Adored, respected and loved in equal measure, former professional ice hockey ace, Wendel Clark, is indisputably one of the most popular players to ever captain the Toronto Maple Leafs. A man who combines grit with goals, for 13 of his remarkable 15 NHL seasons he wore the Maple Leafs jersey and is still idolised by fans today. In his illustrious career, Clark played 888 games, scored 367 goals and marked 266 assists. Regarded as one of the best body chequers in the league, Clark was never afraid to drop the gloves, either, which always delighted his fans. But his very physical style of play took its toll forcing him to retire from the game in 2000, aged 33.

Clark was first selected as a teenager in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft by the Leafs and that same year was also chosen to be part of Canada’s national team at the 1985 World Junior Hockey Championships. He went on to help them win the gold medal. Although he had brief stints with four other teams – Quebec Nordiques, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders – Clark remains blue through-and-through.

Still a regular sight at Leafs matches, where he works as a community ambassador and public relations guru, Clark is always happy to engage with his fans and is regarded as a personal idol to many current NHL players, too. Owner of Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill and Sports Lounge, with four restaurants across Canada, he has also published a frank, informative memoir, Bleeding Blue: Giving My All For The Game, to great acclaim.