Toronto Maple Leafs: Connor Brown Compared to Paul Henderson

Paul Henderson joined the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1967-68 season.

He became one of the best players for the Toronto Maple Leafs during that time but was always underappreciated. Connor Brown joined the Leafs during the 2016-17 season and it looks like he will go down the same path. They acquired Henderson from the Detroit Red Wings alongside Norm Ullman, Floyd Smith and Doug Barrie for Frank Mahovlich, Garry Unger, Pete Stemkowski and the rights to Carl Brewer.

The Leafs drafted Brown 156th overall during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Similarity #1: Underappreciated

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Henderson joined the Leafs during the 1967-68 season. Over his tenure with the Leafs, he accumulated 162 goals and 156 assists for 318 points in 408 games. These total rank him at 23rd in goals, 48th overall in assists and 34th overall in the Leafs all-time roster. He’s one of the best players to ever play for Toronto but many fans don’t even know who he is.

Brown is in a similar situation. After a strong rookie season, he was still shadowed by other teammates. Scoring 20 goals in this current NHL is a difficult task, especially for rookies but he was able to accomplish it. Brown has been underappreciated his entire career, from being drafted 156th overall to now. He has proved his doubters wrong and will continue to do so.

Similarity #2: Strong Skill Set

Henderson could score or set up another teammate for a goal. He had a great shot and great playmaking ability. With both of these attributes, Henderson was a lethal offensive weapon. He was a challenging player to play against and including his strong skating, an even harder player to defend against.

Brown is similar in this aspect. He uses his strong skating to get around or go through defenders and will push the puck into the corner to forecheck. From there, he will use his playmaking abilities to set up a teammate or he will find an open area to shoot the puck and score. With the opposition too busy dealing with players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, Brown is able to use this to his advantage and fly under their radar.

Similarity #3: Quick Learner

When Henderson entered the NHL in 1963, he had six points in 32 games. The following season, he accumulated 21 points in 70 games. He broke out during the 1965-66 season, scoring 46 points in 69 games. It took him three seasons to break out and from there he continued a strong career. In juniors, he did the same thing. He had four points in 30 games in his first season and then 43 points in 50 games the next season.

Brown is known as a breakout player in every league he has played in so far. In juniors, he started off with 53 points in 68 games and then to 69 points in 63 games the following season. He broke out in his last season with 128 points in 68 games, leading the entire OHL (including Connor McDavid) in points. In the AHL, he broke out instantly with 61 points in 76 games and 29 points in 34 games the following season. He then entered the NHL and in 2015-16, he had six points in seven games, the following season he produced 36 points in 82 games. With that, I’m assuming Brown will have a breakout season in a year or two.

Conclusion:

Henderson and Brown have both been undervalued for their entire careers but they have each proved why they deserve to be considered great hockey players. They use their strong skill set to score or create goals and that makes them offensive threats. By being able to learn the game at a quick pace in every league they play, they are able to adjust to their playing style to match the league and thus become very good players in that league.

If I had to choose one player, it would have to be Brown. While Henderson is a great player, I just have a feeling that Brown will continue to grow into a top six player, maybe even better than that.

Next: No More Lefties

He has shown that he is able to adjust and become a top player everywhere he plays and I believe he can do the same in the NHL.