Something sad and unfortunate to report to Leafs Nation on Monday, as the Maple Leafs, via the team's official Twitter account, have passed along the news that a member of the Leafs, Mike Nykoluk, has passed away at the age of 87.
Nykoluk started his hockey career as a member of the OHA's Toronto Marlboros. He did go on to play 32 games as a member of the Leafs in the 1956-57 season, but was a fixture in the AHL for the Hershey Bears for the vast majority of his pro career.
The Toronto, Ontario native joined the coaching ranks after his 16-year AHL career, beginning with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1972-73 as an assistant coach. He would go on to win a Stanley Cup with the Flyers as an assistant coach in 1974-75. Nykoluk returned home in 1981 to become head coach the Leafs for 3 seasons before the end of his NHL coaching career in 1984. He was inducted into the AHL's Hall of Fame in 2007.
