Ted Kennedy
Inducted:
1966
Player Stats
5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Born:
December 12, 1925
Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada
Died:
August 14, 2009
Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada
Position:
Centre
College:
NA
Theodore "Teeder" Kennedy was the heart and soul of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the most successful era in franchise history. A gritty, defensive-minded center who was nearly unbeatable in the face-off circle, Kennedy was the ultimate "big game" player. He was the first player in NHL history to win five Stanley Cup championships, serving as the centerpiece of the 1940s "three-peat" and captaining the team to the 1951 title.
While he wasn't the most graceful skater, his relentless work ethic and leadership were unparalleled; Maple Leafs patriarch Conn Smythe famously described him as the greatest player to ever wear the blue and white. In 1955, his career was punctuated with the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP. Known for his competitive fire and humility, Kennedy remained a "one-team man" throughout his 14-season career. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.
Kennedy's Awards and Record:
- 5x Stanley Cup Champion (1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951)
- Hart Memorial Trophy (League MVP) (1955)
- Named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" (2017)
- Number 9 retired (honoured) by the Toronto Maple Leafs
- Last member of the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Hart Memorial Trophy (Until Auston Matthews won the award in 2022)
NHL Records:
- Youngest player to score a Stanley Cup-winning goal in NHL history
- 3x NHL Second All-Star Team (1950, 1951, 1954)
- 6x NHL All-Star Game appearance
- First player in the history of the NHL to be a part of five Stanley Cup-winning teams
NHL Teams
Toronto Maple Leafs (1942-1957)
Number Worn:
9
NHL Stats
Seasons Played:
14 (1942-1957)
Games Played:
696
Goals:
231
Assists:
329
Points:
560
Penalty Minutes:
432
Playoff Games:
78
Goals:
29
Assists:
31
Points:
60
Stanley Cups:
5 (1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951)