The Last Scoring Leader From the Toronto Maple Leafs

The last time a player from the Toronto Maple Leafs led the NHL in points, the Art Ross Trophy didn’t exist yet. It’s been over seven decades since Gordie Drillon led the league with 52 points over 48 games. Toronto has gone longer than any other active NHL team without winning an individual scoring title.

There was only one hockey card of Drillon during his playing days. The Gordie Drillon rookie card appears as number 142 in the 1937-38 O-Pee-Chee V304E set. The card is valued at $300 and is the second most valuable RC in the set, behind Toe Blake of the Montreal Canadiens ($800). The set consists of 48 cards and is valued at $7,500 complete. Gordie was later featured in the 1955-56 Parkhurst set as an ‘Oldtime Great’. That card is considered a common.

Drillon played just seven years in the National Hockey League from 1936-37 to 1942-43. After that final season, he chose to join the military and lasted out World War II. He later returned to play a few years of minor pro hockey but his NHL days were over. His NHL career was spent all with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with exception of his final campaign when he skated for the Montreal Canadiens.

1937-38 was just Gordie’s second season in the NHL and he led the league with 26 goals and 52 points. His 26 assists placed him third in that category. He sat only four minutes in the penalty box that season to earn the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. He would finish no lower than seventh for goals in the final six seasons of his career. On four occasions, he finished in the top ten for points. His 52 points in 1937-38 were a career best but it wasn’t until 1942-43 in Montreal that he scored his most goals with 28, tying him for third in the NHL that season.

In four of his seven seasons, Drillon played in the Stanley Cup finals. For three consecutive seasons from 1937-38 to 1939-40, the Maple Leafs lost in the finals (Chicago Black Hawks in 1937-38, Boston Bruins in 1938-39 and New York Rangers in 1939-40). In his last year with Toronto, 1941-42, Gordie finally got his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup as the Maple Leafs ousted the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.

Gordie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975, along with George Armstrong, Ace Bailey, Glenn Hall and Pierre Pilote. Sadly, his number is not honoured by the Maple Leafs.

Interestingly, the last player from an Original Six team to win the Art Ross Trophy was Guy Lafleur of the Montreal Canadiens in 1977-78. Joe Thornton won the award in 2005-06 after starting his season with the Boston Bruins but won the award in a San Jose Sharks uniform. That last Boston player to win the Art Ross was Bobby Orr in 1974-75. Stan Mikita was the last Black Hawk in 1967-68. Gordie Howe was the last Red Wing in 1962-63. Like the Maple Leafs, the Rangers have not had an Art Ross Trophy winner. Bryan Hextall was the last Ranger to lead the league, doing so in 1941-42. The Art Ross was first awarded in 1947-48.