Toronto Maple Leafs Legend Passes Away

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

A legendary Toronto Maple Leaf, one of the last standing members of the 1967 Stanley Cup-winning club, has passed away. 

Defenseman Bobby Baun was as tough as they come. His place in history and in legend is cemented, having scored a Stanley Cup Finals overtime-winning goal on a broken leg. The Leafs have announced his passing this morning at the age of 86.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Baun, whose enduring legacy of remarkable resilience includes his iconic overtime game-winning goal during a Stanley Cup final despite playing with a broken leg. 

"Bob possessed unquestionable toughness and incredible pride in being a Toronto Maple Leaf. His inspirational presence continues to embody the heart of the game. He will be greatly missed by the team and its fans. Our thoughts are with Bob's loved ones during this difficult time."

Baun was an integral part of four Stanley Cup-winning teams in Toronto (hard to imagine for the current generation of Leaf fans — or even the generation before that!). 

His most memorable moment came in 1964, when, in Game 6 of the Finals, he left the game in the 3rd period with a broken leg, had it frozen, then returned in overtime to score the game-winner. The Leafs went on to win the Cup over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7.

One of his biggest off-ice contributions to not only the Leafs, but society at large, was a $10,000 loan he gave fellow Leafs defenceman Tim Horton to start up a little chain of donut shops. You might have heard of them... there's a few of them around today. 3,523 Tim Hortons restaurants in Canada, to be exact. And over 5,000 around the world. 

As for Baun, he was lost by the Leafs in the 1967 Expansion Draft, but returned to the team in the early '70s, to finish out his 17-year career. 

NHLTR sends its deepest condolences to the Baun family. 



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