Bathgate, whose No. 9 was retired by the Rangers in 2009, played for New York for 12-plus seasons, beginning in 1952 and ending in February 1964, when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He won the Stanley Cup with Toronto that year and went on to play five NHL seasons after that, with Toronto, the Detroit Red Wings and the expansion Pittsburgh Penguins, finishing in 1970-71.
He scored 272 goals and 729 points in 719 games for the Rangers, and 349 goals and 973 points in 1,069 NHL games. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.
Bathgate, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL Most Valuable Player in 1958-59 when he scored a career-high 40 goals, had his No. 9 retired in a ceremony with Harry Howell, whose No. 3 was also retired. The Rangers previously retired No. 9 in honor of Adam Graves.
The Maple Leafs also held a moment of silence and video tribute prior to their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Air Canada Centre.
