 His face @-@ off skills were highly regarded and it was considered invaluable . The April 27 , 1998 , issue of Sport Illustrated published " The Best Ever on the Draw " , a poll of NHL experts of the top ten players of all time for skills on the faceoff , and Kennedy was ranked at # 1 . Lloyd Percival once called Kennedy the " Billy the Kid " of hockey . Derek Sanderson , considered the best at faceoffs in the late 60s and 70s , related how his father had him watch Kennedy on the TV to learn the skill . In a 1987 interview Kennedy told a reporter , " I went all @-@ out at face @-@ offs . Your centre is your quarterback and our other guys knew exactly what I was trying to do . " In the 1970s , GM of the Leafs , Jim Gregory asked Kennedy if he would help the team to improve their face @-@ off performance . Kennedy agreed but with one stipulation . " This can 't involve ( just ) the centermen . It has to involve all five guys , " Kennedy told Gregory and coach Roger Neilson . " Everyone has to be in tune . Everybody has a job to do . This is a team . " 
