Five things that helped make Bower the best
Legendary goalie Johnny Bower, who helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, died Tuesday at the age of 93.
Here’s a look at five things to know about Bower’s pro hockey career. PAYING HIS DUES Bower played his first game in the NHL during the 1953-54 season with the New York Rangers. After appearing in 70 games that year, Bower played in just seven combined contests over the 1954-55 and 1956-57 campaigns with the franchise before claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1958 inter-league draft. LIFTING LORD STANLEY Bower helped the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup four times, the first coming during the 1961-62 season. His last came in 1967, which just happens to be the last time Toronto won the Stanley Cup. TURNING BACK TIME On April 6, 1969, Bower became the oldest goalie to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game at the age of 44 years, four months, 29 days. He made 27 saves in a 3-2 loss to Boston at Maple Leaf Gardens. INTO THE HALL Bower was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 1976. In addition to the four Stanley Cups, Bower won two Vezina trophies as NHL goaltender of the year and compiled a 250-195-90 record with 37 shutouts. NO. 1 FOREVER Bower’s No. 1 has been retired by the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters (for his career with the then Cleveland Barons) and Toronto Maple Leafs (alongside Turk Broda). He was honoured again last January, when he was part of the first group of players to be named to the 100 greatest NHL players in league history.