Former Toronto Maple Leafs star defenseman, Todd Gill, was a force on the blueline for 12 seasons in the 80’s and 90’s.
He was a solid top four defenseman practically his entire time in Toronto and current ranks 8th in all-time points among Toronto Maple Leafs defensemen.
Whatever happened to Todd Gill?
Where did he go after his glory days with the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Todd Gill before the Toronto Maple Leafs
Todd Gill was drafted in the second round, 25th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. This was after Gill had 57 points in 68 games to lead the Windsor Spitfires defense in scoring during his second OHL season. Todd Gill also lead the Spitfires in penalty minutes with 184 PIM.
Todd Gill would return to the Windsor Spitfires for the 1984-85 and once again lead their defenseman in scoring with 57 points in 53 games. Once the OHL season ended, Gill would join the Toronto Maple Leafs for a brief 10 game stint where he scored his first NHL goal.
During the 1985-86 season, Todd Gill played the majority of his games with the Toronto Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, the St. Catharines Saints but was able suit up for 15 games for Toronto managing 3 points.
After putting up 9 points in 11 AHL games to start the 1986-87 season, Todd Gill was called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs again and never looked back. He added 31 points in 61 games in his first big season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Todd Gill on the Toronto Maple Leafs
Todd Gill would earn a reputation as a two-way defenseman who was defensively responsive but could add to the score sheet. He was also tough as nails and not afraid to fight. In 1987-88, he would post a career high in penalty minutes with 131 PIM in 65 games with 25 points. In 6 playoff games, he had 4 points and 20 PIM.
The 1980’s were very dark days for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Todd Gill was able to stick with the team through those tough time and into the teams exciting playoff runs of the 90’s. The 1992-93 season was the best season of Todd Gill’s career.
In 1992-93, Todd Gill would post career highs with 43 points and 32 assists in 69 games. Gill would also tie his career high as a Toronto Maple Leaf with 11 goals. That was good enough to lead all Toronto Maple Leafs defensemen in goals and point. He was ranked 4th on the team in points.
During their epic 1993 playoff run that took them all the way to game 7 of the Conference Finals, Todd Gill helped the Toronto Maple Leafs by adding 11 points in 21 playoff games.
Though he struggled with injury, Todd Gill would help the Toronto Maple Leafs advance to the Conference Finals once again in 1993-94 putting up 28 points in 45 regular season games and 6 points in 18 playoff games.
During the 1994-95 shortened season, Todd Gill would lead Toronto Maple Leafs defensemen in goals, assists and points with 7 goals, 25 assists and 32 points in 47 games. He was ranked second on the team in assists and 5th in points.
However, the Toronto Maple Leafs were defeated in the first round of the 1995 playoffs and again in the 1996 playoffs. Big changes were coming to the Toronto Maple Leafs that included moving on from Todd Gill.
Todd Gill after the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs began a re-build in 1996, which started with firing coach, Pat Burns, and trading Dave Andreychuk near the trade deadline.
During the summer of 1996, the Toronto Maple Leafs would trade more of their veterans for picks and prospects which included trading away Mike Gartner, Dave Gagner and Todd Gill. During the 1996-97 season, they would also trade Doug Gilmour, Dave Ellett, Larry Murphy and Kirk Muller.
Todd Gill was traded to the San Jose Sharks for Jamie Baker and a 5th round pick. Jamie Baker would play a couple unremarkable seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the pick was used to draft Peter Cava who never played in the NHL.
Todd Gill was immediately welcomed as team captain when he joined the San Jose Sharks, but he was goalless with 21 assists in 79 games during his first season. He was traded at the 1998 trade deadline to the St. Louis Blues for Joe Murphy.
Todd Gill scored 5 goals and 9 points in 11 games with the Blues to finish off the 1997-98 season. His 13 goals split between San Jose and St. Louis in 1997-98 was his career high.
The success wouldn’t last as Todd Gill was placed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues half-way through the 1998-99 season, and he was claimed by the Detroit Red Wings. Gill then signed with the Phoenix Coyotes the following offseason.
The 1999-2000 would also see Todd Gill spend time with two NHL clubs as the Phoenix Coyotes would trade him back to the Detroit Red Wings for Philippe Audet at the trade dealine. That would be Todd Gill’s 5th move in 5 years. Philippe Audet played in four NHL games all for the Red Wings.
After spending the 2000-01 season with the Detroit Wings, Todd Gill would sign with the Colorado Avalanche and played 36 games in the 2001-2002 season. He spent most of the 2002-2003 season in the AHL but managed to play in 5 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.
During the summer of 2003, Todd Gill signed a deal with the Florida Panthers, but was cut before the season began. He would play one season in the third tier of the German league putting up 25 points in 25 games before calling it a career. He was 38 years old. (Stats and some info from wikipedia.com).
Todd Gill’s Coaching Career
In 2006, Todd Gill would return home to Brockville, Ontario to coach the Brockville Braves of the CJHL until he was hired by former Toronto Maple Leafs legend, Doug Gilmour, to coach the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL in 2011. Gilmour left his position as coach of the Frontenacs to become the team’s general manager.
After the 2013-2014 season, Todd Gill’s contract with the Kingston Frontenacs was not renewed. Todd Gill signed on as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate, Adirondack Flames who then moved to become the Stockton Heat while Gill was with the team.
Todd Gill would then return to coach the Owen Sound Attack in 2017 where he played before his NHL days. Gill was fired from the team in January 2019 and hasn’t coached since.