Auston Matthews is coming off one of the greatest seasons in Maple Leafs history. The former Hart Trophy winner scored 69 goals and 107 points as Matthews chased the 70-goal mark all year. He helped Toronto make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, they eventually lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round.
Matthews is gearing up for another potentially deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, given his historic season, it feels fitting to take a step back and see where he currently ranks when compared to Maple Leafs legends. Here is our ranking of the 10 greatest Maple Leafs players to wear those iconic blue and white colors.
1. Darryl Sittler
When talking about the greatest Maple Leafs ever, Darryl Sittler has to be in the conversation. The former captain holds the team's all-time record for most points in a single game. He scored a whopping 10 points against the Boston Bruins on February 7, 1976. Sittler had six goals and four assists in an 11-4 victory.
Sittler ranks second all-time among Toronto skaters in regular season points (916). Furthermore, he ranks second in goals (389), third in assists (527), and fourth in playoff points (65). Additionally, while he didn't win any individual hardware, he did finish top-three in Hart Trophy voting on one occasion.
Sittler left the Maple Leafs in 1982 when they traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers. However, he made a remarkable impact in the 12 years he spent in Toronto. And he has a very strong case in sitting atop the list of greatest Maple Leafs ever.
2. Mats Sundin
Outside of Auston Matthews, Mats Sundin may be the face of modern Maple Leafs hockey. He joined Toronto in 1994 through a trade that sent Wendel Clark to the Quebec Nordiques. He went on to play parts of 13 seasons for the Maple Leafs following the deal.
Though Sundin never matched the 114-point season he put up in 1992-93 in Toronto, he still made a major impact. In fact, no player in team history has more points than the Swedish forward (987). Additionally, he holds the team's record for goals (420) while ranking second in assists (567) and playoff points (70).
Sundin left the Maple Leafs in 2008 as an unrestricted free agent. But he certainly helped Toronto remain competitive for years following the Clark trade. And in the process, he stamped his name among the greatest Maple Leafs of all time.
3. Börje Salming
Börje Salming joined the Maple Leafs in 1973-74 during a time when European players weren't all that common. Despite that, he quickly established himself as one of the best in the league. He spent all but one season in Toronto, helping them make the playoffs in 12 of his 16 seasons with the team. The Swedish defenseman holds the all-time record for assists (620), the record for most goals as a defenseman (148), and the record for most points as a defenseman (768) in team history. Salming left Toronto in 1989 to sign with the Detroit Red Wings.
4. Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews is the only player on this list who is still playing. In a few years, he certainly could be joined by a few other current players. And he certainly has the ability to rocket up this list if he continues to play at his current elite level.
Matthews currently ranks sixth all-time among Maple Leafs skaters in points (649). Additionally, he is third all-time in goals (368) while holding the all-time team record for even-strength goals (274). Matthews also helped Toronto win its first playoff series in nearly 20 years in 2023. Matthews is already one of the greatest Maple Leafs ever. And it'll certainly be interesting to see where he ranks once he hangs up his skates.
5. Dave Keon
Dave Keon joined Toronto in 1960-61, and he made an immediate impact. He won the Calder Trophy as the best rookie in the league. In his sophomore season, he won the first of two consecutive Lady Byng trophies.
Keon is one of five players to play 1000 or more games in Toronto. He currently ranks third all-time in points (858), fourth all-time in goals (365), and fourth in assists (493). Keon also earned what many on this list didn't with the Maple Leafs: the Stanley Cup. The Quebec native won four Stanley Cups with Toronto, including three in a row from 1962 to 1964. He left the Maple Leafs and the NHL for the World Hockey Association in 1974-75.
6. Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour played parts of seven seasons in Toronto following a trade from the Calgary Flames. This is certainly not a lot of time. In fact, he played less than 400 games in a Maple Leafs sweater. That said, he is certainly one of the greatest Maple Leafs ever. Gilmour ranks 19th all-time in points (452), but he is second all-time in points per game (1.15) behind only Auston Matthews. Additionally, Gilmour has more playoff points (77) than any Toronto player in franchise history. Gilmour left the Maple Leafs in 1997 when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils.
7. Johnny Bower
Johnny Bower is the only goaltender to make this list, but he is here for good reason. Bower was claimed by the Maple Leafs in 1958, and immediately became the starting goaltender. He spent parts of 12 seasons in Toronto and etched his name into franchise history during his tenure. He ranks second all-time in save percentage (.922) among goalies who played at least 100 games for Toronto. He is well and truly in the lead for most saves made (13,468) and he is one of two goalies to win 200 or more games in Maple Leafs history. When all was said and done, he did more than enough to be considered among the greatest Maple Leafs ever.
8. Frank Mahovlich
Frank Mahovlich made his debut with the Leafs as a 19-year-old in 1956-57. He went on to play parts of 12 seasons in Toronto while making a huge impact on the team's success. He won the Calder Trophy in 1957-58 while earning six All-Star nods during his time.
Mahovlich currently ranks seventh all-time in goals (296), and ninth all-time in points (597). Additionally, he ranks within the top-10 in playoff goals (24), assists (36), and points (60). Mahovlich's playoff success did lead to the ultimate triumph, as well. He won four Stanley Cups with Toronto on the same teams as Bower and Keon. Mahovlich left the team in 1968 when he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings.
9. Wendel Clark
Clark began his career with the Maple Leafs in 1985-86. The former first-overall pick played parts of 13 seasons in Toronto while becoming one of the most popular players in franchise history. Clark currently ranks ninth all-time in goals (260) and 11th for even-strength goals (181). He helped Toronto make a run in 1993 that nearly saw them take down Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals. Clark left Toronto in 1994 when he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques.
10. Tim Horton
Tim Horton — the namesake for the popular restaurant chain in the US and Canada — debuted in 1949-50. He went on to play parts of 20 seasons with the Maple Leafs before he left in 1969-70. Horton currently ranks fourth all-time among Toronto defensemen in points (458) and third all-time among blueliners in goals (109). Horton also won four Stanley Cups with the Maple Leafs alongside Mahovlich, Bower, and Keon.
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