The 1944–45

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

season was the club's 28th season in the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

. Toronto finished in third place in the regular season, with a 24–22–4 record, earning 52 points. The Leafs eliminated their archrivals

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

in the first round of the playoffs, and then defeated the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

in seven games in the

1945 Stanley Cup Finals The 1945 Stanley Cup Finals was a best-of-seven series between the 1944–45 Detroit Red Wings season, Detroit Red Wings and the 1944–45 Toronto Maple Leafs season, Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs once again defeated the Red Wings in seven ...

Regular season

Toronto was a very streaky club during the regular season, where they started off very hot, winning their first six games, and 10 of their first 14, before a mid-season slump, when they managed a 5–10–2 record in 17 games. The Leafs would continue to be a streaky club for the remainder of the year, which included a five-game winning streak, and a seven-game winless streak. Overall, the Maple Leafs managed to end the season with a 24–22–4 record, earning 52 points, and third place in the NHL standings. The Leafs offense was led teenage superstar

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...

, who turned 19 during the season, and had a club high 29 goals and 54 points.

Gus Bodnar August Bodnar (April 24, 1923 – July 1, 2005) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who was the Calder Memorial Trophy winner as the National Hockey League's rookie of the year for the 1943–44 season. He played 12 seasons in the NHL fr ...

, who was also 19 years old, led the club with 36 assists, while Lorne Carr put together another solid season, scoring 21 goals and adding 25 assists for 46 points.

Sweeney Schriner David "Sweeney" Schriner (November 30, 1911 – July 4, 1990) was a Russian-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Americans and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was ...

, who only appeared in 26 games, managed to score 22 goals and 37 points.

Babe Pratt Walter Peter "Babe" Pratt (January 7, 1916 – December 16, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman/ left winger who played for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League between ...

led the Leafs defense, scoring 18 goals and 41 points, while fellow blueliner Reg Hamilton had 15 points, and a team high 41 penalty minutes. In goal, rookie

Frank McCool Tobias Francis McCool (October 27, 1918 – May 20, 1973) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. He was born in Calgary, Alberta. Playing career McCool played minor ...

had all the action, winning 24 games and posting a 3.22 GAA, while earning four shutouts. McCool would win the

Calder Memorial Trophy The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving ...

for his efforts. The Maple Leafs would open the playoffs against the heavily favoured and defending

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...

champions, the

in a best of 7 series. The Canadiens dominated the league, as they had a record of 38–8–4, recording 80 points, which was 28 more than the Leafs. Toronto stunned the Canadiens in the series opener at the

Montreal Forum Montreal Forum () is a historic building located facing Cabot Square, Montreal, Cabot Square in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by ''Sporting News'', it was an indoor arena which served as the home o ...

, as

shut out the Habs in a 1–0 Leafs victory. The Leafs then went up 2–0 in the series, winning a close game by a 3–2 score. The series shifted to

Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church and Wellesley, Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was originally constructed in 1931 as an indoor arena to host ice hoc ...

, however, the Canadiens roared back, easily defeating Toronto 4–1 to cut the Leafs series lead to 2–1. The fourth game was decided in overtime, and it was the Leafs who were victorious, winning 4–3, and taking a commanding 3–1 series lead. The series moved back to Montreal for the fifth game, and the Canadiens easily dismantled the Leafs, winning 10–3, and sending the series back to Toronto for the sixth game. The Maple Leafs would complete the upset, hanging on for a 4–3 win in the game, and win the series 4–2. Toronto's opponent in the

was the

, who finished the regular season with a 31–14–5 record, earning 67 points, which was 15 higher than the Leafs. The Red Wings had defeated the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

in seven games in the first round. Toronto, led by

, would shutout the Red Wings in the first two games held at the

Detroit Olympia Detroit Olympia, also known as Olympia Stadium, was a multi-purpose arena in Detroit. Nicknamed "The Old Red Barn", it was best known as the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) from its opening in 1927 to 1979. Hist ...

for an early series lead. The Maple Leafs returned home for the third game, and took a 3–0 series lead as McCool would earn another shutout as Toronto won the game 1–0. The Red Wings managed to finally find the back of the net in the fourth game, winning 5–3 to avoid the sweep. Detroit goaltender Harry Lumley then shutout the Leafs in the fifth game by a score of 2–0, and he would once again earn a shutout in the sixth game, as Detroit won the game 1–0 in overtime to set up a seventh and deciding game. Toronto, led by goaltender Frank McCool and

, who scored the series winning goal, managed to hang on for a 2–1 victory in the seventh game to win the Stanley Cup for the fifth time in club history, and their first title in three years.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

, - , 1 , , October 28 , ,

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

, , 1–2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–0–0 , , 2 , - , 2 , , October 29 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 11–5 , ,

Chicago Black Hawks Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, , 2–0–0 , , 4 , - , - , 3 , , November 2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–1 , ,

, , 3–0–0 , , 6 , - , 4 , , November 4 , ,

, , 2–7 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–0–0 , , 8 , - , 5 , , November 9 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 6–3 , ,

, , 5–0–0 , , 10 , - , 6 , , November 11 , ,

, , 1–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 6–0–0 , , 12 , - , 7 , , November 12 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–4 , ,

, , 6–1–0 , , 12 , - , 8 , , November 15 , ,

, , 8–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 6–2–0 , , 12 , - , 9 , , November 18 , ,

, , 4–5 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 7–2–0 , , 14 , - , 10 , , November 19 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–3 , ,

, , 8–2–0 , , 16 , - , 11 , , November 23 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–5 , ,

, , 8–3–0 , , 16 , - , 12 , , November 25 , ,

, , 0–2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 9–3–0 , , 18 , - , 13 , , November 26 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–4 , ,

, , 9–4–0 , , 18 , - , - , 14 , , December 2 , ,

, , 2–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 10–4–0 , , 20 , - , 15 , , December 3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–5 , ,

, , 10–5–0 , , 20 , - , 16 , , December 9 , ,

, , 5–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 10–6–0 , , 20 , - , 17 , , December 14 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–2 , ,

, , 10–6–1 , , 21 , - , 18 , , December 16 , ,

, , 1–1 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 10–6–2 , , 22 , - , 19 , , December 23 , ,

, , 5–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 10–7–2 , , 22 , - , 20 , , December 25 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–6 , ,

, , 10–8–2 , , 22 , - , 21 , , December 27 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 8–2 , ,

, , 11–8–2 , , 24 , - , 22 , , December 30 , ,

, , 0–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 12–8–2 , , 26 , - , - , 23 , , January 4 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 13–8–2 , , 28 , - , 24 , , January 6 , ,

, , 5–2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 13–9–2 , , 28 , - , 25 , , January 9 , ,

, , 5–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 13–10–2 , , 28 , - , 26 , , January 11 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–7 , ,

, , 13–11–2 , , 28 , - , 27 , , January 13 , ,

, , 1–2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 14–11–2 , , 30 , - , 28 , , January 14 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 0–3 , ,

, , 14–12–2 , , 30 , - , 29 , , January 16 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–5 , ,

, , 14–13–2 , , 30 , - , 30 , , January 20 , ,

, , 4–8 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 15–13–2 , , 32 , - , 31 , , January 21 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 0–4 , ,

, , 15–14–2 , , 32 , - , 32 , , January 27 , ,

, , 0–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 16–14–2 , , 34 , - , 33 , , January 28 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 7–0 , ,

, , 17–14–2 , , 36 , - , - , 34 , , February 3 , ,

, , 4–2 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 17–15–2 , , 36 , - , 35 , , February 4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–3 , ,

, , 18–15–2 , , 38 , - , 36 , , February 6 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 5–1 , ,

, , 19–15–2 , , 40 , - , 37 , , February 10 , ,

, , 2–1 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 19–16–2 , , 40 , - , 38 , , February 11 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–2 , ,

, , 19–17–2 , , 40 , - , 39 , , February 17 , ,

, , 4–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 19–18–2 , , 40 , - , 40 , , February 18 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–6 , ,

, , 19–19–2 , , 40 , - , 41 , , February 24 , ,

, , 4–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 19–19–3 , , 41 , - , 42 , , February 25 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–5 , ,

, , 19–20–3 , , 41 , - , 43 , , February 27 , ,

, , 3–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 19–20–4 , , 42 , - , - , 44 , , March 3 , ,

, , 2–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 20–20–4 , , 44 , - , 45 , , March 4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 6–3 , ,

, , 21–20–4 , , 46 , - , 46 , , March 6 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 5–2 , ,

, , 22–20–4 , , 48 , - , 47 , , March 10 , ,

, , 2–9 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 23–20–4 , , 50 , - , 48 , , March 11 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–2 , ,

, , 24–20–4 , , 52 , - , 49 , , March 17 , ,

, , 4–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 24–21–4 , , 52 , - , 50 , , March 18 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 5–6 , ,

, , 24–22–4 , , 52 , - , - , ''Legend'':

Playoffs

, - , 1 , , March 20 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–0 , ,

, , 1–0 , - , 2 , , March 22 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–2 , ,

, , 2–0 , - , 3 , , March 24 , ,

, , 4–1 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–1 , - , 4 , , March 27 , ,

, , 3–4 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–1 , - , 5 , , March 29 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–10 , ,

, , 3–2 , - , 6 , , March 31 , ,

, , 2–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 4–2 , - , - , 1 , , April 6 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 1–0 , ,

, , 1–0 , - , 2 , , April 8 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–0 , ,

, , 2–0 , - , 3 , , April 12 , ,

, , 0–1 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–0 , - , 4 , , April 14 , ,

, , 5–3 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–1 , - , 5 , , April 19 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 0–2 , ,

, , 3–2 , - , 6 , , April 21 , ,

, , 1–0 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 3–3 , - , 7 , , April 22 , , Toronto Maple Leafs , , 2–1 , ,

, , 4–3 , - , - , ''Legend'':

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring ;Goaltending

Playoffs

;Scoring ;Goaltending

Awards and records

Transactions

*October 13, 1944: Acquired

Bill Ezinicki William "Wild Bill" Ezinicki (March 11, 1924 – October 11, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1944–1950), the Boston Bruins (1950–1952), and the New York Rangers (1954–1955) of the NHL. Pla ...

from the

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

of the AHL for George Boothman and Don Webster *October 25, 1944: Signed Free Agent

*November 24, 1944: Acquired John Mahaffy from the

for cash *December 24, 1944: Acquired

Art Jackson Arthur Morris Jackson (December 15, 1915 – May 15, 1971) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New York Americans between 1934 and 1945. He won the Stanley ...

from the

for $7,500 and Future Considerations

References

SHRP SportsThe Internet Hockey Database
* *National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:1944-45 Toronto Maple Leafs season Stanley Cup championship seasons Toronto Maple Leafs seasons

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

1940s in Toronto 1944 in sports in Ontario 1945 in sports in Ontario

Regular season

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Transactions

See also

References