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Former Leafs Player and Coach Dan Maloney 68 Passed Away

Grist

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Brian Glennie can finally come out of hiding.
Who will ever forget that pummeling? With his ape long arms, Maloney shakes poor Glennie like a rag doll. I think Maloney was the best all round tough player in NHL history.
 

shack

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I think Maloney was the best all round tough player in NHL history.
Interesting statement.

Wayne Cashman
Wendel Clarke
Clarke Gillies
John Ferguson


There's gotta be more that at least rivalled Maloney but the discussion has to begin and end with:

GORDIE HOWE. No one can argue that he was not a tough guy. There is nobody else on the tough, skilled, all-round player radar compared to #9.
 

essguy_

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Nov 1, 2001
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Interesting statement.

Wayne Cashman
Wendel Clarke
Clarke Gillies
John Ferguson


There's gotta be more that at least rivalled Maloney but the discussion has to begin and end with:

GORDIE HOWE. No one can argue that he was not a tough guy. There is nobody else on the tough, skilled, all-round player radar compared to #9.
Tim Horton on the tough skilled list. Super strong, but not in a lot of fights because few challenged him. Howe and Hull both said Horton was stronger than them. When he did fight he would typically bear hug his opponent then throw down. Had a good fight with Cashman where he did this. Also had a wild fight with Derek Sanderson where Sanderson got Horton’s sweater over his head and went postal after the refs stepped in - trying to swing over the ref and punching the ref instead. Later Sanderson said that when Horton grabbed him, he thought his ribs were breaking.
 

shack

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Agree with and have heard the stories of Timmie's strength. But grist used the term "best all-round tough player". I inferred that to mean that he was mostly known as a tough guy but could contribute in the offensive zone as well. I didn't think Tim qualified in the offense department and I probably never considered any defensemen. But almost all defensemen have to play tough, which again, is why I didn't consider one. If you want to get into defensemen, I'd put Robinson and Potvin way ahead of Tim, not as strong but very tough and extremely talented offensively.

I'll never forget how Robinson totally dominated the goon Flyers at their own game. He pummelled anybody who wanted to take him on. The Flyers were never as intimidating to the rest of the league after Larry got through with them. p.s. I am a lifelong Habs hater, but LR is one of my most respected players of all time.
 

essguy_

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Agree with and have heard the stories of Timmie's strength. But grist used the term "best all-round tough player". I inferred that to mean that he was mostly known as a tough guy but could contribute in the offensive zone as well. I didn't think Tim qualified in the offense department and I probably never considered any defensemen. But almost all defensemen have to play tough, which again, is why I didn't consider one. If you want to get into defensemen, I'd put Robinson and Potvin way ahead of Tim, not as strong but very tough and extremely talented offensively.

I'll never forget how Robinson totally dominated the goon Flyers at their own game. He pummelled anybody who wanted to take him on. The Flyers were never as intimidating to the rest of the league after Larry got through with them. p.s. I am a lifelong Habs hater, but LR is one of my most respected players of all time.
Agree about Robinson. He didn’t get in many fights because few would challenge him. With his reach he could just hold with his left and pummel with his right. And he was wiry strong. Also had enough of a mean streak that when he did get in a fight he inflicted max pain - always aiming for the face. Horton also had the don’t mess with reputation so didn’t get in a lot of fights but generally just did enough in a fight to end it.

Also - Horton was one of the early offensively skilled defensemen. Remember - he started his career in the 50’s.
 

shack

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Agree about Robinson. He didn’t get in many fights because few would challenge him. With his reach he could just hold with his left and pummel with his right. And he was wiry strong. Also had enough of a mean streak that when he did get in a fight he inflicted max pain - always aiming for the face. Horton also had the don’t mess with reputation so didn’t get in a lot of fights but generally just did enough in a fight to end it.
And he was a real mensch as well. After knocking out the Islanders in the quarters, Leafs played Montreal in the next round and were badly outplayed, I think it was 4 straight. Anyways, game 4 was competitive and went to overtime. Tiger took a penalty in OT and Montreal scored and they all jumped on the ice to celebrate. Tiger storms out of the box and is making a beeline for the ref who called the penalty on him. Robinson, who rightly should have been celebrating with his teammates, sees Tiger about to do something incredibly stupid and takes it upon himself to intercept Tiger and stop him and calm him down. Not a teammate, but Robinson. True sportsmanship and from that day I had immense respect for him. After punching the lights out of the felonious Flyers a few years later and ending their domination, my admiration was further enhanced.

Truly, one of the greatest persons that I ever watched play the game.
 

shack

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Also - Horton was one of the early offensively skilled defensemen. Remember - he started his career in the 50’s.
I started watching during the '61-'62 season, the beginning of their 3 year run. At my tender age I assumed that the Leafs would win every year.

It looks like he had a lot of years very close to and reaching 30 points, which admittedly was very respectable in that era. He maxed out at 40 points in '68-'69, but keep in mind this is after Bobby Orr had changed not only the way defencemen played, but how the game was played. I did not realize that he started in '52.

I heard that he was also pretty tough at home.
 

essguy_

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I started watching during the '61-'62 season, the beginning of their 3 year run. At my tender age I assumed that the Leafs would win every year.

It looks like he had a lot of years very close to and reaching 30 points, which admittedly was very respectable in that era. He maxed out at 40 points in '68-'69, but keep in mind this is after Bobby Orr had changed not only the way defencemen played, but how the game was played. I did not realize that he started in '52.

I heard that he was also pretty tough at home.
Apparently Joyce and Horton had a pact to remove stuff that might embarrass their families if either died suddenly before the other. Then years later Joyce wrote his book and revealed everything anyway.

Back to Maloney - I wouldn't be surprised if he died of something related to CTE. I suspect that Tiger has it too. A lot of bizarre aggressive behaviour that people put down to drinking - but given these guy's history and what's known - imagine how many concussions they played through over their years.
 

shack

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Back to Maloney - I wouldn't be surprised if he died of something related to CTE. I suspect that Tiger has it too. A lot of bizarre aggressive behaviour that people put down to drinking - but given these guy's history and what's known - imagine how many concussions they played through over their years.
I thought that the drinking was an antidote for the CTE.
 

unassuming

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Feb 11, 2017
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Agree about Robinson. He didn’t get in many fights because few would challenge him. With his reach he could just hold with his left and pummel with his right. And he was wiry strong. Also had enough of a mean streak that when he did get in a fight he inflicted max pain - always aiming for the face.

.



.....but Robinson did get his ass handed to him by Dave Hutchison in a pre season game - no video exists of this fight
 

unassuming

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Interesting statement.

Wayne Cashman
Wendel Clarke
Clarke Gillies
John Ferguson


There's gotta be more that at least rivalled Maloney but the discussion has to begin and end with:

GORDIE HOWE. No one can argue that he was not a tough guy. There is nobody else on the tough, skilled, all-round player radar compared to #9.
How about Behn Wilson? , he was one tough mother

Stan Jonathan?

John Wensink?

Bob Nystrom?
 

shack

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How about Behn Wilson? , he was one tough mother

Stan Jonathan?

John Wensink?

Bob Nystrom?
Wensink and Jonathon were mainly goons. You must be a Bruins fan. LOL.I don't think that I have ever heard them described as all-round players. Nystrom had some skill.

But compared to Gordie Howe? He was in a different universe than those guys.
 

smuddan

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Cam Neely was tough as nail and 3 times 50 goal scorer, but like Wendel his career was cut short due to injuries.
 

essguy_

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What's amazing is you can now count the number of fights that have happened in the NHL this season on almost one hand.
 

shack

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What's amazing is you can now count the number of fights that have happened in the NHL this season on almost one hand.
No more staged fights. Like back prior to the Bruins goons.

If a fight happens now, then you know it is about true animosity between the two and not something contrived.
 
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