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Top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs Who Deserve Retired Numbers

By Mike Jack

Nov 25, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The honored numbers of former Toronto Maple Leafs players Johnny Bower (1) and Red Kelly (4) and Ace Bailey (6) hang from the rafters before the start of the game against the Washington Capitals at Air Canada Centre. The Capitals beat the Maple Leafs 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The honored numbers of former Toronto Maple Leafs players Johnny Bower (1) and Red Kelly (4) and Ace Bailey (6) hang from the rafters before the start of the game against the Washington Capitals at Air Canada Centre. The Capitals beat the Maple Leafs 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 16: The Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy is displayed at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in advance of the 2019 NHL Awards on June 16, 2019 in Las Vegas. Nevada. . (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 16: The Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy is displayed at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in advance of the 2019 NHL Awards on June 16, 2019 in Las Vegas. Nevada. . (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

1. Babe Dye (RW) – Toronto Maple Leafs/St. Patricks (1919-1926, 1930-1931)

What?! How many “Babes” played for the Toronto Maple Leafs?  It’s a nickname you don’t see anymore. It should totally make a comeback.

Cecil Henry Dye played seven seasons with the Toronto St. Patricks and returned to Toronto after playing with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Americans when the team was re-named the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dye led the Toronto NHL franchise to their first and only Stanley Cup Championship as the “St. Pats” in 1922 before their name was changed to the Maple Leafs in 1927.  Their only previous cup was won as “the Arenas” in 1918.

Even after all this time, Babe Dye remains one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history leading the league in goals four times.  Only seven players have lead the NHL in goals more times than Dye, and they are all legends: Alex Ovechkin (9), Bobby Hull (7), Phil Esposito (6), Charlie Conacher (5), Maurice Richard (5), Gordie Howe (5) and Wayne Gretzky (5).

Every player to lead the NHL in goals five times or more has their number retired by an NHL team except for Ovechkin who will probably get a banner as soon as he retires.  Dye also led the NHL in goals more times than legends Mario Lemieux (3), Brett Hull (3), Teemu Selanne (3) and Pavel Bure (3) who have all had their numbers retired by NHL teams.

Babe Dye also led the NHL in points twice, and there are only nine players in NHL history to lead the league in points more times: Wayne Gretzky (11), Gordie Howe (6), Mario Lemieux (6), Phil Esposito (5), Jaromír Jágr (5), Stan Mikita (4), Bobby Hull (3), Connor McDavid (3), and Guy Lafleur (3).  All of them have their numbers retired by an NHL team except McDavid and Jagr.

Dye also has the fourth best career goals per game average in NHL history behind only Mike Bossy, Mario Lemieux and Cy Denney.

If the Rocket Richard and Art Ross trophies were given out retroactively, Babe Dye would have six NHL trophies and be the most decorated player in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.

It truly boggles my mind how a goals scorer as prolific as Babe Dye could slip through the cracks of franchise history this way.  It’s almost embarrassing that his memory hasn’t been honoured with a #6 banner in the rafters alongside Ace Bailey’s #6 – the first number retired in professional sports history.

Achievements with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs Top 100 #31
Toronto St. Patricks Captain 1925–1926
4th in Hart Trophy voting 1925
Stanley Cup Champion 1922
#83 on The Hockey News’ list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players
Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee
Led NHL in Goals four times
Led NHL in Points twice
2nd in NHL Goals twice
2nd in NHL Assists 1922-23
Top 3 in NHL Points four times

Next. Top 10 Leafs Not in the Hall of Fame. dark

Top 5 in NHL Points six times
Top 10 in NHL Goals seven times
Top 10 in NHL Points seven times
4th Best Career Goals per Game in NHL History (.746)
8th Most Times Leading in NHL Goals in History (4)
10th Most Times Leading in NHL Points in History (2).

Thanks for reading.

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