they were a strong team in the 1940s. they won the stanley cup in 1942 against the detroit red wings, four games to three, even though they were losing three games to none at one point. this was the first of six championships in ten years; they also won in 1945, then three years in a row: 1947, 1948, and 1949, and again in 1951. some of their best players in that time included goaltender turk broda, forward syl apps, and defence "babe" pratt, who won the hart trophy as the most valuable player in 1944. ted "teeder" kennedy won the hart trophy in 1955; but no other maple leaf has won that award.