Toronto Maple Leafs: The Forgettable Faces of Last Season

Every single player who straps on a jersey for the Toronto Maple Leafs sees their performance placed under hockey’s most intense microscope.

It doesn’t matter who you are. Toronto is the kind of town in which depth guys from twenty years ago have the ability to draw crowds in the thousands for a mid-week hockey card signing. Being a Maple Leaf is a life-long marker; a permanent licence for fame and recognition that lasts well after your playing days are over.

Of course, this doesn’t happen to everyone. Some players make barely a cameo for the blue and white at one point or another before vanishing off into the ether. It happens, but it’s not the majority.

Brian Boyle, for example, spent all of 27 games with the Maple Leafs back in 2016-17, scored zero goals, was bounced in the first-round, and could still walk into any self-respecting sports bar in the downtown core right this minute and likely drink for free.

As he should. Brian Boyle is a saint.

That being said, though, last season presented something a little different than usual. Take one look at the 2018-19 Maple Leafs, and one fact becomes clear: There are a lot of forgettable faces.

Then again, that happens every year. But didn’t this past one kick it up a notch? The phenomenon I’m talking about doesn’t jump off the page at first, but it’s particularly noticeable when observed in the aftermath of the Maple Leafs’ moves this summer, which effectively jettisoned nearly half of their regular lineup.

There was a time when Par Lindholm logged regular minutes on the Leafs’ fourth line. Do you even remember who that is? Without Googling it, could you tell me what time he’s under contract with? I doubt it!

Lindholm’s tenure in Toronto lasted a surprsingly-long 61 games in which he managed just a single goal, 11 assists and 12 points before being shipped over to Winnipeg at the trade deadline. The SHL import struggled mightily to impact pretty much any area of the game. Lindholm was fr from an offensive force, struggled mightily to drive possession, and the 11:27 he averaged per night was the lowest of any Leaf forward who played more than 60 games, save for Frederik Gauthier.

In twenty years, will Lindholm hold a memorabilia signing at, like, Mississauga’s Square One and draw more than 100 people? I wouldn’t bet on it. And speaking of European imports, Igor Ozhiganov would like to challenge for the title of “Most Forgettable Leaf”.

Think about it for a moment: Do you remember a single play Ozhiganov made last season? A single outlet pass; a random shot block; a routine scoring chance. Anything? I don’t.

Ozhiganov joined the Leafs as a free agent in 2018 shrouded in a cloud of mystery and proceeded to leave them in 2019 the exact same way. The 25-year-old was the hockey equivalent of celery; relatively tasteless, few nutritional benefits, and no one’s first choice for a meal.

Ozhiganov was kind of just…there. He filled a roster spot. And that is great. But Ozhiganov’s crowning feature was that he didn’t actively put the puck in his own net, and you’d probably like more from a regular defenceman.

You’re probably more likely to not only discover Bigfoot but develop a passionate, lifelong friendship with him (or her; we don’t know) than spot an Ozhiganov jersey on the streets of Toronto.

Lindholm and Ozhiganov are only the beginning, though. As the forgettable faces who left the Maple Leafs, they fit a specific group. But there is also a sizeable contingent of them who still remain with the team.

Nic Petan, for starters, was but one injury away in April from playing playoff minutes for the Leafs in their series against Boston. Ditto for Justin Holl – though he was probably at least two ailments away from drawing in – and the 70 or so games he spent in the press box which make him more than qualify for this title, as well.

What is behind all of this? Well, I’d argue two things: Usage and performance.

None of these players played all that well with the Leafs – which is kind of the point of this whole article – but they also weren’t played enough to make a name for themselves, either. Holl was basically imprisoned in Scotiabank Arena’s upper level, while Petan was cast aside after just five measly games. Lindholm and Ozhiganov consistently logged the fewest minutes of their position group.

At this point, it should be pretty clear who is responsible for this. Yes, Mike Babcock may very well struggle to deploy Toronto’s star-studded lineup with any sense of competency, but he sure is terrific at rendering his players nameless – seemingly by choice.

Great stuff from hockey’s highest-paid coach.

That seems due to change. With Kyle Dubas significantly shortening Babcock’s leash over the summer, the 2019-20 season is almost guaranteed to feature far fewer forgettable names on the Maple Leafs’ roster. It has to, really. Their success depends on it.

In the meantime, let’s all reminisce about the towering heights of the Par Lindholm Era™.