[Dreakmur]

Originally Posted by Greatest Hockey Legends

Nicknamed "Tough Tony" and "Mighty Mouse," Leswick quickly developed a reputation as a relentless checker, a tough as nails body checker, and perhaps the NHL's all time ultimate pest.

….

Although he did chip in offensively while in New York, including 27 and 24 goal seasons, Tony was best known for shadowing the league's top players.

Tony Leswick !!!

Awards and Achievements:
3 x Stanley Cup Champion (1952, 1954, 1955)

Second Team All-Star (1950)

6 x NHL All-Star (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, *1954)

Statistsics:
Points – 17th(1948), 17th(1950), 19th(1947)
Goals – 6th(1947), 9th(1948), 17th(1950)
Assists – 16th(1950)

Play-off Points – 8th(1952), 10th(1948), 10th(1950), 10th(1954)
Play-off Goals – 5th(1952), 6th(1948), 7th(1954)
Play-off Assists – 8th(1950)

Originally Posted by The Trail of the Stanley Cup; Vol. 3

Among the outstanding players who possessed great skill as skaters, stickhandlers and back-checkers but were not likely candidates for the Lady Byng trophy, Tony Leswick is an example.

This little players was rated one of the best defensive forwards in the league. Although a left had shot, he played either wing and was a great penalty killer. He was a fast skater and full of hustle and spirit. His other attributes were anathema to the opposition. He kept up a constant chatter of deprecatory remarks concerning the antecedents or ability of opposing wings, interspersed with elbow action or buttends to goad them into penalties. This cost him time in the penalty box but he was usually successful in having one of the opposing stars for company.

Originally Posted by Greatest Hockey Legends

Perhaps his favorite target was Montreal's fiery Rocket Richard. The long lasting feud between the two lasted for years. Leswick knew how to get under Richard's skin. Richard, who had a short fuse to start with, would often blow up at Leswick and assaulted him. Often Leswick would take Richard's shot and write it off as "taking one for the team." Richard would be banished to the penalty box while the Rangers would go on the powerplay. Other times Leswick was more than willing to answer Richard's battle cry, and the two would brawl it out. Both players were banished to the box, which of course would have to be a small victory for the Rangers. Anytime you could take Rocket Richard out of the game for a few minutes at a time greatly enhanced the Rangers chance of winning.

Now picking on the ferociously explosive Richard takes guts. The only player perhaps more dangerous to tick off was Gordie Howe - not only arguably the greatest player of all time, but perhaps the greatest fighter of all time too. Leswick fearlessly needled Mr. Hockey with great success. Like Richard, no one had as much success keeping Howe off of his game as Leswick did. So impressed by Leswick's performance were the Red Wings, they went out and traded legendary Gaye Stewart to get him.

Originally Posted by Who’s Who in Hockey

…a small bulldog-type forward…

Originally Posted by Frank Boucher

Tony was a combative little bugger. He played a lot bigger than his size.

Originally Posted by Vic Stasiuk

Tony was one of the toughest little guys who ever played.

Originally Posted by Bill Chadwick

Leswick could bring out the worst in a saint.