Toronto Maple Leafs: Build Your $15 Starting Line-Up

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not going to be playing hockey any time soon so it’s time to have fun.

Throughout the internet, everyone has been debating their favorite restaurant, favourite sports stadiums and favourite TV show character, but it’s time to debate your starting Toronto Maple Leafs lineup.

There is a catch, however. You only have $15.

If you haven’t read it yet, we looked at the Leafs All-Time Starting Line-up last week and determined who the best players were in Leafs history.

Toronto Maple Leafs Starting Line-Up

Similar to that article, we thought it would be fun for you to use the comment section to show us who you would you pick for your $15 line-up.

If you look below, you can notice that there are no goaltenders present. However, within your $15 budget you must put together a team of three forwards and two defenseman. It doesn’t matter if you find three centers for forwards, we just want to see who you would pick from this list as your starting line-up.

Check it out below:

$5: Auston Matthews, Mats Sundin, Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmore, John Tavares, Dave Keon

$4: Mitch Marner, Rick Vaive, Borje Salming, Wendel Clark, Phil Kessel

$3 – William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Tomas Kaberle, Nazem Kadri, Darcy Tucker, James Van Reimsdyk

$2 – Zach Hyman, Gary Leeman, Jake Muzzin, Tyler Bozak, Jake Gardiner, Bryan McCabe

$1 – Tie Domi, Nikolay Kulemin, Joffrey Lupul, Luke Schenn, Dion Phaneuf,

Obviously the list above doesn’t take into consideration every single player who’s played for the Leafs, but it breaks up some current and former players.

For example, there are plenty of ways to build a roster out by using $15 or less. See below of a team that may not be great defensively, but they’d probably make a great offensive squad:

Auston Matthews  ($5) – Phil Kessel ($4) – William Nylander ($3)- Jake Gardiner ($2) -Dion Phaneuf ($1) = $15

In terms of building a roster, this is the most balanced as you have a player from each price range.

However, if you wanted to get real creative, there are a few other line-ups to use that may be a winner.

Mats Sundin ($5) – John Tavares ($5) – Zach Hyman ($2) – Jake Muzzin ($2) – Luke Schenn ($1) = $15

I know that Sundin and Tavares are both centers but for this circumstance, it doesn’t matter. Also, Sundin and Tavares are both so talented that if you put them on the wing, I’m sure they’d be just as good and would be able to create a ton of offense.

You unfortunately have to deal with Schenn on the blue-line, but with Muzzin’s defensive abilities, he should be able to carry the pairing.

Now it’s your turn. Use the comment section below and create your best $15 line-up and show us what you think.