Cloning an Ex Leaf

[nsleaf]

In 2020 a rookie Wendel Clark would hit someone too hard and get suspended for half a season. Then on his return he'd beat someone up for taking liberties with one of his teammates and be shunned permanently by the modern fan hive mind who pretend to admire the player because that's what they think they're supposed to do.

 

[Nooodles]

Andy Wonziewski

wait thats Martin Marincin

 

[deletethis]

View attachment 348899

Your indirect endorsement is noted.

 

[deletethis]

Didn't Wendel play D before the Leafs turned him into a winger?

He was an ECHL level talent as a defenseman. It was very strange to see a player who used to play defense in juniors choose to not skate backwards in those rare occasions that he was the last man back. Switching to forward was a revelation when it happened. He had that grade A wrister and a heart of lion. And after 4 or 5 seasons in the pros he started developing previously absent stickhandling and passing skills.

 

[deletethis]

There hasn't been a better Leafs defenseman since Salming IMO. That's 1973 to 1981 Salming. Great puck carrier, great passer, underratedly tough/brave, a bit mean, strong, inexhaustible, innovative too. After that, Salming became a sort of parody of his former greatness: over reliance on the sliding pokecheck and shot blocking.

 

[Stephen]

I’m leaning towards two Swedes. Mats Sundin would give us a ridiculous 1-2-3 center punch along with Matthews and Tavares, but Borje Salming, who was a proto-Nicklas Lidstrom would address our greatest weakness.

 

[deletethis]

I’m leaning towards two Swedes. Mats Sundin would give us a ridiculous 1-2-3 center punch along with Matthews and Tavares, but Borje Salming, who was a proto-Nicklas Lidstrom would address our greatest weakness.

On Youtube, you can see him playing the right side with Turnbull on the left back in his prime. So Salming might also solve our right side too! I remember him being more comfortable on the backhand than most of his contemporaries.

 

[DatSnipeMatthews]

He was an ECHL level talent as a defenseman. It was very strange to see a player who used to play defense in juniors choose to not skate backwards in those rare occasions that he was the last man back. Switching to forward was a revelation when it happened. He had that grade A wrister and a heart of lion. And after 4 or 5 seasons in the pros he started developing previously absent stickhandling and passing skills.

I didn't know that. But if he was drafted 1st overall, he must have switched to winger before being drafted? Otherwise he wouldn't have been drafted 1st?

 

[deletethis]

I didn't know that. But if he was drafted 1st overall, he must have switched to winger before being drafted? Otherwise he wouldn't have been drafted 1st?

My memory is that Clark was an unusual junior defenseman: tough as nails and offensively gifted but poor defensively. His big coming out moment was his selection to the World Junior team as an energy forward instead of a defenseman. He shot up the pre-draft rankings after physically dominating the older players at the tournament while showing offensive flash.

Of course who knows whether several years of development as a defenseman may have eventually made Clark into an NHL level defenseman? It's obvious that he found his proper position.

 

[bbgobie]

Eric Lindros had physical traits that few players could match in today's game

 

[deltamachine]

Eric Lindros had physical traits that few players could match in today's game

I'll take Lindros + and an additional clone of Nick Foligno's helmet for Eric.

 

[mccabe2424]

Gary Roberts

 

[dangomon]

Darcy Tucker would be fun on the first few lines. In the Hyman role.

Hyman - Matthews - Willy
Tucker - Tavares - Marner

 

[Masked Superstar]

Forwards - Tucker, Clark , Roberts and Nolan
Defense - Iafrate, Rouse and Lefevre
Goalie - Belfour

 

[666]

Lindros. Maybe Salming. These threads are always disappointing because teams like Boston, the habs, Pitts, Det etc have so many more excellent options. On the other hand having Matthews, Marner and Tavaras all potential HOFers on the team right now is pretty special. In 20 years those three guys will be on these lists.

 

[TML1967]

Hard to say, are we thinking if they were the exact player reborn, or if they were the exact player reborn in comparison to their time? Like Dermott would go back 50 years and be the greatest player ever just with his conditioning and skills. Or are we talking about the #1guy in 1920 would be that dominant now?

Either way, names I am surprised no one has said:

Frank Mahovlich - Best LWer to ever play for the Leafs. We are weak at LW, was a ROY winner, his 60-61 season is maybe the most impressive in Leaf history (70 games, 48 goals, 84 points , 131 pims, 21.5% shooting percentage)
Dave Keon - Long time C, a bit small but had a ton of skill and heart. Was tough as nails, Calder, Byng x 2, Smythe in Leafs last Cup win.
Ted Kennedy - Last Leaf to win a MVP. Finished 4 times in the top 5 in MVP voting (all on the Leafs)

Reaching really far back
Dave Pratt, only Leafs D to ever win a MVP award. Probably the best statistical Leafs season by a D, 58 points in a 50 game season. 6'3 D whos career was cut short due to injuries.

 

[KnightsFan110]

I'll pick two!
Danny Markov and Dimitri Yuskevich

The current blueline can use those 2 crazy Russians. They were fearless blocking shots and making it a nightmare for forwards to be in the defensive zone. We all remember how Yuskevich kept harassing Jagr in that series against the penguins

 

[Anthrax442]

Alex Mogilny.

 

[The Nic]

Tim Horton is probably the best RD in Leafs history. Robert Svehla if you want somebody more recent.

Respectfully... I would have to say that the best RD in Maple Leafs' history was Borje Salming.

 

[The Nic]

In 2020 a rookie Wendel Clark would hit someone too hard and get suspended for half a season. Then on his return he'd beat someone up for taking liberties with one of his teammates and be shunned permanently by the modern fan hive mind who pretend to admire the player because that's what they think they're supposed to do.

Exactly right... unfortunately. No one is allowed to hurt another player any more... except Tom Wilson, for some reason. Possibly Brad Marchand as well. A Toronto player doing what those guys do would be crucified by the anti-Toronto media... and be treated even worse by the Toronto media.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Respectfully... I would have to say that the best RD in Maple Leafs' history was Borje Salming.

I would call it very close, giving Horton a slight edge, partly because he was a right hand shot, while Salming was a lefty. I'd very happily take either.

 

[moon111]

Based on today's chemistry, character, positional needs, ability to play with and without the puck...
1. Doug Gilmour
2. Borje Salming
3. Gerry Cheevers
4. Ron Francis

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Clark as the forward
Salming as the defense

 

[Snip Genos]

I would clone tucker but make him 6'5

 

[nuck]

For today some earlier players might lack the foot speed or their physicality would not translate ideally to the kinder softer modern game. Wendell would be terrifying as would the number of suspensions he received. Gilmour I think as he is someone that could excel in any era or maybe Salming as he was smooth as hell and the current game is ballet compared to what he played through. I actually think Borje would be more effective in todays game then when he actually played. Regarding Lindros hell yeah but like Leetch he was just a shadow of his best version by the time they got him. I don't really consider him a Leaf, any more than Gretzky was a Ranger or Gordie Howe a Hartford Whaler.