Born in Kitchener, Ontario on September 18, 1950, one of eight children in the Sittler family, Darryl became one of the star players of the Ontario Hockey Association’s London Knights.
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Few players in Toronto Maple Leafs history captured the imagination of hockey fans, and a place in their hearts, like number 27, Darryl Sittler. Selected as the Leafs’ first pick and eighth over-all in the 1970 Entry Draft, Sittler’s offensive exploits began to shine during his third-season in the league when he scored 77 points. At the age of 24, he became the second-youngest captain in team history.
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In 1976, Sittler would achieve legendary status, not only in Toronto, but across Canada and the hockey world. It began at Maple Leaf Gardens on February 7, 1976 in a game against the Boston Bruins. While centering a line with Lanny McDonald and Errol Thompson, Sittler scored 10 points (six goals and four assists) and set an NHL record for the most points in a single game —a record that still stands today. That record-breaking moment helped Sittler become the first ever Maple Leaf to reach 100 points in a single season.
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Later that April, Sittler’s sensational scoring streak would continue in the Stanley Cup playoffs when he scored five goals in a single game against the Philadelphia Flyers, tying a playoff record.
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Nearly five months later, on September 15, 1976, during the Canada Cup final at the famous Montreal Forum, Sittler cemented his standing in Canadian hockey lore. Taking a pass from teammate Marcel Dionne in overtime, he beat Czech goalie Vladimir Dzurilla on a partial breakaway, scoring the tournament winning goal for Canada and securing his place as a national hockey hero.
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In 1989, Sittler was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame after retiring from the National Hockey League in 1985. In his career, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1970-1982), the Philadelphia Flyers (1982-1984), and the Detroit Red Wings (1984-1985). Sittler spent the first 11½ of his 15 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs. He finished his career with 484 goals and 1121 points. Sittler set an NHL single-game record that still stands by getting 10 points (six goals, four assists) in a game against the Boston Bruins in 1976. (Read More...)