The first half of Allan Stanley's career was decent, but it wasn't spectacular.  The Defenseman played for New York (1948-54), Chicago (1954-56), and Boston (1946-58), and while he was good, he was approaching 30, and hockey pundits thought they knew what Stanley was, but a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs placed him in the best light possible.

Stanley was a slow and plodding skater (so much so that he was called "snowshoes"), but he was a master of positioning and an expert passer, which made him an asset on the power play.  Stanley's true strength was as a lockdown defender, and he was a massive part of the Maple Leafs’ success in the 1960s, winning four Stanley Cups.  Individually, Stanley was a three-time Second Team All-Star and was the runner-up for the Norris Trophy in 1959-60.

In 1968, Stanley was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers, where he played one year before retiring.

Stanley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981.