Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 5 General Managers in Franchise History
2. George “Punch” Imlach
When Imlach joined the Leafs in July of 1958, the team did not have a GM. Instead, the team was run by a committee, led by owner Stafford Smythe, who Imlach and co-assistant GM King Clancy would report to.
Prior to joining the Leafs, Imlach had spent 11 years with the Quebec Aces, where he coached the legendary Jean Beliveau. The Toronto native would fire head coach Billy Reay once he was made the full-time GM by Stafford in November.
With the team five points out of a playoff spot, Imlach would guarantee the Leafs could move past the New York Rangers with three games left. Toronto won their remaining three games while the Rangers lost all theirs, pushing them into the playoffs, just as Imlach had predicted.
By 1962, the Leafs would win one of three straight Stanley Cups with Imlach and would win again in 1967, making it four championships in five years. And yet, he was fired by the Leafs in 1969 after being swept by the Boston Bruins, ending an 11-year reign.
Ballard would bring Imlach back in 1979,hoping the legendary coach/GM would be able to turn the Leafs around. During his second tenure, the two longtime friends would make various controversial moves together and it would be seen as a dark time in Leafs history.
Imlach would implement new rules with the team and undermine the leadership of Sittler as captain. Below is a story involving Imlach, Sittler and his agent Alan Eagleson, who Imlach did not like.
"Imlach went to court in an unsuccessful attempt to get an injunction to stop Sittler and teammate Mike Palmateer from appearing on the TV show Showdown. Sittler had a no-trade clause in his contract and, through his agent, had insisted on $500,000 to waive it. With Sittler apparently untouchable, Imlach traded Sittler’s best friend Lanny McDonald to the moribund Colorado Rockies on December 29, 1979. An anonymous player told the Toronto Star that Ballard and Imlach made the trade specifically to undermine Sittler’s influence on the team. Eagleson, who was also Sittler’s agent, called the trade “a classless act.”"
Imlach’s second tenure would come to an end when he suffered a heart attack in 1980. By 1981, Ballard would assume the role of GM, before giving it to Gerry McNamara.
The Hockey Hall of Fame inductee also had another big feud with superstar Frank Mahovlich, who he harassed and bullied, despite the fact the team won four Stanley Cups with him. The Big M, a quiet and reserved man, was pushed to the point where he twice had to leave the team, because he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Further, Imlach was not a fan of the newly formed NHL Players’ Association which was created in 1967. Any Leafs player who joined, would automatically be in his bad books.
Imlach’s best move with the Leafs was the trade for Red Kelly, who was moved from defense to centre – a pivotal move to the Leafs success. The Stanley Cup win in 1967 was his greatest accomplishment, because it was done with a major core of the team being players in their late 30s and early 40s.
Imlach was also very loyal to those who were loyal to him, with players like Johnny Bower and Tim Horton threatening to retire if he was fired in 1969. While his second tenure was full of controversy, Imlach is still credited with the great Leafs dynasty during the 1960s and is the last person to coach them to a Stanley Cup.
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