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Top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs Draft Misses: 2000s Edition

By Stephen Nixon

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Justin Williams #14 of the Washington Capitals scores a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Justin Williams #14 of the Washington Capitals scores a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 25: Mike Hoffman #68 of the Florida Panthers . (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 25: Mike Hoffman #68 of the Florida Panthers . (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

#6. Mike Hoffman (2009 NHL Entry Draft, 5th Round, 130th Overall)

Toronto’s Actual Pick: 5th Round, 128th Overall (Eric Knodel)

Mike Hoffman is one of the most underrated scorers in the NHL and the Leafs let him slip away for nothing.

Instead of Hoffman, the team went with Eric Knodel, who would play zero games in the NHL. In 49 career AHL games spread throughout the last decade, Knodel has zero goals and 14 assists. Based on what Hoffman has been able to do with his career, this was a huge miss.

I guess the Leafs valued Knodel’s 6-foot-6, 225 pound frame over skill at the time, because looking back it’s crazy to see how far Hoffman fell.

Although he was passed over in his first year of NHL draft eligibility, Hoffman had 52 goals and 94 points with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in his second year of eligibility. He not only had a huge offensive year, but he helped his team win the QJMHL Championship to earn a berth in the CHL Memorial Cup.

With all of those attributes, you’d assume Hoffman would get a higher draft slot, but the Leafs clearly didn’t see him as a future NHLer as they passed up on him with their 128th overall pick.

Since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2014, Hoffman has six straight 20-plus goal seasons, including a 36-goal campaign in the 18-19 season. If it wasn’t for a shortened season this year, Hoffman would have had another 30-goal season.

#5. David Backes (2003 NHL Entry Draft, 2nd Round, 62nd Overall)

Toronto’s Actual Pick: 2nd Round, 57th Overall (John Doherty)

The beginning and potentially end to Backes’ career has been disappointing, but his prime was great.

With six seasons of 20-plus goals in an eight-year span, Backes was a reliable top-six forward who was always one of the top-scorers on the St. Louis Blues.

Although he’s only played in one NHL All-Star Game, he has 950 NHL games under his belt and 557 career points.

Another reason why this pick was such a big miss was because of who the Leafs selected instead of Backes. The team went with a 6-foot-4, 235 pound defenseman from the EJHL named John Doherty instead.

Doherty wouldn’t even sniff the NHL, as the closest he ever came was six games in the ECHL. Five years after being drafted, Doherty was out of hockey completely, whereas Backes is still an NHL player.

As a captain with St. Louis for five seasons, Backes’ leadership and skill-set would have been perfect in Toronto and it’s unfortunate the Toronto Maple Leafs passed on him.

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