Pappin, credited with Toronto’s last Cup-winning goal, dies at 82

Jim Pappin, the former NHL forward credited with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ last Stanley Cup-winning goal, has died. He was 82.

The Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks announced the death Wednesday on social media.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jim Pappin,” the Maple Leafs said. “Jim played five seasons in Toronto, winning the Stanley Cup in 1964 & ’67. Named one of the 100 Greatest Leafs, he scored the Cup-winning goal and led the team in scoring in ’67. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Later, the Blackhawks said: “The ‘P’ in the MPH Line tallied 444 points in 488 games in Chicago and ranks 17th all-time for franchise scorers with 216 goals. Our hearts go out to Jim’s family and friends.”

Pappin was given credit for Toronto’s second goal in a 3-1 series-ending victory over Montreal in Game 6 on May 2, 1967. Linemate Pete Stemkowski deflected it in, but allowed Pappin to take credit to earn a contract bonus.

Pappin also played on Toronto’s 1964 Stanley Cup championship team, spending part of five seasons with the Maple Leafs.

Traded to Chicago in 1968, he had his biggest offensive seasons with the Blackhawks with MPH Line mates Pit Martin and Dennis Hull, finishing with career highs of 41 goals, 51 assists and 92 points in 1972-73.

After seven seasons with Chicago, he spent the 1975-76 season with the California Seals and followed the franchise to Cleveland the following year for his final NHL season.

In 767 regular-season games in 14 seasons in the NHL, Pappin had 278 goals and 295 assists. In 92 playoff games, he had 33 goals and 34 assists.

Maple Leafs legend Johnny Bower dies at 93

Legendary goaltender Johnny Bower has died after a short battle with pneumonia, his grandson, John Bower, confirmed Tuesday night.

He was 93.

The Hall of Famer won four Stanley Cup championships with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1960s, and played 12 seasons with the organization after spending parts of three campaigns with the New York Rangers to begin his NHL career.

He won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder twice, and also won three AHL championships, hoisting the Calder Cup with the Cleveland Barons all three times.

“There may not be a more loved Toronto Maple Leaf nor a former player who loved them as much back,” Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement Tuesday night.

“Johnny was beloved by so many for much more than his Hall of Fame credentials as a player,” Shanahan added. “It was his generosity of spirit, kindness and passion for people that made him a legend at life. The Toronto Maple Leafs, and our fans, are deeply indebted to Johnny for all that he gave to us, and taught us over the years. We will miss him dearly, but we know that his presence will forever be felt by our club and our city.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also offered his condolences.

“There is so much to appreciate in Johnny Bower’s accomplishments on the ice – including the four Stanley Cups and membership in the Hockey Hall of Fame – and yet there was so much more to the man who served his sport, his country, and his community with such distinction,” Bettman said in a statement issued by the NHL.

“Johnny Bower enriched us all by sharing the pure joy he felt for the game he played and for the men who played it, with him and against him,” Bettman added.

“It was a personal privilege to know him, a delight to be in his presence and an honor to celebrate him as one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history. Johnny Bower was a bright light of our sport – a light that will shine forever. As the NHL family grieves his loss, we send heartfelt condolences and comfort to his wife, Nancy, his family and his countless friends inside and outside the game.”

Bower ranks second in Leafs’ franchise history in games played by a goaltender, and sits third on the club’s all-time shutouts list.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.

Now or Never for the Columbus Blue Jackets

For those of you who aren’t old enough to remember the state of Ohio was home too three professional hockey teams in the 1970’s the Cleveland Barons of the NHL, the Cleveland Crusaders and the Cincinnati Stingers of the WHA. By the 1980’s Ohio would be without a single major hockey club. Ohio is a tricky hockey market to get a feel for as most people in Ohio are known for their love of Football be it the Browns, the Bengals, or the Buckeyes.

In 1997 Columbus the capital city of Ohio entered an expansion bid to join the NHL. After a lot of debate about the arena having to go to a referendum that would see tax payers foot the bill. The referendum ultimately lead to nationwide financing 150 million project.

On June 25 1997 The NHL announced that Columbus would be receiving an expansion franchise.

Almost 16 years later the team has played 11 seasons of hockey, having never finished higher than third in their division and making the playoffs once only to get sweep by the Detroit Red Wings.

The teams track record at the draft has been horrible as only Rick Nash has gone on to become a superstar and the team parted with him last season.

The team’s all time records show their inability to keep players as the difference between the number overall all time scorer for the franchise Rick Nash at 547 points with 289 goals and 258 assists against the second overall David Vyborny at 317 points with 113 goals and 204 assists understates the lack of skill on the team. The team has played 902 games going in this season and only three players have played 500 or more games for the franchise of which none now play for the Blue Jackets.

Their all time leading goaltender for wins is Steve Mason at 95 wins in 230 appearances, a once great goalie who never followed up his Calder Cup winning season. Mason has become a scapegoat for the teams poor play in the past couple of seasons and has recently lost his starting job to Sergei Bobrovsky who with 11 wins is the teams current 7th all time winning-est goalie but more of that later.

One amazing stat is the record for rookie scoring on the team is 39 points which underscores their inability to draft talent despite having drafted in the top ten spots the majority of their existence.

But now is the make or break time for this franchise. Rumors have been going on the past three years that the team would move to several destinations such as Quebec City, Kansas City and even Seattle all of which have or are building NHL ready buildings in the next couple years.

The last thing NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman would want is to face having to move another team during his watch especially from a market of which he personally choose for expansion. only two seasons ago the Atlanta thrashers a team with a similar back story to the jackets relocated to the hockey mad town of Winnipeg.

This look similar in that both teams only made the playoffs once in their first decade of play and both got swept in the playoffs. The teams both had star captains who became the franchise leader in points who soon after left due to the teams inability to compete. Both teams struggle to attract fans when the team isn’t competing to make the playoffs. Both teams have been known to have their home arenas filled with the opposing teams fans more than their own.

However lately the Jackets have begun to show signs of life as they have embarked on a 12 game point streak that has team tied for the last playoff spot with just 17 games left in the season. A huge part of this the play of Sergei Bobrovsky who has become something of a folk hero in Columbus in recent weeks. This is a team with no real superstars but has found a way to win that mirrors the philosophy of the division rivals the Nashville Predators, that philosophy being solid defense, scoring from all lines and good goalkeeping.

The Jackets have the chance now to bring the fans back, this team geographically is located in area that understands winter sports and has strong natural rivals within the NHL. The realignment next season with help the team support travel costs but will put the Jackets in a tougher division.

So the simple point for the team to make it past 2015 they will need to make the playoffs, and start building a winning culture or this could be the last time anyone in the state of Ohio sees NHL Hockey in their state.