Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!
Once again it’s Wednesday and I’m forcing myself to actually do some work around here.
As we’ve done in recent Wednesday’s, I’m taking a look back at a Leaf who wasn’t a huge name, and wondering where they went after their time in Toronto was finished.
Today I’m getting very specific and find the Leaf who wore my birthday number and played for the Leafs the year I was born. Who was #11 that year?
Gaston Gingras!
Yeah I had to look him up as well.
Despite being born in Quebec, Gaston Gingras played junior with the Ontario Hockey Leagues Kitchen Rangers and Hamilton Fincups. He also gets a nice piece of exclusive history where he made his professional debut with the World Hockey Association Birmingham Bulls in the 1978/79 season, alongside Maple Leafs greats Rob Ramage and Rick Vaive.
He wouldn’t stay long, as he would be drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in the 1979 draft – the WHA merged with the NHL that summer and Birmingham players were allowed to be drafted – and what little boy from Quebec wouldn’t leave Alabama to go play for Les Glorieux?
His first NHL season would be split between Montréal and Halifax (AHL), and after two more seasons with the Canadiens (playing 55 and then 34 games) the Canadiens would trade Gingras to the Maple Leafs for a 2nd round pick in December 1982.
He would never play a full NHL season, and after completing the 1983-94 season with the Leafs he would only get five more games with Toronto before being sent down to the AHL St. Catharines Saints. His time in Toronto was over and he would be sent back to Montréal for Larry Landon.
He spent that year in the AHL with the Sherbrooke Canadiens, but it wasn’t much of a demotion. He played with Patrick Roy, Stéphane Richer, and Brian Skrudland and they won the 1995 Calder Cup at the end of the season.
Only one more season in Montréal – but it was worth it, he would win the 1986 Stanley Cup with the team – before he was traded to the St. Louis Blues for another Larry: Larry Trader.
How many players have been traded for someone with the same name twice?
Two seasons in St. Louis and off to Europe he went. He played in Switzerland and Italy, dropping down levels until he would leave in 1994 where he wouldn’t return to the Canadiens AHL team, this time the Fredericton Canadiens. He played there from 1995 to 1996, only getting in 58 games those two seasons.
He attempted and comeback in 1998 in the ECHL with the Chesapeake Icebreakers, but it only lasted five games.
He fully retired, and now works in player development, running camps and weekly on ice sessions in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, and also with the Montréal Canadiens Hockey School.
Sharing love of the game in retirement, that is former Maple Leafs Gaston Gingras. Thank you for your service!
Now, here’s some non-Gaston Gingras news.
The Maple Leafs played the Bruins last night and while it took an extra few minutes, they pulled out the win.
