Over the last month, I have been comparing present Toronto Maple Leafs players to past players. This is an article to summarize all the comparisons.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 100 years old. This means that they have had many players come and go over the years. Some are comparable while others are not. Here are the players from the current roster who remind me of players from the past.
Morgan Rielly & Bryan McCabe
The first comparison I did was between Rielly and McCabe. They were comparable by their slow start into the NHL while showing a lot of promise, their strong two-way game and their leadership qualities. Both players were great defenseman and helped the Leafs in different but similar ways. In the end, I have Rielly winning this comparison.
Nazem Kadri & Darcy Tucker
The next comparison was between Kadri and Tucker. Both players were very aggravating to play against and they can score. They used their on and off ice attitude to lead their team’s younger players. Both players were good offensively but they also had strong defensive abilities. Who did I have winning this comparison? Kadri.
William Nylander & Phil Kessel
My third comparison was between Nylander and Kessel. The biggest comparison between the two is their lethal wrist shots. They also have great playmaking abilities and strong skating abilities. Both players are offensively talented but Nylander game out on top because of his age and his elite talent.
James van Riemsdyk & Gary Roberts
The fourth comparison was between van Riemsdyk and Roberts. They both have a strong net front presence and being big bodied definitely helps with that. Also, their hands of gold causes them to be very difficult to defend against in front of the net. Roberts won for the past players because he is able to do everything that JVR can and more.
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Mitchell Marner & Doug Gilmour
My fifth and one of my favourite comparisons to write was between Marner and Gilmour. The both are small in stature but have big drive and that is why they are both successful. They both know how to lead a team and are able to produce at an elite rate. They are both the full package. Dougie won this comparison because of how much he had done at the NHL level and that is no knock on Marner.
Jake Gardiner & Dion Phaneuf
The sixth comparison in this series was between Gardiner and Phaneuf. They both can produce offensively while still be good defensively despite what others believe. On top of that they are both leaders on the ice and can help lead a team in the playoffs. Gardiner won because of his two-way game and because Phaneuf is not a great skater.
Tyler Bozak & Bill Derlago
The seventh comparison was between Bozak and Derlago. Despite not knowing much about Derlago when I started writing the article, after watching some highlights I learned three things; He was a great playmaker, he was strong at face-offs and he had a calm demeanor. Bozak is the exact same way. I gave Bozak the win because of his consistency.
Connor Brown & Paul Henderson
Number eight was between Brown and Henderson. Both players were underappreciated for most of their careers despite the strong skill set they showed. Their ability to learn quick helped them adjust into the NHL. I chose Brown to win because I believe he has a lot more to show and he has consistently become a top player in every league he as played in thus far.
Nikita Zaitsev & Bryan Berard
The ninth comparison featured Zaitsev and Berard. Both players were strong skaters and that helped them with their offensive minded game. Being disciplined not only helped them but their team as well. Before his injury I gave Berard the win but after it I would say Zaitsev wins, overall, I will give it to Berard.
Zach Hyman & Mark Osborne
Zach Hyman and Mark Osborne were my tenth comparison. They were both strong forecheckers causing them to get the puck a lot and being great set-up men. They were also great penalty-killers helping them in their NHL careers. Hyman won this comparison because of his superior defensive game.
Leo Komarov & Eddie Shack
The eleventh comparison was between Komarov and Shack. Both players were fan favourites but hated by everybody else because of their agitating game style. Adding to the agitation, they were a net front presence causing a lot of havoc in front of the net. The win went to Shack because of his fearlessness and multiple Stanley Cup wins.
Auston Matthews & Mats Sundin
My favourite article to write was between Matthews and Sundin. Both centerman are complete players, knowing how to play a full 200 foot game. Their leadership qualities and consistent production add to their elite qualities. If I could give a tie it would have been for this article but since I could not I gave the win to Sundin. Matthews has every possibility to surpass Sundin but until then, Sundin is the winner.
Overview
Overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs are very lucky to have been able to have each of these players on their team at one point or another. Some of their past teams have been very strong while others have been very weak. One thing I know for sure, this present team is one of the best they have had in a long time.
Next: Best Maple Leafs Goalies of All-Time
I also want to give a huge thank you to Samer Joubran, Bruce Ashley and Andrew Boehmer for their help in giving me comparison ideas.