Jeffrey dies at 81, won Stanley Cup with Maple Leafs in 1967

Jeffrey died Monday at age 81.

An almost indestructible forward, Jeffrey played 368 regular-season games for the Detroit Red Wings, Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. He had 101 points (39 goals, 62 assists), and 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 38 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

That Jeffrey even made it to the NHL was a minor miracle.

He was playing junior hockey for the Red Wings’ affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario in 1960-61 when he sustained a charley horse so severe that he couldn’t bend his knee. It was the first of a long list of injuries from which Jeffrey would recover; he underwent anywhere from nine to 14 knee surgeries, depending on the source.

Detroit’s Larry Jeffrey slides into the goal post behind Toronto goalie Johnny Bower. Graphic Artists/Hockey Hall of Fame

“It just kept causing me problems every year after that, probably because in those days they didn’t have the equipment to look after severe injuries,” Jeffrey said of the charley horse, as quoted by hockey historian Joe Pelletier. “They had a shower and a hose and that was your whirlpool-type thing. You held the hose to cause stimulation to the charley horse.” 

When calcium deposits developed, Jeffrey was brought to Detroit for treatment. He recalled the joys of that.

“One doctor got my shoulder and held me, the other got on my leg and just literally grabbed it and bent it with his weight,” he said. “They gave me a mild sedative. I remember everything about it. When he gave my knee the pressure, it was just like breaking bones. It was very painful. I heard the cracking. I thought they broke my leg rather than the adhesions.”

One doctor suggested that Jeffrey might not walk without aid, but he had other ideas. He turned pro with Edmonton of the Western Hockey League in 1961-62 and was named the league’s rookie of the year after he had 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) and 80 penalty minutes in 48 games.

Detroit’s Larry Jeffrey tries to shove the puck past Toronto goalie Johnny Bower during the 1964 Stanley Cup Final, with Maple Leafs forward Frank Mahovlich helping out. Michael Sr. Burns/Hockey Hall of Fame

He also made his NHL debut that season with the Red Wings. He played 18 games, but his first truly was one for the books.

Arriving from Edmonton on Feb. 11, 1962, Jeffrey was whisked from the airport to Olympia Stadium by police for a game against the Maple Leafs, arriving minutes before face-off. He laced his skates, sprinted to the bench, then scored his first NHL goal, at 2:33…