Ron Ellis, the Canadian winger who served as a key to the core of both the late 1960’s Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as the 1972 Summit Series squad for Team Canada, today passed away at the age of 79.

Ellis joined the Leafs organization with the Toronto Marlboros junior squad in 1961, capturing the Memorial Cup in 1964 before joining the Leafs full time the following season. Ellis would spend eleven straight seasons with the Leafs, a key member of their 1967 Stanley Cup winning squad, but stunned the hockey world by retiring in 1975 at just 30 years old, citing a lack of desire to play. He would return to the Leafs two years later, spending his final four seasons in Toronto before retiring again at age 36. Ellis capped his NHL career with 640 points in 1,034 career games, only one of five Leafs players to ever surpass 1,000 games in the blue and white, also scoring 26 points in 70 career playoff games.

A native of Lindsay, Ontario, Ellis was tabbed to join Team Canada at the legendary 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, one of only seven Canadians to play in all eight games, flanking Leafs teammate Paul Henderson and centre Bobby Clarke, notching three assists en route to their dramatic series victory. Ellis made his return to pro hockey at the 1977 World Championships in Vienna, playing at Canada’s first appearance in eight years after they ended their boycott of the tournament, notching nine points in ten games.

Our condolences go out to the Ellis family, as well as the extended hockey community in the Toronto area and across Canada, on the loss of a true Original Six legend.

Photo Credit: Morphan Collectibles – IIHF – HHOF – IOC