Jerry Toppazzini played his first NHL game in October of 1952, facing Maurice “Rocket” Richard and the Montreal Canadiens, no less.
More than 70 years later, many folks in Sudbury can be excused for not having a true appreciation for the Copper Cliff native who would rack up 163 goals and 244 assists over a career that spanned 783 NHL games.
He played in the NHL between 1952 and 1964, mostly for the Boston Bruins (but with short stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings), and over the course of his 12-year NHL career, was noted for being a pioneering two-way forward who even put on the pads and played net for about 30 seconds in a 1960 game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Boston Bruins, as an organization, clearly have maintained an appreciation for all that is Jerry Toppazzini hockey.
The family of Toppazzini — children Cheryll, Mark, Anthony and Lino — were recently informed their father had cracked the list of the “Historic 100”, a one-century-strong list of the most legendary players in the history of a Bruins franchise that is celebrating their 100th anniversary during the 2023-2024 season.
“I’m extremely proud, but am I surprised? No, not really,” said Cheryll as we chatted quite appropriately at the bar of the Beef n’ Bird on Monday morning.
“He would not put himself on a pedestal – but to hear people talk of him … no, this is not a surprise.”
Long before Patrice Bergeron (also a Bruin, ironically) established a personal monopoly over the Frank J Selke Trophy, Jerry Toppazzini was busy pioneering the role of the two-way forward, the defensively responsible winger who could also chip in with the occasional tally along the way.
During the 1957-1958 season, Toppazzini would register eight short-handed goals, a standard that would stand as the league record until 1974-1975 (Marcel Dionne netted 10) and still sits as the 10th highest single season total in NHL history.
Not that the OHL Coach of the Year with the Sudbury Wolves in 1975-1976 would have included much of this in his hockey biography.
“As far as talent goes, his heart was always the biggest thing,” Anthony said. “He wasn’t a very good skater, but he got the job done. He had a good career because he was a grinder, a role player. Whatever you needed him to do, he would do.”
To wit, Toppazzini’s name resides in the NHL record book for all times as the last non-goalie to don the pads and enter the game between the posts, a challenge he undertook in 1960, prior to the NHL rule amendment that teams must dress two goaltenders per game adopted for the 1965-1966 campaign.
Still, we may be selling Toppazzini a bit short here in terms of his abilities with the puck.
Keep in mind that Topper not only netted anywhere from 12 to 25 goals for seven straight years (1956-1963), a time when the leading sniper might or might not reach the 40-goal plateau. In fact, the Nickel City lad finished 12th in goals in 1957-1958 when he hit his career best of 25.
But for as much as Cheryll can still recall taking in the action at the fabled Boston Gardens as a youngster, the family memories of their father most often revolve around far more of the social aspect of NHL hockey, the many friendships that Jerry created and maintained over the years, and the knack for those folks to relive those days many times over.
“The times that Leo Labine (long-time teammate in Boston and native of Haileybury who settled in North Bay in retirement) would sit at the bar and tell stories was endless,” said Cheryll.
“Leo and Jerry were like two peas in a pod,” laughed Anthony. “Those two would take any opportunity to get together. They played in more charity events around the province than I could remember.”
“I would see Jerry hold court in here and there would be 40 or 50 people and it would be dead silent,” Anthony chimed in. “He always had a good story – and he was friends with everybody.”
Blessed with that type of outgoing personality and remaining active with the Boston Bruins’ alumni association in his later years, Toppazzini enjoyed a wealth of high profile contacts, the proof of which reside on the walls of the Beef n’ Bird.
How else does one merit a game-worn Wayne Gretzky jersey (Los Angeles Kings version) with personalized autographs that feature three of the game’s all-time greats: Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky.
“I was always amazed at how many fans would mail hockey cards here, even into his seventies,” said Cheryll. “I would tell him: I don’t think of you like that – and he would say: you’re not supposed to.”
For as much as the Toppazzini Copper Cliff clan can boast a pair of NHLers (Jerry’s brother Zellio also suited up in 123 NHL games, but was a Hall of Famer with the Providence Reds of the AHL), the Toppazzini women can one-up the men, adding both Justin Williams and Mike Gazdic to the fold of family connections.
But when it comes to the lore of the franchise that is the Boston Bruins, Jerry Toppazzini stands alone – or at the very least, among the “Historic 100”.
Randy Pascal is a sportswriter in Greater Sudbury. Pursuit is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
