The Toronto Maple Leafs gave up too early on these four NHL stars
Over the last few years the Toronto Maple Leafs have made many trades and roster moves that have left fans and analysts wondering what might have happened if they didn't move.
While many of their top draft picks like Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander have developed into important players, some other are prospects the Leafs let go way too soon.
As talked in here, here's a look at some of those players who could have significantly impacted the Leafs if they had been given more time.
The Leafs selected him in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft and Carter Verhaeghe never got a real shot to prove himself in Toronto.
After spending time developing in the OHL and AHL, he was traded to the New York Islanders in 2015 in a deal for Michael Grabner.
While Michael Grabner provided some value for the Leafs in the short term, Verhaeghe's career took off when he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning and contributed to their 2020 Stanley Cup win.
Later, he became a star with the Florida Panthers and regularly scored 30+ goals for his team. If the Leafs had held onto him longer, he could have been a valuable top-six forward for them.
2. Brad Boyes
Brad Boyes, who the Leafs drafted in the first round of the 2000 NHL Draft, had a strong junior career and a promising start in the AHL.
However, in need of immediate help for the playoffs, the Leafs traded him to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Owen Nolan, but Nolan was in decline and didn't provide the expected impact.
Boyes, on his side, became a star with the Boston Bruins and later had his best years with the St. Louis Blues, including two seasons with more than 33 goals.
3. Alexander Steen
Selected by the Leafs in the first round of the 2002 NHL Draft, Alexander Steen had a solid start with the Leafs but never fully was the player they hoped for when they drafted him.
After averaging 15-20 goals a season in his first few years with Toronto, Alex Steen was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2008 for Lee Stempniak and even if Stempniak was effective in the first year of the trade, he never reached what the Leafs were expecting.
Meanwhile, Steen had a highly productive career in St. Louis and became a key player for the Blues helping them win their first Stanley Cup in 2019.
4. Tuukka Rask
Perhaps the most painful example of a player the Leafs let go too soon is Tuukka Rask.
In 2006, after Ed Belfour's departure, the Leafs were looking for a new starting goalie and traded Rask to the Boston Bruins as part of a deal for Andrew Raycroft, who was seen as a future star in the NHL.
Unfortunately, Andrew Raycroft struggled in Toronto while Rask became one of the best goaltenders of his era and won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011.
Which one of these four players would you have liked the most on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster?
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 13 | 110 ANSWERS The Toronto Maple Leafs gave up too early on these four NHL stars Who is the best player, in your opinion, between the four? | ||
| Carter Verhaeghe | 28 | 25.5 % |
| Tukka Rask | 61 | 55.5 % |
| Brad Boyes | 1 | 0.9 % |
| Alex Steen | 20 | 18.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
