Leafs All-Time Team Vote: #2 Defenseman

[deletethis]

Barilko won 4 Stanley Cups and appeared in 3 All Star games in his 5 year career...you could build a Hall of Fame defence with him in your 6...

The All Star game thing isn't so impressive when you remember that the Stanley Cup champs played against the rest of the league in the 6 team league. Barilko was probably the 2nd best defenseman on his Leafs' teams behind Jimmy Thomson who I'm glad to see get on this list.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Went Horton here and will vote King Clancy next.

So will I. As much as I like Kaberle and McCabe, there just isn't any room for them on my list. With the exception of Salming, my other 5 d-men will all be cup champions.

The All Star game thing isn't so impressive when you remember that the Stanley Cup champs played against the rest of the league in the 6 team league. Barilko was probably the 2nd best defenseman on his Leafs' teams behind Jimmy Thomson who I'm glad to see get on this list.

As am I. This man should have been in the Hall of Fame a long time ago.

 

[Leaf Lander]

What no ahl team?

 

[Cams]

With all the names of this organization over 100 years, how are McCabe and Kaberle even on this list, and who the heck is voting for them over some of the guys listed.......WOW!

You don't have to have the "seen them play" to do some research or ask your parents/grandparents/other fans about some of these legends.

I can't see any d-man since Salming that can be considered for this "team" really. Berard had a chance but thanks to his horrific eye injury.....but I'd put a guy like Ellett on here before Kaberle and McCabe (who were a great PP tandem by the way). Maybe Iafrate even.

But I think this also goes to show, how bad this franchise has been for so long in either acquiring and/or developing elite players (at any position).

 

[Mess]

Tim Horton and Borje Salming would be the top pairing D and 2 best Dmen of all time Leafs

Francis "King" Clancy
Clarence "Happy" Day
Reginald "Red" Horner
Allan Stanley
Jim Thomson
Bob Baun

Would round out the Defense Core.

 

[Leaf Lander]

Gus mortson may deserve some appreciation too

 

[Mess]

Gus mortson may deserve some appreciation too

He and fellow defenceman partner Jim Thomson were known as the "Gold Dust Twins", and the two helped the Maple Leafs win 4 Stanley Cups in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951.

Mortson actually fought Gordie Howe in an All-Star game, and that might be what he is remembered for most today as it certainly not a common event at an ALL-Star game.

 

[Mr Hockey*]

We should have a team from 1900 >1970 and another for 1970 > 2016.

 

[BayStreetBully]

We should have a team from 1900 >1970 and another for 1970 > 2016.

That would be interesting. Not so much the 1900-1970, since that team would be fairly identical with the all-time team as it is, minus a few outliers.

But a post 1970 team would be very different. It would be a chance to legitimately give contemporary favourites a shot without being ridiculed. Especially D and goalies. They have no hope in an all-time Leaf lineup.

 

[The CyNick]

Gilmour at 2C lol

 

[Mess]

That would be interesting. Not so much the 1900-1970, since that team would be fairly identical with the all-time team as it is, minus a few outliers.

But a post 1970 team would be very different. It would be a chance to legitimately give contemporary favourites a shot without being ridiculed. Especially D and goalies. They have no hope in an all-time Leaf lineup.

The fact that No Dmen outside of Salming and No Goalies would make a Leafs All-time team from the past 50 years really speaks to have bad the Leafs have been managed in the past and how few star players have been acquired. IMO

Sittler, MacDonald and Clark likely the only drafted players, Salming a UFA and Sundin and Killer in trade likely only the post 1967 expansion worthy of consideration for such a team.

The pickings have been slim to where 1/2 the 1967 Cup winning team alone entered the HHOF after their careers ended and honoured among the best that ever played in the league.

Auston Matthews might be among the new elite that might join that post 1967 group that gets this kind of consideration in the future. Particularly if he leads the future to a Stanley Cup.

 

[BayStreetBully]

The fact that No Dmen outside of Salming and No Goalies would make a Leafs All-time team from the past 50 years really speaks to have bad the Leafs have been managed in the past and how few star players have been acquired. IMO

Sittler, MacDonald and Clark likely the only drafted players, Salming a UFA and Sundin and Killer in trade likely only the post 1967 expansion worthy of consideration for such a team.

The pickings have been slim to where 1/2 the 1967 Cup winning team alone entered the HHOF after their careers ended and honoured among the best that ever played in the league.

Auston Matthews might be among the new elite that might join that post 1967 group that gets this kind of consideration in the future. Particularly if he leads the future to a Stanley Cup.

I agree. You pretty much covered all the post 1967 players that could hang with the best of the pre 1967 group. Sittler, Salming, McDonald, Clark, Gilmour, Sundin. That's it. And we completely lucked out with the Gilmour and Sundin trades, or we wouldn't even have them.

Matthews does seem the most likely to compare well to our all-time greats. The sky really is the limit for him. We'll see how the next 15 years unfolds. But he's not the only one. If we win a cup, we could see 3 or 4 new all-time greats from a championship team. And now I'm getting ahead of myself. The best thing we can do is just enjoy the ride, don't think about it, and then reflect back when it's all over.

 

[Mess]

I agree. You pretty much covered all the post 1967 players that could hang with the best of the pre 1967 group. Sittler, Salming, McDonald, Clark, Gilmour, Sundin. That's it. And we completely lucked out with the Gilmour and Sundin trades, or we wouldn't even have them.

Matthews does seem the most likely to compare well to our all-time greats. The sky really is the limit for him. We'll see how the next 15 years unfolds. But he's not the only one. If we win a cup, we could see 3 or 4 new all-time greats from a championship team. And now I'm getting ahead of myself. The best thing we can do is just enjoy the ride, don't think about it, and then reflect back when it's all over.

Leafs traded away the draft picks they earned that were used to draft Scott Niedermayer and Roberto Luongo with.

Can you imagine what might have been if a #1D and #1G was added to Sundin #1C ? We might be talking about Sundin hoisting a Cup in our post 1967 lifetime.

 

[Cams]

Leafs traded away the draft picks they earned that were used to draft Scott Niedermayer and Roberto Luongo with.

Can you imagine what might have been if a #1D and #1G was added to Sundin #1C ? We might be talking about Sundin hoisting a Cup in our post 1967 lifetime.

Could have, would have, should have - the story of Leafs fans!
It drives me crazy thinking of these deals (and others). But, I take solace in that who knows how everything else would have played out as a result of not making these trades. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say, and sadly for us Leafs fans..... what do ya say!