The Top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs Defensemen of All-Time

Tim Horton, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
Tim Horton, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
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TORONTO – OCTOBER 4: Too celebrate the achievements of three former Toronto Maple Leafs players, Leonard “Red” Kelly, Clarence “Hap” Day, and Borje Salming, . (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
TORONTO – OCTOBER 4: Too celebrate the achievements of three former Toronto Maple Leafs players, Leonard “Red” Kelly, Clarence “Hap” Day, and Borje Salming, . (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

#5. Hap Day – Toronto Maple Leafs 1924-1937

Clarence Henry Day began his NHL career with the Toronto St. Pats in 1924 and continued to play with the team when they were purchased by Conn Smythe and re-named the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1927.

Day was team captain of the St. Pats and remained captain when the team was re-branded becoming the first captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  His 11 year tenure as Toronto Maple Leafs captain is second only to George Armstrong.

Hap Day was a huge part of Toronto’s first Stanley Cup Championship as the Maple Leafs in 1932, and though that was his only Stanley Cup victory as a player, his name would be engraved on the cup seven times: 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949 as coach and 1951 as assistant general manager; all with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Day was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, he had his #4 jersey honoured by the Toronto Maple Leafs and raised to the rafters of the Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena) in 2006, and his number was officially retired by the Maple Leafs in 2016.

Achievements with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Number Retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs Top 100 #17
First Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1927-1937
2nd Longest Serving Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Stanley Cup Champion 1932
Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee
Led NHL in Assists 1924-1925
Led NHL Defensemen in Points 1924-1925
Top 10 in NHL Points for one season
Top 10 in NHL Goals by a Defenseman for Nine seasons
Top 10 in NHL Assists by a Defenseman for 10 seasons
Top 10 in NHL Points by a Defenseman for 11 seasons