982-85)
Stats: 216GP - 28G - 40A - 68Pts - 172PM

A fourth round pick for the Leafs, Stewart played most of his games when he switched to #9 from #17. He would be traded to the Whalers for Chris Kotsopoulos just before the 85-86 season.

Alex Gray (1928-29)
Stats: 7GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

In his only full NHL season in 1927-28, Gray would win the Stanley Cup with the Rangers. The Leafs traded Butch Keeling for him, but he wouldn’t last more than seven games before going down to the minors for the rest of his career.

Niklas Hagman (2008-10)
Stats: 120GP - 42G - 33A - 75Pts - 27PM

Hagman would sign with the Maple Leafs after two and a half season in Dallas. He would play one and a half in Toronto before being sent to the Flames in the Phaneuf trade.

Dave Hannan (1989-92)
Stats: 148GP - 19G - 34A - 53Pts - 153PM

Signed with the Maple Leafs after playing for the Penguins, Hannan played with the Leafs until the 1992 trade deadline when he would be sent to the Sabres for a 5th round pick.

Darby Hendrickson (1994 Playoffs)
Stats: 2GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

A 1990 4th round pick, he made his debut in the playoffs sporting #9. When he was called up the following season he would wear #16 until being traded to the Islanders in 1996.

Josh Holden (2002-04)
Stats: 6GP - 1G - 0A - 1Pt - 2PM

Holden bounced around the minors after being draft by the Canucks, spent two years in St. John’s then left for Europe, where he is still playing in the Swiss B League.

Brent Imlach (1966-67)
Stats: 1GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM

Punch Imlach’s son played one game with the Leafs after his junior season ended.

Busher Jackson (1929-1939 - Career)
Stats: 432GP - 186G - 165A - 351Pts - 342PM
Awards: Stanley Cup - 1932

Jackson was primarily known for wearing #11, but did dress in #9. Career stats are listed above, but the time frame for #9 vs #11 are unclear from what I can find. He would play over 400 games for the Leafs, before being one of four players sent to the New York Americans for Sweeney Schriner in 1939.

Calle Johansson (2003-04)
Stats: 8GP - 0G - 6A - 6Pts - 6PM

Johansson was going to retire in the 2003 off-season after 15 seasons with the Capitals. The Leafs persuaded him to join them instead, but it only lasted eight games.

Pep Kelly (1934-40)
Stats: 230GP - 55G - 46A - 101Pts - 98PM

Kelly wore #5, #9, #15, and #16 in his six season career with the Maple Leafs.

Ted Kennedy (1956-57)
Stats: 30GP - 6G - 16A - 22Pts - 35PM

In his final season, coming out of retirement to help the Maple Leafs fend off a slow start, Kennedy wore #9 as his former number was taken.

Gerry Lowrey (1927-29)
Stats: 57GP - 9G - 16A - 25Pts - 53PM

Lowrey played one and a half seasons with the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates with $9500 for Baldy Cotton.

Dan Maloney (1977-82)
Stats: 270GP - 65G - 84A - 149Pts - 538PM

To show how valued penalty takers were in the 80’s, the Maple Leafs sent Errol Thompson, two firsts and a second to the Red Wings for Maloney and a second. He would play for the Leafs until retiring in 1982. He would immediately step behind the bench and become an assassinate coach for two years, and take over as head coach from 1984-86.

Alexander Suglobov (2006-07)
Stats: 14GP - 0G - 0A - 0Pts - 4PM

Played most of this season for the Marlies before leaving to play in the KHL.

Who was the best #9 for the Maple Leafs?