Jack McLean

During the Second World War, there was discussion on whether the National Hockey League should be suspended temporarily in order to focus on the larger matter at hand. It was quickly decided that the entertainment value brought by professional hockey outweighed any advantage to turning out the lights on the NHL.

But that didn't mean the league didn't change. The New York Americans franchise suspended operations (later deciding not to continue), while a number of very elite NHL players enlisted to support their country. With the talent drain came the need to re-stock teams, and most owners went the route of the young player.

One of those was Jack McLean. Although only 5'8", Jack was solid as a rock, and played an aggressive game of hockey for the Toronto Young Rangers of the OHA Junior A ranks. Soft hands around the net, but hard knuckles when needed, the young Toronto native signed a C form, and was brought up to practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the latter part of the 1941-42 season. There was talk of McLean suiting up for the "team of destiny" during the playoffs, but the Leafs called up another young player, Gaye Stewart, instead to fill that role.

McLean was an engineering student at the University of Toronto at the beginning of the 1942-43 season and was called up to the big club during November of that year. In his first game, on a line with Gaye Stewart and Bud Poile, 19 year old Jack scored a goal and assisted on two others against the Bruins' star goaltender, Frank Brimsek. But in an odd twist, McLean, like other Leafs Bobby Copp and Tom "Windy" O'Neill, was unable to cross the border into the U.S. because of his university student status. So Jack played only home games and in Montreal and, during school breaks at Christmas, the odd time in the States. As a result, through his three seasons with the Leafs during the war, Jack McLean played only 67 regular season games for the Leafs, scoring 14 goals, adding 24 assists for 38 points. He also earned 76 penalty minutes.

On March 23, 1943, Jack scored a goal at 10:18 of the fourth overtime period to give his Leafs a semi-final win over the Red Wings. The goal was credited to McLean, but teammate Bud Poile swore he scored the goal. The recipient was in limbo for a full day, until NHL President Red Dutton conferred with King Clancy, the game's referee, as well as both Poile and McLean and several of the Detroit players. Dutton awarded the goal to McLean. Incidentally, this was the only NHL game in which Jack's father ever saw him play.

During the 1944-45 season, Jack ran into a litany of injuries, including a concussion so severe that team doctors told him to retire (sound familiar?). Although he only played 8 games that season, McLean was inserted into the playoff lineup to add some moxy. But after four games, a cross-check to the back of the head put McLean out for the series, and in fact, for good. The Leafs went on to win the Stanley Cup, and McLean's name is proudly etched on the silver mug, but he never played for the Leafs again. By this time, McLean had earned his engineering degree, and began his career. He was able to be reinstated as an amateur, playing for the Toronto Staffords of the the OHA Senior League (along with Sid Smith and coached by "Red" Horner), later moving to Ottawa to take a job with the government. While in the Capital, Jack played for the Ottawa Senators of the Quebec Senior Hockey League, a team that boasted talent like Hall of Famer Syd Howe and future NHL player and executive Larry Regan.

Jack lived in Ottawa until his death in 2003.

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Ken Baumgartner

Ken Baumgartner was told he wasn’t good enough to play hockey at the junior level, let alone in the NHL. That only inspired "Bomber" to prove the "experts" wrong.

Bomber was never confused with the more skilled players on any team he played on, even before he made it to the junior level.

“Ken was never the best player on any team he played with,” recalls Ted Baumgartner, Ken's father. “But he was by far the strongest and the most determined.”

A defenseman until he reached the NHL, Baumgartner had little tangible skill according to scouts. His skating was horrendous, despite hard work to improve it. Below average speed and mobility made it easy for better skaters to burn the large blueliner. He had a poor shot, always rushing his release which resulted in an easy save or a wide shot. Although Ken was good at reading the oncoming attack, his lack of patience hindered him. He quickly would lose his composure and positioning as he wanted to flatten the puck carrier. That of course resulted in a big hit by Baumgartner, but usually not before the forward dished the puck off to a wide open teammate resulting in a great scoring chance against his team. He was a punishing hitter, although it took him a long time to learn how to be an effective hitter. He was also a willing fighter, often initiating fisticuffs. Make no mistake about it, fighting is the reason Bomber made it to the NHL, and the reason he stuck around so long.

While the juniors were apparantly going to pass over this fumbling, over aggressive kid, Baumgartner started to change his focus. He decided that if he didn't make it to the juniors that he would give up on hockey to pursue a university education. However Baumgartner put on an eye-catching performance in front of a scout for the Prince Albert Raiders.

“I had some good hits, a fight and a goal,” recalls Baumgartner, who was subsequently offered a three-day tryout with the Western Hockey League’s Raiders. “One thing led to another and three years later I graduated out of junior.”

Baumgartner had a decent junior career too. He helped the Raiders win a Memorial Cup Championship (1984-85) and was named to the WHL All-Scholastic Team (1983-84). He was even selected as one of the two top Prince Albert defensemen of all-time by a panel of Canadian Hockey League officials.

While he beat the odds and made it to the junior level, his dream of playing in the NHL was still far, far away. He was drafted though, by the Buffalo Sabres. The bad news was he was an after thought of the draft, selected in the final round, 245th overall in 1985. He was drafted strictly because of his fighting ability. The Sabres figured there was an outside chance he could fill a role as a minor league tough guy for them, but not much else.

But Ken worked hard and never gave up on his dream, and against all odds he made it to the NHL.

“Ken has always wanted to improve himself in whatever he does,” says Ted Baumgartner. “It’s really pretty simple. Everything Ken has accomplished is the result of hard work.”

After his junior career, Baumgartner, along with brother Kevin, a netminder, opted to play in Switzerland. The brothers were considered to be non-imports to the roster due to the fact that their grandfather hailed from Switzerland. Now one would think that Bomber would be out of place in international hockey where speed, skill and finesse were promoted, not fighting and bodychecking. However he brought his crash-and-bang brand of hockey to the league and played pretty well, considering.

“The gloves stayed on because those were the rules,” says Baumgartner “But there were some solid cross-ice body checks that were somewhat frowned upon!”

While playing in Switzerland, Bomber's NHL rights were traded from Buffalo to Los Angeles. Once the Swiss season ended, the Flin Flon Manitoba native reported to the Kings' AHL affiliate in New Haven, picking up 99 PIM in 13 games plus 60 more in 6 playoff games.

Bomber started the 1987-88 year in the minors of course, but his reputation as one of the minor league's toughest customers earned him a promotion to Los Angeles. He played 30 games in the NHL year, including his first game as an NHLer, on January 4, 1988.

With the exception of 10 games in the minors, Bomber stuck with the Kings the following year. It was. It was an exciting time for Baumgartner. Not only had he made it to the NHL, but he was playing on the same team as Wayne Gretzky! One game in particular sticks out with Ken in a Kings uniform. It was against the New York Rangers and Ken went out of his way to run Guy Lafleur on a couple of occasions. Lafleur of course was a Hall of Famer who came out of retirement to play again, and this brash young kid named Baumgartner was looking to make a name for himself.

With fellow tough guys Jay Miller and Marty McSorley in Los Angeles, Bomber became expendable. In November of 1989, Baumgartner was traded to the New York Islanders, who may have become interested in Bomber after the incident with Lafleur and the Isles arch rival Rangers.

However coach Al Arbour pulled Baumgartner aside was not impressed with Bomber's skating ability and informed the blueliner that he was taking him off defense and making him a winger.

The move worked well and probably lengthened Ken's career in the NHL. His lack of mobility wasn't as noticeable as he patrolled the left wing. Although you get the impression that Ken was really disappointed to leave the blueline.

“I was not happy to see my jersey hanging in a forward’s stall,” recalls Baumgartner. “But, I had no choice. I wanted to contribute to the team."

I remember one story about Bomber on a chartered flight. The friendly stewardess was asking Ken what position he played to which Ken emphatically replied "I FIGHT!" catching the stewardess off guard!

Ken spent almost three years in New York before being shuffled off to Toronto where he enjoyed his longest stay, almost 4 full season. Ken, who is a very articulate businessman and student, played a large role for the NHLPA during the lockout shortened season of 1994-95. His prominent role with the union probably spelled the end of Bomber's career in Toronto. However a season ending broken wrist forced the Leafs to wait until next year before shipping Bomber to Anaheim.

Ken played a strong game on the 4th line for Anaheim. He even scored a modest career high 11 points, all assists.

Ken became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 and signed with the Boston Bruins. There he was reunited with his former coach from Toronto - Pat Burns. He would play two more seasons, retiring in 1999.

The odds were against Ken Baumgartner ever making the NHL. There were far more talented players through out history who were not good enough to stick in the league. But the desire to succeed, the willingness to sacrifice, and the heart and effort that Ken showed earned him a lengthy NHL career.

After retiring as a player, Bomber initially entered the world of coaching. He soon left to enter the MBA program at Harvard, and has been very active in his daughter Alexa's hockey career.

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Toronto Maple Leafs Greatest Players

Syl Apps George Armstrong Don Ashby Ace Bailey Andy Blair Bill Barilko Bob Baun Jim Benning Max Bentley Garth Boesch Buzz Boll Pat Boutette Johnny Bower Carl Brewer Turk Broda King Clancy Wendel Clark Brian Conacher Charlie Conacher Vincent Damphousse Hap Day Ken Doraty Jim Dorey Kent Douglas Gord Drillon Dick Duff Babe Dye Dave Ellett Ron Ellis Miroslav Frycer Cal Gardner Doug Gilmour Bob Goldham George Hainsworth Paul Henderson Larry Hillman Red Horner Tim Horton Al Iafrate Larry Jeffrey Red Kelly Teeder Kennedy Dave Keon Joe Klukay

Kevin Maguire Frank Mahovlich Dan Maloney Ulcers McCool Goose McCormack Bucko McDonald Lanny McDonald Howie Meeker Don Metz Nick Metz Rudy Migay Gus Mortson Bob Nevin Gary Nylund Ed Olczyk Bert Olmstead Wilf Paiement Mike Palmateer Joe Primeau Babe Pratt Marcel Pronovost Bob Pulford Pat Quinn Borje Salming Terry Sawchuk Sweeney Schriner Eddie Shack Darryl Sittler Allan Stanley Wally Stanowski Pete Stemkowski Gaye Stewart Steve Thomas Jimmy Thomson Ian Turnbull Norm Ullman Rick Vaive Shakey Walton Tiger Williams Peter Zezel

NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs - 10 Great Leafs and Their Most Memorable Games - now available at Amazon.ca, Chapters, and Amazon.com.

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Don Ashby

Don Ashby was an incredible junior player with the Calgary Centennials, where his teammates included Mike Rogers, Danny Gare, Jim Watson and Grant Mulvey. Ashby had an incredible final season of junior in 1974-75. He scored 52 goals and 68 assists for an amazing 120 points! Such a great season coupled with his obvious scoring prowress encouraged the Toronto Maple Leafs to draft Don in the first round, 6th overall in 1975.

However Don Ashby would become known as a first round bust rather than a success story. He was never able to join the likes of Lanny McDonald, Tiger Williams and Darryl Sittler as one of the young guns that gave Leaf fans eternal hope in the late 1970s.

Ashby floundered in his first year, scoring just 6 goals in 50 games. He spent the end of his disappointing season in the minor leagues.

Ashby played a full season in the NHL in 1976-77, scoring 19 goals and 42 assists, but spent most of the next season back in the minor leagues. Frustrated with the way things were going, Ashbee retired for the majority of the 1978-79 season , though returned when the Leafs promised to trade him. The trade came in March 1979 as Ashby went to the lowly Colorado Rockies.

Ashby didn't do much better in Colorado. he only played in 23 games in two years, and again, much to his dismay, he spent most of his time in the minor leagues.

Late in the 1979-80 season Don was traded to Edmonton in exchange for veteran Bobby Schmautz. Ashby finished the season nicely, soring 10 goals and 9 assists in 18 games, seeing some time with 18 year old phenom Wayne Gretzky.

Yet the following season Don was in the minors again. Despite scoring 5 points in 6 NHL games, Don was once again in the CHL, a place he had grown not to like. Only this time was different. Perhaps he was maturing or perhaps he finally found a coach that was not as hard on him for his shortcomings, as Don had his best year since junior. He exploded for 36 goals and 96 points in 70 games! In addition, he scored 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 18 playoff games as the Wichita Wind appeared in the Adams Cup finals, only to lose to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the 7th and deciding game..

Less than two weeks after the end of the 80/81 Adams Cup playoffs, the C.H.L. was shocked by the tragic automobile accident that claimed the life of the Kamloops born Ashby, and his wife Terry.

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