The Best NHL Players to Never Play for the Maple Leafs

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Connor McDavid is facing the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time is his young career. That is significant for two reasons. 1: He is from the Toronto-area (Richmond Hill), and 2: he grew up as a Leafs fan. There shouldn’t be much more to talk about beyond that. Predictably, a Tweet emerged about the possibility of McDavid playing for the blue and white because he had a Leafs jersey with his name and number on it as a kid. Could he one day play in Toronto? Sure it’s possible, but he’s a rookie in the first year of his entry-level contract, so any discussion of him playing for another team is pretty irrelevant. (We are talking about the Toronto media here, though. The team has been so bad for so long that dreaming of superstars coming to the Leafs is the only interesting thing to talk about).

Oilers fans didn’t appreciate the suggestion. McDavid is their star, and there is a sense that some in the Toronto media are still miffed that the lottery balls fell Edmonton’s way. It’s almost as though some believed the Leafs were more deserving because McDavid used to cheer for the team. I could do nothing more than laugh, because that’s so Toronto. It seems like they really believe that any player born in their general vicinity is just dying to play for their native team. The notion got me to thinking. Which good ol’ Ontario superstars have never suited up for the Maple Leafs in their careers?

Wayne Gretzky (Brantford, Ontario)

Bobby Orr (Parry Sound, Ontario)

Scott Stevens (Kitchener, Ontario)

Paul Coffey (Malton/Weston, Ontario)

Ron Francis (Sault-Ste. Marie, Ontario)

Bobby Hull (Point Anne, Ontario)

Phil Esposito (Sault-Ste. Marie, Ontario)

Brendan Shanahan (Etobicoke, Ontario)

Dino Ciccarelli (Sarnia, Ontario)

Larry Robinson (Winchester, Ontario)

There are quite a few active players who hail from Ontario, and the immediate Toronto area itself, beside Connor McDavid. What are the chances any of them play for the Maple Leafs one day before their careers are over? Feel free to offer your opinion in the comment section below.

P.K Subban (Toronto, Ontario)

Tyler Seguin (Brampton, Ontario)

Steven Stamkos (Markham, Ontario)

John Tavares (Mississauga, Ontario)

Rick Nash (Brampton, Ontario)

Jeff Carter (London, Ontario)

Brent Burns (Barrie, Ontario)

Matt Duchene (Haliburton, Ontario)

Drew Doughty (London, Ontario)

Alex Pietrangelo (King City, Ontario)

Claude Giroux (Hearst, Ontario)

Eric Staal (Thunder Bay, Ontario)

Joe Thornton (London, Ontario)