The former Leaf, who died Saturday at the age of 79, was a huge part of Team Canada in 1972 and, more importantly, a pioneer when it came to mental health. Ron Ellis waves to the crowd during a pre-game ceremony in February 2015 as Red Kelly, Wendel Clark and Rick Vaive applaud. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA2MzY1Njc4NDg2MTY4OTE2/usatsi_8410314_168400847_lowres.jpg] Ron Ellis waves to the crowd during a pre-game ceremony in February 2015 as Red Kelly, Wendel Clark and Rick Vaive applaud. To play a entire career of 1,000-plus games with the same team is an accomplishment in and of itself. To have done it for a team that was often the epitome of dysfunction, now that's loyalty. Ron Ellis died Saturday at the age of 79 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-and-hockey-community-mourn-the-loss-of-ron-ellis]. Not only did he win a Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1967, but he was a key cog on a line with Paul Henderson and Bobby Clarke on Team Canada in 1972. But his greatest contribution might have been when he disclosed that he had suffered from depression, in part due to concussions he endured when he played. That opened a dialogue and started a conversation about a subject that had an enormous amount of stigma attached to it. Rest in peace, Ron Ellis. Here's more: The former Leaf, who died Saturday at the age of 79, was a huge part of Team Canada in 1972 and, more importantly, a pioneer when it came to mental health.
