Former Leaf Bob Hassard Died

I just learned of the passing of Bob Hassard on December 30th, 2010. He was 81 years old.

Hassard is best remembered as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 1950s, including as a member of the 1951 Stanley Cup championship team. Interestingly, he only played 12 games with the Leafs that season, and none in the playoffs. Yet his named was still inscribed on the Stanley Cup. He may be the only player who never played a single playoff game in his career to have his name on the Stanley Cup.

Winning was something Hassard got used to. The previous season he helped the senior Toronto Marlies win the Allan Cup as Canada's amateur champions. Then the year after the Stanley Cup victory he helped the Pittsburgh Hornets capture the Calder Cup as AHL champions!

Though he was born in Lloydminister, Saskatchewan, he grew up in Toronto, not far from Maple Leaf Gardens. it was his dream to play for the Leafs. Actually, he was just as thrilled to make the Bantam Marlies at the age of 14 and later the junior Marlies.

Described as a great skater and a junior and minor league offensive dynamo, Hassard was in many ways burdened by his position. He was most comfortable at his natural position of center. The problem was the championship Leafs teams of his era had centers named Teeder Kennedy and Max Bentley, both Hall of Famers, and Cal Gardner and Tod Sloan, no slouches in their own right.

Continue reading the full Bob Hassard biography.