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**hockeyboy14** · 07-22-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

The Toronto Maple Leafs will honour former captains Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour by raising their numbers to the rafters of the Air Canada Centre this season.

Clark will be saluted in pregame ceremonies prior to the Maple Leafs' Nov. 22 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, while Gilmour will be recognized on Jan. 31 prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Clark's trademark No. 17 and Gilmour's No. 93 will join those of Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy, Walter 'Turk' Broda, Johnny Bower, Tim Horton, George Armstrong, Charlie Conacher, Frank Mahovlich, Darryl Sittler, Clarence 'Hap' Day, Leonard 'Red' Kelly and Borje Salming.

The Maple Leafs historically only retire numbers of distinguished players that have died or had their career shortened due to tragic or catastrophic circumstances while being a member of the team. Irvine (Ace) Bailey (No. 6) and Bill Barilko (No. 5) are the two represented in this category.

Selected first overall by Toronto in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, Clark recorded 260 goals, 181 assists, 441 points, and 1,535 penalty minutes during three stints and 608 games in a Leafs uniform.

Gilmour joined the team from the Calgary Flames as the central figure in the largest swap of players in the history of the league in 1992. He was a Hart Trophy (most valuable player) candidate while capturing the Selke Trophy for the Maple Leafs in 1992-93.

He also established the team's career playoff points (77) and assists (60) records in just 52 games, and set the team's single season records for points (127) and assists (95) in 1992-93 and collecting a club record six assists in one regular season game. He succeeded Clark as team captain for three years starting in 1994 and he played in 392 games for Toronto and earned 452 points (131 goals and 321 assists) from 1992 to 1997.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=2440...s=topStory_nhl

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I love the fact that when we look at the rafters we can see two Leaf legends. Although they may not be the Gretzky or Lemieux's, they are certainly important players to the Leafs history and good idols.