Davey Keon

Davey Keon is finally coming 'home' to the Maple Leafs.
Considered by many to be the best player in franchise history, the 66-year-old has called a truce in his bitter Harold Ballard-era feud with the club and will appear at a team-organized 40th anniversary salute to the 1967 Stanley Cup champion squad on Feb. 17 before a game against the Edmonton Oilers at the Air Canada Centre.

"That's great news, I hope they blow the roof off for him," said teammate Johnny Bower last night.

Keon's beef was based mainly on the way Ballard dumped him after 15 years and four Cups and a strong objection to the Leafs not outright retiring sweater numbers of their great players.

As recently as Tuesday, organizers of a March 22 reunion dinner for the '67 team had been told he was still at odds with the club, but Leafs general manager John Ferguson played a role in convincing Keon to return.

Still to be resolved is the retiring of Keon's No. 14.

I'll let Dave speak on his reasons (Keon did not return a call to his Florida residence last night), but we're thrilled he and his family will join us," Ferguson said. "Some people have said this 40th anniversary is something our team should run from, but I think our team could learn a lot from a Keon or George Armstrong."

Fans and friends have clamoured for Keon to come back with years of letters and petitions, all to no avail. Until now.

"I kept asking him, guys such as Andy Bathgate kept asking him ... but he had differing opinions and stuck to them, so you have to admire him for that," Bower said. "But we always hoped the more pressure we put on, the more he would re-consider."

Keon ranks third in career Leaf scoring with 858 points, second to fellow captains Mats Sundin and Darryl Sittler
Davey Keon is finally coming 'home' to the Maple Leafs.
Considered by many to be the best player in franchise history, the 66-year-old has called a truce in his bitter Harold Ballard-era feud with the club and will appear at a team-organized 40th anniversary salute to the 1967 Stanley Cup champion squad on Feb. 17 before a game against the Edmonton Oilers at the Air Canada Centre.

"That's great news, I hope they blow the roof off for him," said teammate Johnny Bower last night.

Keon's beef was based mainly on the way Ballard dumped him after 15 years and four Cups and a strong objection to the Leafs not outright retiring sweater numbers of their great players.

As recently as Tuesday, organizers of a March 22 reunion dinner for the '67 team had been told he was still at odds with the club, but Leafs general manager John Ferguson played a role in convincing Keon to return.

Still to be resolved is the retiring of Keon's No. 14.

I'll let Dave speak on his reasons (Keon did not return a call to his Florida residence last night), but we're thrilled he and his family will join us," Ferguson said. "Some people have said this 40th anniversary is something our team should run from, but I think our team could learn a lot from a Keon or George Armstrong."

Fans and friends have clamoured for Keon to come back with years of letters and petitions, all to no avail. Until now.

"I kept asking him, guys such as Andy Bathgate kept asking him ... but he had differing opinions and stuck to them, so you have to admire him for that," Bower said. "But we always hoped the more pressure we put on, the more he would re-consider."

Keon ranks third in career Leaf scoring with 858 points, second to fellow captains Mats Sundin and Darryl Sittler
#14 Dave Keon, C
Quote:
Dave Keon, known as one of the greatest two-way centres in the history of the game, was an amazing athlete who spent 22 seasons in professional hockey. He appeared in an impressive total of 1,725 regular season and playoff games in both the WHA and the NHL, and in all that time he picked up only 151 penalty minutes!Keon was a tough, strong though slight, and mastered the art of angling opponents out of harm's way. While no one questioned Keon's heart or toughness, he always preferred to play within the rules. He won the Lady Byng as the NHL's most gentlemanly player in both 1962 and 1963. In fact he averaged only 6 minutes in penalties in each of his NHL seasonsWhen the Leafs captured their 4th Cup of the decade in 1967. Keon's relentless checking and premier faceoff abilities were first and foremost, and he was rewarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the league's most valuable playoff performer."Dave Keon could be a dazzling offensive player, utilizing bursts of speed and deft moves around the net. He also had what is widely considered to be one of the best backhands in the game, a deceptive, often powerful shot that flummoxed opposing goaltenders. He used his agility to avoid opponents' hits and remained injury-free for much of his career. He also used his speed and maneuverability as a pesky penalty killer, covering a large portion of the ice and turning shorthanded situations into scoring chances for his own team." (Legends of Hockey) Regular Season: 1296 games, 396 goals, 986 pointsPlayoffs: 92 games, 32 goals, 68 points-Calder Memorial Trophy (1961)-Conn Smythe Trophy (1967)-Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1962, 1963)-Second All-Star Team Centre (1962, 1971) -Stanley Cups 4