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Top 10 Best Trades in Toronto Maple Leafs History

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 7: Ondrej Kase #25 of the Anaheim Ducks battles against Jake Muzzin #8 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 7: Ondrej Kase #25 of the Anaheim Ducks battles against Jake Muzzin #8 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 7, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Nov 25, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The honored numbers of former Toronto Maple Leafs players King Clancy (7). Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

#2. Conn Smythe’s Horse Helps Team Acquire King Clancy

The Trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Francis “King” Clancy
  • Ottawa Senators: Eric Pettinger, Art Smith and $35,000

The reason I have this trade so high on this list is because of the backstory. It’s such an incredible narrative and if you don’t know the reasoning behind this transaction from 1930, let me summarize it for you.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were looking to acquire King Clancy, but the Ottawa Senators (who Clancy was currently playing for) weren’t going to give him up for cheap. In fact, the Senators wanted $35,000 in cash and a couple players for Clancy. Unfortunately the Leafs didn’t have that type of cash. Yet.

The architect behind the Toronto Maple Leafs at the time was Conn Smythe and all he wanted was to acquire Clancy and win the Stanley Cup. In order to win some cash, Smythe took a gamble and purchased a cheap race-horse named “Rare Jewell” hoping it could win big. However, in every race it entered, it finished near last place and looked lost, until the last race it ever ran.

Racing at Woodbine in Toronto, “Rare Jewell’s” odds were 107-1, which meant a $1 bet pays out $107. In a what would be described as a miracle, Smythe’s horse won the race and as a result, that victory secured him $12,000. He’d won $3,750 for the winner’s purse, but an extra $9,372.70 from betting on the horse to win, place and show.

The fact that Conn Smythe was able to purchase a cheap horse and actually turn it into a luxurious financial investment is amazing. According to the inflation rate from 1930 to 2020, that $12,000 is equivalent to $186,000 today, which is an outrageous number to win on a horse-race.

One year after acquiring Clancy, Smythe got what he was looking for and the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, which makes this trade so much fun.

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