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Toronto Maple Leafs: 1st Rounders Through the Years

ByJames Tanner|
Apr 19, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) looks for a pass against the Washington Capitals in game four of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Washington defeated Toronto 5-4. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) looks for a pass against the Washington Capitals in game four of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Washington defeated Toronto 5-4. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
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TORONTO – NOVEMBER 14: John Mitchell #39 of the Toronto Maple Leafs wearing a throw back Vincent Damphousse jersey shoots the puck during warm up prior to a game against the Calgary Flames November 14, 2009 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO – NOVEMBER 14: John Mitchell #39 of the Toronto Maple Leafs wearing a throw back Vincent Damphousse jersey shoots the puck during warm up prior to a game against the Calgary Flames November 14, 2009 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)

Vincent Damphouse

Top Gun, Karate Kid, Short Circuit…….1986 was a great year for movies, and for drafting hockey players.

With the 6th overall selection, the Leafs selected Vincent Damphouse.

This was a great selection (though they passed on 8th overall Brian Leetch) and the combo of Clark / Damphouse should have led to years of success.

By any measure, Damphouse is one of the greatest Leafs ever drafted.  In the 1989-90 season he scored 90 points and went on to score 1200 for his career.   It is just that most of his success came with other teams.

Like when he won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens.

Damphouse was eventually traded in a bad trade with the Oilers (that eventually netted the Leafs Andreychuck)  and the early 90s Leafs did have some success, partly due to that.

However, it’s hard to imagine that having such good back-to-back picks as Clark and Damphouse didn’t work out better in the long-term.

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