Top 10 Scandals in the History of the Toronto Maple Leafs
By Jeff Borsuk
8. The Uncalled High Stick
On May 27, 1993, NHL referee Kerry Fraser became the most hated person in the City of Toronto.
The Buds were playing Game 6 of their Campbell Conference finals against the Los Angeles Kings, with the Toronto Maple Leafs up 3-2 and just a single win away from going to the Stanley Cup finals.
It would have been their first time in a position to win-it-all since they hoisted the mug in 1967.
With the scored tied, the Kings superstar, Wayne Gretzky, took a slap shot in Toronto’s zone.
It was blocked by defenseman Jamie Macoun. Gretzky went to retrieve the puck and in doing so, accidentally clipped Doug Gilmour‘s chin with his stick.
The Leafs’ centre fell immediately to the ice and even drew blood.
Based on the rules that season, the infraction should have seen the Maple Leafs go on a five-minute power play, and Gretzky should have been given a major penalty since blood was drawn.
That would have also seen The Great One ejected.
Though Fraser consulted with his linesmen, no penalty was called, and Gretzky remained in the game.
To make the situation worse, Gretzky was the one who scored the overtime winner, sending the series to a deciding seventh game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost Game 7 and their best chance of winning a championship in 30 years.