Reuniting three Toronto Maple Leaf legends: Teeder Kennedy, Turk Broda, Syl Apps
A Walk with Legends: Honouring Three Great Maple Leafs
With puck in hand, my journey began along the shores of Port Colborne near Niagara Falls, at Oakwood Cemetery, where I visited the grave of the great Leafs captain, Ted “Teeder” Kennedy.
Teeder spent his entire 14-year NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, wearing the captain’s ‘C’ for eight of those years. A gifted and reliable centre, Kennedy led the team to five Stanley Cup victories, cementing his place in the franchise’s storied history. His iconic #9 jersey is immortalized in the rafters of Scotiabank Arena, and he was rightfully inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.
Ted “Teeder” Kennedy passed away on August 14, 2008. He was 83.
My next stop was Glendale Memorial Gardens in Etobicoke, where I paid tribute to Teeder’s outstanding teammate and the legendary Leafs goaltender, Walter “Turk” Broda.
Born in Manitoba, Broda earned his nickname “Turkey Egg,” later shortened to “Turk,” due to his abundance of freckles. He went on to become one of the greatest goaltenders in Leafs history, winning five Stanley Cups during his remarkable career. His #1 jersey also hangs proudly at Scotiabank Arena, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967.
Turk Broda passed away in Toronto on October 17, 1972. He was just 58.
Finally, I travelled to Mountainview Cemetery in Cambridge, Ontario, to visit the grave of a true gentleman and Leaf legend, Sylvanus “Syl” Apps.
Often compared to Montreal’s Jean Béliveau for his class and grace both on and off the ice, Syl Apps was a gifted athletewho competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics in pole vault before turning to hockey. Over his 10-year career with the Maple Leafs, Apps captured three Stanley Cups and led with distinction and sportsmanship. A proud McMaster University alumnus, he later served Ontario as an MPP and Minister of Correctional Services.
His #10 jersey is also honoured in the rafters, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961. Syl Apps is frequently named among the greatest players ever to wear the blue and white.
Syl Apps passed away in Kingston, Ontario, on December 24, 1998. He was 83.
1925-2008 (Teeder) 1914-1972 (Turk) 1915-1998 (Sly)
