LEAFS GREAT ARMSTRONG DIES

George Armstrong, who

captained the Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups in the 1960s, has died. He was 90.

His death was announced Sunday by the Maple Leafs, who said he died of heart complications, citing his family.

Armstrong scored 296 goals with 417 assists over 21 seasons for the Leafs, including 12 seasons as team captain, and remains the franchise’s leader in games played, variously listed at 1,187 or 1,888. The right wing notched 26 goals and 34 assists in 110 playoff games.

Known as the “Chief,” Armstrong was one of the first players of Indigenous descent to play professional hockey.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. Some 41 years later, Armstrong was voted No. 12 on the franchise’s list of 100 greatest Maple Leafs in its centennial season.

“George is part of the very fabric of the Toronto Maple Leaf organization and will be deeply missed,” Maple Leafs president Brendan

Shanahan said in a statement. “A proud yet humble man, he loved being a Maple Leaf, but never sought the spotlight even though no player played more games for Toronto or captained the team longer. Always one to celebrate his teammates rather than himself, George couldn’t even bring himself to deliver his speech the day he was immortalized on Legends Row.”

Armstrong would become one of a few Leafs honored with a banner at Scotiabank Arena, and his number was retired in October, 2016.