The Toronto Maple Leafs Weirdest NHL Record

It would be nice if the Toronto Maple Leafs held the record for most Stanley Cups, or most Playoff Wins, but they don’t.

The Toronto Maple Leafs do, however, own a pretty weird record.

It doesn’t get discussed much, but the other day my son was taking one of the days off his rip-away NHL calendar and we learned a rather interesting fact I’d like to pass along, with full credit to both whoever made this calendar and my aunt for buying it for us.

So according to this calendar, and confirmed by the internet, the Toronto Maple Leafs played the St. Louis blues on March the 4th 1999 and set an NHL record.

It was a Thursday, 23 years ago. I was but a young 17 year old long-haired Adonis, cutting his teeth in an underground NHL fantasy league and ready to tell anyone who’d listen that Bryan Berard would soon be regarded as the best defenseman in franchise history. 

I’m sure I watched the game at the time, but I have no memory of the following event:

It was a balmy spring night at what was then called  the Scottrade Centre in Downtown St. Louis.

The (eventual second place in the North East Division) Toronto Maple Leafs were visiting and would win 4-0 while setting NHL history for the lowest shot total in a regular season victory.

Toronto Maple Leafs Set a Dubious Record

The Leafs shutout the Blues 4-0, even though the Blues outshot them 28-9.

Curtis Joseph had the shutout against his former team, while Steve Sullivan, Mats Sundin, Lonny Bohonos and Gary Valk all scored for the Leafs.

In addition to the shots that were also goals, the Leafs got 2 other shots from Mats Sundin (the former greatest player, and now second greatest player in franchise history) as well as single shots from Kris King, Todd Warriner and Steve Tomas.

In total, they scored 4 goals on nine shots, setting an NHL record for least shots in a victory.  It was also a Leafs record for least shots in a regular season game of any kind.

They did, however once beat that in a playoff game when they took only six shots against the Devils in an elimination game, and this one I remember.

It was the 2000 playoffs and the Leafs were a Cup Favorite.  Then, in game six vs the Devils, they played the worst game that, to this day, I have ever witnessed.

And I have then blow a 3 goal lead in 2011 and lose to a Zamboni driver in 20whatever (I tried to black it out).  If for some reason you want to torture yourself, read about it here.  

I say instead, try to remember that game in St. Louis where they played horribly but somehow won.