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Athletes for Christ Ron Ellis played his entire career with the Maple Leafs
from His Grace Magazine
by His Grace
onald John Edward Ellis was born on January 8, 1945, in Lindsay, Ontario. Ron was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs and played his junior hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961-1964. Ron played on the team that won the Memorial Cup in 1964. He became a full time Maple Leaf in 1964-
A career Toronto Maple Leaf, Ron Ellis was a consistent player to wear the Maple Leaf on his chest. Ron played every game of his 1,034 career with Toronto, for 16 seasons. He scored an amazing 23 goals for that era of hockey. He dropped down to 19 goals the following season, but then bounced back to have 10 straight seasons of 20 or more goals. Ron was an ultimate right winger who would roam up and down the right side as if it were a roadway. His only Stanley Cup came in 1967...the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won
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In 1972, Ron played in the Summit Series for Team Canada against the Soviet Union. Ron played all of the 8 games, even though he played with a broken collarbone. He played on a line with centre Bobby Clarke and left winger Paul Henderson. They were the only line to play all 8 games together.
In 1975, Ron decided to retire from hockey for 2 years, but then returned to play another 4 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ace Bailey respected Ron so much that his jersey number 6 was retired by the Maple Leafs, but when he retired the second time, the Maple Leafs retired the number 6 for good.
After Ron's retirement from the game of hockey, Ron suffered terribly with a serious bout of depression. His trials are found in his book called, "Over the Boards: The Ron Ellis Story".
Ron speaks to groups about depression and the importance of diagnosing the treatment, and speaks of his journey through all of the dark times he went through.
Ron and his wife, Jan, both became Christians roughly the same time that his teammate Paul Henderson and his wife, Eleanor, did. Laurie Boschman accepted Jesus in his life a few years later, thanks to Ron's solid walk with Jesus Christ and his consistent witnessing with the people in his life.
