Proposal: Reinvent the Current Leafs Team

[MattySnipes]

With our next game not until Tuesday, I thought doing something like this to pass the time might be some fun. Instead of all the bitching and moaning. Get creative folks. This game is great for our fanbase because the team has been around for over 100 years. Here we go.

MLSE has got their hands on a time machine. It works flawlessly and they will not share it with any other team. They have appointed you to come on board, and want you to build your version of the Maple Leafs team.

Rules:

1. Modify 2019-2020 team roster and coaches.

2. You are allowed to bring any player from any era.

3. If you don't use a player from a particular era (60s), you can select a replacement player from another era which you already have (90s).

Ex. If you don't want Keon from 60s, you can select another player from different era such as Gilmour & Clark combined (90s).

4. You can only use the time machine to bring over 6 players in total.

5. You can also use the time machine to bring back an ex-coach.

6. You're allowed to use players in the current system and plug them into the lineup (Sandin, Liljegren, etc)

If you do this correctly, there should be 6 Maple Leafs on your new roster from previous eras, as well as 1 coach. 7 moves total.

Pretty clear, no?

I'll get it started!

Coach: Pat Burns​

Clark — Matthews — Nylander
Gilmour — Tavares — Marner
Sittler — Sundin — Kapanen
Mikheyev — Gauthier — Moore

Rielly — Salming
Muzzin — Barrie
Sandin — Liljegren

Belfour
Andersen​

Click to read more...

 

[NHL WAR]

I think I could get used to:

Matthews-Keon-Nylander
Gilmour-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Sundin-Kapanen
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Gauthier


Salming-Barrie
Rielly-Horton
Muzzin-Ceci

Bower
Andersen

Coach: Burns

Hard to leave guys certain guys out, a top 9 like:

Clark-Matthews-Nylander
Mahovlich-Tavares-Marner
Mikheyev-Kennedy-Conacher

Would be pretty great too

 

[Dave92]

Assuming everybody is in their prime.

Matthews-Keon-Sundin
Tavares-Sittler-Marner
Hyman-Gilmour-Nylander
Mikheyev-Spezza- Kapanen

Leetch Salming
Rielly Barrie
Muzzin Liljegren

 

[Cor]

#Grit

Tucker - Matthews - Nylander
Clark - Tavares - Marner
Hyman - Keon - Mikheyev
Moore - Kerfoot - Domi

Rielly - McCabe
Muzzin - Barrie
Dermott - Liljegren

Joseph
Andersen

 

[Mitch nylander]

#Skill + Grit

Matthews - Sundin - Nylander
Clark - Tavares - Marner
Gilmour - Keon - Mikheyev
Hyman - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Johnsson/Moore

Rielly - Salming
Muzzin - Yuskevich
Dermott - Barrie
Ceci

Andersen
Hutchinson

Coach: Sheldon Keefe

 

[cj19]

Gilmour
Clark
Tucker
Joseph
Sudin
Roberts

 

[qqaz]

#defencewinschampionships

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Johnson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Moore - Spezza - Shore

Leetch - Salming
Keberle - McCabe
Rielly - Horton

Joseph
Andersen

Coach: Pat Quinn

 

[Fogelhund]

Mahovlich - Sundin - Conacher
Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander
Hyman- Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Johnsson/Moore

Rielly - Salming
Muzzin - Horton
Dermott - Barrie
Ceci

Bower
Andersen

 

[WilliamInLondon]

3 assumptions first:

1) we get these ex-Leafs' peak performance only while they were with the Leafs, and not their overall careers, right? (i.e. Lindros, Murphy, Leetch would not make the cut for me if the former, but could for latter)

2) we select these players on the basis of how they would perform in 2019-2020 NHL hockey, and not their respective eras (i.e. I'm more bullish on Steve Sullivan in today's NHL than say, Dave Andreychuk - and with note #1 in consideration); I'm not look at any pre-1990 eras since the game was just way too different for me personally

3) I'm ignoring salary or salary cap completely

For the sake of argument, I'm going only with 1993 players onwards

Johnsson - Matthews - Mogilny
Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Moore - Sundin - Nylander
Timashov - Korolev - Kerfoot

Reilly - Yushkevich
Muzzin - Barrie
Dermott - Kaberle

Ed Belfour
Andersen

Coach: Mike Babcock

Rationale

Mogilny - I'm surprised that no one has picked him yet; he was in his early 30s by the time he was a Leaf, but he is arguably the most underrated player to put on the Blue and White in the past 25 years. He would absolutely destroy the league if he were playing right now and give the top line some sorely needed two-way play; his speed, recovery, and defense were elite for a period of time with the Leafs too.

Sundin - at his very peak, he's arguably the #1 center on this team. I prefer him to Gilmour, but can't really go wrong with either.

Korolev - RIP, poor guy. He was also another hugely underrated player. If there's one guy that the Leafs need the most right now, it's someone who could skate, play all three positions, play excellent defense as a forward and chip in offensively, and play with a bit of an edge - he was basically like Kerfoot+; the Leafs need someone exactly like this on top of Kerfoot right now, much more than more skilled scorers.

Yushkevich - heavy, heavy hitter; good outlet passer. Would be the ideal #2 on defense and give some much needed sandpaper to this team, even in 2019-2020, you need some of it.

Kaberle - in his prime, he'd easily be a Top 3 Norris-caliber defenceman in today's NHL. I actually would have preferred Stralman, who would be a better fit for this corp, but as per Rule #1, he had his best years elsewhere.

Belfour - Andersen isn't the problem, but even in his waning years, Belfour is a next level goaltender. His calm, demeanor and tactical positioning would better suit today's NHL and this defensive corps than the acrobatics of Cujo.

Babcock - grass is greener; Pat Quinn would be a solid choice too, as would Keefe. But in spite of his faults, I think with these veteran additions, Babcock would suit just fine. Hell, 6 players is generous - add 2 out of Belfour/Yushkevich/Mogilny, and the Leafs probably win the cup this year.

 

[ULF_55]

Era0: Red Kelly, Allan Stanley, Bower
Era1: Keon, Horton
Era2: Sittler, Parent, Salming
Era3: Salming, Clark
Era4: Gilmour, Potvin
Era5: Sundin, Kaberle

At their peak ...

Coach: Punch (4 Cups)

Clark — Matthews — Nylander
Sundin — Gimour — Marner
Johnsson — Tavares — Kapanen
Mikheyev — Kerfoot — Moore

Rielly — Salming
Muzzin — Horton
Sandin — Barrie

Bower
Andersen

Or ...

I kind of prefer this one, as I think the Leafs with Matthews, and Tavares, adding Clark and Gilmour is all that's needed.
Coach: Punch

Clark — Gimour — Marner
Johnsson — Matthews — Nylander
Hyman — Tavares — Kapanen
Mikheyev — Kerfoot — Moore

Rielly — Salming
Stanley — Horton
Muzzin — Barrie

Bower
Andersen

My favorite player is Dave Keon, but Gilmour, Matthews, Tavares ...

Jacque Plante and Bernier Parent piqued my interest.

 

[Randy870624]

In
Yuskevich
Yuskevich

Out
Marincin
Holl

Overdosed in a Bleecker ST dopehouse:
Babcock

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Al Iafrete
Wendel clark
yushkevich
roberts
salming
(luongo or Niedermeyer )

 

[Teeder Keon]

Clark Teeder Connacher
Apps Keon Primeau
Gilmour Sittler McDonald
B .Jackson Sundin Ellis
Kelly

Salming Horton
Horner Reilly
Baun Clancy
Turnbull Barilko




Bower / Broda /Palmateer

Burns / Imlach / Nielsen



Major Conn Smythe
Current ownership

Maple Leaf Gardens

 

[Hustlr]

Matthews - Sundin - Marner
Clark - Tavares - Mogilny
Hyman - Sittler - Nylander
Johnsson - Kerfoot - Mikheyev

Rielly - Yushkevich
Muzzin - Ceci
Dermott - Berries

Cujo
Andy

Pat Quinn

 

[BushFireRecordsRedux]

Get healthy and trade Greedlander for someone with heart and soul

 

[Kiwi]

Matthews - SUNDIN - Nylander
Mikheyev - KEON - Marner
GILMOUR - Tavares - Kapanen
Johnsson - Kerfoot - Hyman

Rielly SALMING
Muzzin HORTON
Dermott Barrie

BOWER
Andersen

IMLACH

I was forced to put Gilmour on the wing because of the center depth but I couldn't put a team like this together without him

 

[Ciao]

Do they have to play against Gretzky, Orr and Potvin, or are the Leafs the only team with all time greats?

 

[Trapper]

Do they have to play against Gretzky, Orr and Potvin, or are the Leafs the only team with all time greats?

I'd like to know how people have Matthews/Nylander/Marner ahead of players like Sundin/Gilmour/Mogilny/Clark in the lineup. Guys that were stars in a clutch/grab era where hitting actually existed along with wooden sticks. Let's see them play through some clutch and grab where in your face is just a Wednesday night.

 

[Gary Nylund]

#defencewinschampionships

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Johnson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen
Moore - Spezza - Shore

Leetch - Salming
Keberle - McCabe
Rielly - Horton

Joseph
Andersen

Coach: Pat Quinn

In Principle, I like the idea of 5 Dmen considering where we're at today. I do think it's overkill though and we'd be better off leaving out Kaberle/McCabe and adding Gilmour and Clark to our forward group instead as we so badly need grit/toughness.

And all-time great Bernie Parent should definitely be the goalie

 

[Mugzy97]

Clark - Tavares - Marner

Can you imagine this line?

 

[Nineteen67]

Clark Gilmour Marner
Roberts Sundin Matthews
Hyman Tavares Kapenan
Mikheyev Kerfoot Moore

Salming Muzzin
Horton Rielly
Dermott Barrie

Andersen

Pat Quinn

How would you not have Clark, Gilmour and Roberts?

 

[Cobra777]

Gilmour
Clark
Tucker
Joseph
Sudin
Roberts

Yes Perfect