Bruce Gamble Toronto Maple Leaf legend

Leaf Legends I Discovered on My Walks: Bruce Gamble

While walking through Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the grave of Bruce Gamble—one of the unsung goaltending figures in Maple Leafs history.

In his early years with the Leafs, Gamble served as the back-up to two Hall of Fame greats: Johnny Bower and Terry Sawchuk. It was no easy task finding playing time behind legends, but Bruce stayed ready.

His big moment came in the 1968–69 season when he surpassed Bower to become the Leafs’ starting goalie. He made the most of the opportunity, appearing in 61 games and posting a solid 28-20-11 record. But the following season saw a steep decline, and Gamble was eventually replaced by another iconic name: Jacques Plante, the six-time Vezina Trophy winner.

In a significant 1971 trade, Gamble was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Bernie Parent and a second-round pick (used to select Rick Kehoe). Parent, of course, would go on to become one of the greatest goalies of his era and a pillar of the Flyers’ future success.

Gamble’s NHL career came to a sudden and tragic end when he suffered a heart attack during a 3–1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on February 8, 1972. A decade later, while playing in an old-timers’ game, he suffered another heart attack and passed away days later.

Sadly, Bruce Gamble died in Niagara Falls, Ontario on December 29, 1982. He was only 44.

Finally, Bruce was the last Leaf goalie to play without a mask.

1938-1982