As a young fan, of course, I gravitated to young, incoming players as well—“new” names like Bob Nevin and especially Dave Keon. They were gifted young players, and Keon, in particular, was a dynamic talent with speed and relentless determination that was a big part of the four championships the Leafs won in the decade of the ‘60s.
The Leafs were an intriguing mix of young and not-so-young players in those days, as most good teams generally are. There was Allan Stanley, a steady, dependable defenseman with Chicago, Boston, and New York before landing here in a trade with the Leafs when Punch Imlach became General Manager.