Tim Horton (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #101)
Adjusted Stats
1949-1950 Tor 1 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1951-1952 Tor 5 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1952-1953 Tor 82 GP 3 goals 21 assists 24 points 0.29 PPG
1953-1954 Tor 82 GP 11 goals 36 assists 47 points 0.57 PPG
1954-1955 Tor 78 GP 7 goals 13 assists 20 points 0.25 PPG
1955-1956 Tor 41 GP 0 goals 7 assists 7 points 0.17 PPG
1956-1957 Tor 77 GP 8 goals 25 assists 33 points 0.43 PPG
1957-1958 Tor 62 GP 8 goals 26 assists 33 points 0.54 PPG
1958-1959 Tor 82 GP 6 goals 26 assists 32 points 0.39 PPG
1959-1960 Tor 82 GP 4 goals 35 assists 39 points 0.48 PPG
1960-1961 Tor 67 GP 7 goals 18 assists 25 points 0.38 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 82 GP 12 goals 34 assists 45 points 0.55 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 82 GP 7 goals 23 assists 30 points 0.37 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 82 GP 12 goals 26 assists 38 points 0.46 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 82 GP 15 goals 20 assists 35 points 0.43 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 82 GP 7 goals 26 assists 33 points 0.40 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 82 GP 10 goals 21 assists 30 points 0.37 PPG
1967-1968 Tor 76 GP 5 goals 28 assists 33 points 0.43 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 80 GP 12 goals 32 assists 45 points 0.56 PPG
1969-1970 Tor/NYR 80 GP 5 goals 27 assists 32 points 0.40 PPG
1970-1971 NYR 82 GP 2 goals 19 assists 21 points 0.25 PPG
1971-1972 Pit 46 GP 2 goals 9 assists 12 points 0.25 PPG
1972-1973 Buf 73 GP 1 goal 16 assists 17 points 0.23 PPG
1973-1974 Buf 58 GP 0 goals 6 assists 6 points 0.10 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1949-1950 Tor 1 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1953-1954 Tor 5 GP 1 goal 1 assist 3 points 0.52 PPG
1955-1956 Tor 2 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1958-1959 Tor 12 GP 0 goals 3 assists 3 points 0.23 PPG
1959-1960 Tor 10 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.10 PPG
1960-1961 Tor 5 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 12 GP 3 goals 13 assists 16 points 1.32 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 10 GP 1 goal 3 assists 4 points 0.40 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 14 GP 0 goals 4 assists 4 points 0.30 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 6 GP 0 goals 2 assists 2 points 0.36 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 0 assists 1 point 0.26 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 12 GP 3 goals 5 assists 8 points 0.69 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 4 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1969-1970 NYR 6 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.31 PPG
1970-1971 NYR 13 GP 1 goal 4 assists 5 points 0.35 PPG
1971-1972 Pit 4 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.23 PPG
1972-1973 Buf 6 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.15 PPG
Career - 1646 GP, 144 goals, 494 assists, 637 points, 0.39 PPG
Career-Highs - 15 goals (64-65); 36 assists (53-54); 47 points (53-54); 0.57 PPG (53-54)
Avg. (22 seasons) - 75 GP, 7 goals, 22 assists, 29 points, 0.39 PPG
Peak Avg. (61-69) - 81 GP, 10 goals, 26 assists, 36 points, 0.45 PPG, 4 Cups
Playoff Career - 126 GP, 11 goals, 39 assists, 51 points, 0.40 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 3 goals (61-62); 13 assists (61-62); 16 points (61-62); 1.32 PPG (61-62)
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 3-time 1st-team, 3-time 2nd-team
4-time Stanley Cup Champion
He's known to today's generation primarily for his coffee-and-doughnut franchise, which is a Canadian institution, and less for being one of the premium defensive-defenseman of his era. I may need a Tim Hortons' coffee after typing out these statistics: it's easily the most boring career of anyone on the Pyramid. There are no highs and very little lows, just steadiness, durability and occasionally a Stanley Cup. But while Horton's statistics may be dull, the totality of his career is very interesting.
If there's a more modern-day equivalent to Horton, it would be Scott Stevens. Not that Horton was as fearsome a hitter as Stevens, but he was relied upon to be a shutdown defenceman, and also something of an enforcer. Horton took a lot of penalties early in his career and seemed destined to be the heir apparent to Eddie Shore as the defenceman who everyone else in the league was scared shitless of. But something about Horton's personality was too gentle, and in the late 1950s and early 60s, he evolved into more of a cerebral shutdown defenceman.
Considering the physical game he played, Horton's durability is remarkable. He played until his career was cut short at 44 (more on that later) and in total amassed 1,646 adjusted career games. While Horton's offensive numbers are nothing to write home about, like Scott Stevens, one needs to look at his multiple appearances on year-end all-star teams to see how highly Horton was thought of at the time. Throughout the 1960s, its arguable he was the best or second-best overall defenceman (Pierre Pilote and a fading Doug Harvey would be his biggest rivals).
1962 may have been Horton's peak year. After being named a first-team all-star, he put up a remarkable 16 points in 12 playoff games (far beyond his normal rate of production) in the postseason and led the Leafs to the first of three consecutive Stanley Cups. If the NHL ever goes back and doles out retroactive Conn Smythe awards, Horton may win for this year.
Of course, Horton's business ventures off the ice are also legendary. In the mid-1960s, while still playing, he founded Tim Horton's Doughnut Shop. No need to go into how much of a success that turned into, but it's interesting to note that Horton would have made millions within the first few years of the chain's existence, and yet still continued to play hockey for love of the game. At 44, he was fading but still going strong for the Buffalo Sabres, something of a latter-day Chris Chelios. Tragically though, Horton was killed in a car accident on the QEW (there is a suspicion that he'd consumed a lot of vodka). While he may have been close to retirement anyway, it was a tragic end to Horton's fine career.
Still, his legend lives on, both as a player and as a part of Canadiana. Now I'll have a double-double to go, please.
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