Editor In Leaf
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 12
Next
Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 9: Curtis Joseph #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning during NHL game action on March 9, 1999 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

7. Curtis Joseph (G) – Toronto Maple Leafs (1998-2002 & 2008-09)

Curtis “Cujo” Joseph is one of the winningest goaltenders in NHL history.  He is ranked seventh with 484 NHL career wins.

Some of his best seasons were with the Leafs where he also became one of the winningest goaltenders in Toronto Maple Leafs history as he has the 5th most career wins in Maple Leafs history with 138 wins as a Leaf.

In 1999-2000, he recorded the fourth most single season wins in Toronto Maple Leafs history with 36 wins, and in 1998-1999, he recorded the sixth most single season wins in Toronto Maple Leafs history with 35 wins.

No Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender has won the Vezina trophy since the criteria for the award changed to be awarded by vote to the NHL’s best goaltender, but Curtis Joseph has come the closest when he was runner-up in 1999.  He was also a finalist for the Vezina in 2000.  The only other member of the Toronto Maple Leafs to be a finalist for the Vezina was Ed Belfour in 2003.

Cujo was also close to becoming a Hart trophy finalist in 1999 when he was fourth in Hart trophy voting.

Joseph hasn’t been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but his name seems to be mentioned every year.  Some say it’s because he didn’t win a Vezina or a Stanley Cup, but he had tough competition playing in an era with some of history’s greatest goaltenders like Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy and Ed Belfour – all Hall of Famers.

Curtis Joseph also had a great career playing with the St. Louis Blues, and I’m surprised his #31 hasn’t been retired by the Blues either.  He was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 though, so hopefully he’ll get honoured by the Blues, Leafs and the Hockey Hall of Fame soon.

The last Leaf to wear #31 was Frederik Andersen in 2021.

Achievements with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs Top 100 #35
King Clancy Memorial Trophy Winner 2000
Vezina Trophy Runner-Up 1999
Vezina Trophy Finalist (3rd in voting) 2000
4th in Hart Memorial Trophy voting 1999
11th in Hart Memorial Trophy voting 2000
Top 10 in Vezina Trophy voting four times
Top 5 in NHL All-Star Team voting twice
Played in 2000 NHL All-Star Game
2nd in NHL Wins 1998-99
Top 5 in NHL Wins twice
Top 10 in NHL Save Percentage once
Top 10 in NHL Wins three times
4th Most Single Season Wins in Toronto Maple Leafs History (36) 1999-2000
6th Most Single Season Wins in Toronto Maple Leafs History (35)1998-99
5th Most Career Wins in Toronto Maple Leafs History (138)
9th Best Career Goals Against Average in Toronto Maple Leafs History (2.49)
7th Most Career Wins in NHL in History (484)

Home/All-Time Lists