Toronto Maple Leafs Legend Johnny Bower Passes Away at 93

Johnny Bower was one of the most recognizable faces to ever don a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and on Tuesday he sadly passed away after battling pneumonia.

On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the hockey world as a whole received terrible news regarding one of the games greatest ambassadors.

At 2:30 p.m., family spokesperson John Bower III announced that his grandfather, Maple Leafs legend Johnny Bower, passed away at the age of 93 after a short battle with pneumonia.

Bower was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on November of 1924. He served for Canada in the Second World War from 1940 to 1943. When he returned from the war, Bower played junior hockey in Prince Albert, and eventually, made his way to the American Hockey League, where he became a legend of the league.

He spent 11 total seasons in the minor leagues, with the Cleveland Barons. He won three Calder Cups with the Barons in 1951, 1953, and 1956.

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The year after his second Calder Cup victory, Bower was picked up by the New York Rangers. He spent two seasons in the NHL, playing 75 games before being sent back to the minors. Bower would play two more games for the Rangers during the 1956-57 season.

The Maple Leafs claimed Bower during the 1958 Inter-League Draft. That season, the pint-sized goaltender began his 11-year career with the last organization he would ever play for.

Over the course of his time with the Maple Leafs, Bower became one of the faces of the Leafs’ dynasty that dominated the NHL during the 1960’s. Bower won his first Vezina Trophy in 1961. The following season, he backstopped the Leafs to the Stanley Cup.

Bower would go on to win his second Vezina in 1965 and three more Stanley Cups in 1963, 1964, and most notably in 1967. During an interview in 2014 with the Toronto Star’s Curtis Rush, Bower talked about a special keepsake he has kept since that last cup victory.

"Bower is one of the last living links to the Maple Leafs’ 1967 Stanley Cup. After that championship, Bower walked off with two bottles of champagne. One bottle he drank to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary. The other bottle remains unopened, at home. Bower vowed he wouldn’t open it until the Leafs won the Stanley Cup again, but his resolve is weakening.“Maybe I should sell it on eBay and see what I can get,” Bower jokes."

His last season came in 1970. Bower finished his career second in wins (219), minutes played (27, 396), and third in shutouts (32).

It only took Bower six years to get the call to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was inducted alongside Bill Quackenbush in 1976.

He also holds the record for community appearances by any Maple Leafs alumnus.

Bower would earn the nickname “The China Wall”, during his playing career because his play between the pipe reminded people of a brick wall while playing at a high level at the age of 45. He is considered by many to be the master of the poke check, as well as a man that revolutionized the goalie position in his era.

There aren’t many players in sports that can transcend generations in quite the same way that Bower did. Because of his involvement with the Maple Leafs organization after his retirement, Bower was known to fans both young and old.

He never passed up a chance to meet someone new, shake hands, or take a photo. Every time you would see him on tv or around the rink, he would always have a smile on his face.

I was able to meet Johnny Bower for the first time last year. It was right after the Legends Row unveiling ceremony for Dave Keon, Turk Broda, and Tim Horton. This took place days before the Maple Leafs announced that all their honoured numbers would be retired.

After commemorating the three former Leafs in front of the Air Canada Centre, the various Leafs legends in attendance got up to make their way back into the arena for a celebration.

Even though he stands at five-foot-nine, you couldn’t miss Johnny, walking through the crowd. A fan yelled out to him, and he made his way over to the barricade where he proceeded to walk down and shake everyone’s hand and sign autographs.

Take a minute, search his name, and read the stories from the fans that had the chance to meet Johnny. It will warm your heart.

Brendan Shanahan shared his thoughts on the late goaltender shortly after the news broke.

#Leafs president Brendan Shanahan on the death of legend Johnny Bower: “There may not be a more loved Toronto Maple Leaf nor a former player who loved them as much back.”
— Rob Longley (@longleysunsport) December 27, 2017

Well said, Brendan. Well said.

Luckily for Leafs fans, Bower’s number will forever hang from the rafters so that his legacy and contributions to the organization will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Johnny, there will never be anyone like you again.

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Have any fond memories of meeting Johnny Bower or watching him play. What did he mean to you? Where does he sit in terms of all-time Maple Leafs? Let us know in the comments.

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