See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Ron Hurst make ‘em laugh — on the ice, in the dressing room and, many years later, as the featured speaker at NHL Alumni lunches. But there was mourning across the hockey community on Thursday with news that Hurst, who was the oldest living Maple Leaf, had died at age 95.
The 5-foot-9 right winger played all 64 of his NHL games for the hometown Leafs between 1955-57. He started with the junior Marlboroughs for a dollar a day in 1949-50 on a team with future Leafs icon and teammate George Armstrong.
“The Leafs treated me wonderfully,” Hurst told the Sun in 2025 of answering the first of many call-ups. “But my first game, I got hit in the eyebrow by a puck, just sitting on the bench in New York.
Armstrong saw it coming and ducked. He had better reflexes than me.” WHAT WAS HURST’S HOCKEY TIMELINE Hurst admitted to falling for Armstrong’s many pranks, such as switching everyone’s dentures in the room when no one was around.
But it was an Armstrong injury that had unwittingly helped Hurst extend his NHL shot, as did Gerry James’ decision to split the ‘55-56 season with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Hurst turned his first summoning from the farm into an impressive 10 points in 10 games.
He played rough despite his size, prompting sportswriters of the day to nickname him ‘Brawny Ronny’ and ‘The Try Guy’ because he, like many Original Six players, he knew demotion was always near. “I get that spirit from my father,” Hurst insisted of William Hurst, who was wounded in France during World War I.
Ron ended ‘55-56 with 12 points in 50 games and two playoff assists. But increasing competition at forward next season came from Sid Smith, Stewart, James, Dick Duff, Bob Pulford, Barry Cullen, Tod Sloan (Dave Keon’s cousin) and the brief return of Hall of Fame captain Teeder Kennedy.
Hurst was held to 14 games, spending time on their Rochester farm team with more 1960s dynasty Leafs, like Bob Baun, Harris and Bob Nevin. Why Gavin McKenna has started Maple Leafs training camp on John Tavares' line Why the Daniel Alfredsson hiring'shocked' this Maple Leafs player After a broken leg ended his playing career, Hurst thrived as a stockbroker and in real estate, enough that he and wife Beryl purchased a farm outside of Toronto near Newcastle.
In the 1970s, he was one of the founders of the monthy Alumni Lunch in the Toronto area where he didn’t mind dispensing locker room humour to a mixed audience. “Ron was a true Maple Leaf, the kind of aggressive winger the present-day team could use,” hockey video archivist and luncheon director Paul Patskou said.
“He was proud to be the oldest Leaf and to be honoured by them.” Lhornby@postmedia.com X: @sunhornby
