The Ontario Hockey League is saddened by news of the passing of former Stanley Cup champion, Memorial Cup champion and long-time Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ron Ellis. The Lindsay, Ont. native was 79-years-old.
Prior to his lengthy NHL career, Ellis was a standout with the OHA’s Toronto Marlboros, winning a J. Ross Robertson Cup and Memorial Cup title in 1964. He played parts of four seasons with the Marlies between 1960-64, compiling 86 goals, 73 assists and 159 points over 126 games.
Ellis was a career Toronto Maple Leaf, joining George Armstrong, Tim Horton, Borje Salming and Dave Keon as one of five players to appear in more than 1,000 regular season games with the franchise. Ellis, who hoisted the Stanley Cup with Toronto in 1967, scored 332 goals, 308 assists and 640 points in his 1,034 contests, appearing in an additional 70 playoff games with the Maple Leafs over an NHL career that spanned from 1963-81. He had 11 seasons with 20 or more goals and surpassed the 30-goal mark twice. Ellis was a four-time NHL All-Star, and was a member of Canada’s team at the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.
Following a career-high 61 points (32 goals, 29 assists) in 1974-75, Ellis retired at age 30 during training camp the following season. After representing Canada at the 1977 world hockey championship, he returned to the Leafs and played four more seasons. Following a second retirement in 1981, Ellis ran his own sporting goods store in Brampton before joining the Hockey Hall of Fame as a director of public affairs and assistant to the president.
For more on the life and career of Ron Ellis, visit NHL.com.
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