The Highest Producing All-American Toronto Maple Leafs Lineup

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had some great American Players over the years.

In celebration of our neighbours to the south, with this being Independence Day weekend in the USA, I wanted to give recognition to the most productive American-born players throughout the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As much as it’s widely known that Canada has the majority of the player representation throughout the NHL, you don’t have to look further than the  Leafs to find a former 1st overall pick and American-born, Auston Matthews.

There is expected competition that comes from playing most of the international teams, while the rest of the world continue to grow their game to levels that force further parity.

However, Canadians don’t have to look very far to find a more proximal rival. USA Hockey has earned the ability to be considered amongst the countries that produce the highest level of players.

I will always enjoy seeing Canada as a favourite in any tournament they enter, but added competition isn’t a bad thing. Forcing both powerhouse programs to raise their game benefits everyone involved.

To celebrate the American influences that have helped shape this Maple Leafs franchise over the years, here’s a rundown of their highest producing players at each respective position.

C – Tom Fergus

After being acquired from the Boston Bruins at the start of the 1985-86 season, Tom Fergus made a quick impact on his new city as he tallied 31 goals in his first season with Toronto. That would turn out to be the peak of his goal scoring.

He would average 20 goals per season over the course of his next four with the Maple Leafs, which helped him accumulate a total of 297 points in 357 games with the franchise.

Fergus suffered a serious groin injury partway through the 1989-90 season. His play and production both, unfortunately, began to decline following his comeback.

After he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in December 1991, he only ended up playing a total of 80 more games before he retired.

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RW – Phil Kessel

In a move that would be reflected on for years to come, Phil Kessel was acquired from the Boston Bruins in a 2009 trade that ended up resulting in Boston drafting Tyler Seguin, Jared Knight, and Dougie Hamilton.

Kessel played in Toronto for 6 seasons. His efforts never did materialize into much organizational success though, as the Maple Leafs only made the post-season once during his tenure.

However, it wasn’t for a lack of personal production. Kessel was a proven 30-goal scorer in his time with Toronto, averaging slightly over that mark on a per season basis while there. He was brought in to score and he did.

Phil Kessel sits 20th all-time in overall point production for the franchise and 18th in goal scoring.

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LD – Al Iafrate

Taking things back to the mid-1980s, we find former 4th overall pick from the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Al Iafrate. As an 18-year-old, he got into immediate action playing 68 games during the 1984-85 season.

The team around him may not have been doing much to scare their opponents, but at 6″3 and 235 lbs that didn’t stop Iafrate from taking things into his own hands. Literally.

He was always known for having one of the hardest shots in the league, which is a dangerous weapon to have on your backend. He played seven seasons with the Maple Leafs to start his career, but was then traded to the Washington Capitals in 1991.

At the 1993 NHL Skills Competition, Iafrate recorded a 169.3 km/h slapshot. That record wouldn’t be broken until 2009, by Zdeno Chara.

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G – Damian Rhodes

Believe it or not, we have to look to a previous Maple Leafs backup from the early 1990s to find the winningest American-born goalie in franchise history.

Damian Rhodes only played 47 games during his four years in Toronto, but it was enough of an opportunity to earn 20 wins. That puts him at 34th all-time in victories for the organization.

Sitting behind Felix Potvin would be a tough way for anyone to start their career, especially if they were expecting much playing time. Rhodes only began to get into more games once he moved on to the Ottawa Senators.

Less of a reflection on a lack of rich history in net for the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise, this is more so an illustration that Toronto simply hasn’t had an elite level American goaltender there to help the organization.

Perhaps fans can expect that to change with the recent addition of Jack Campbell.

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Auston Matthews, Justin Holl, and Jack Campbell are currently the only representatives from the USA throughout Toronto’s roster, with a highly anticipated Nick Robertson expected to make his way into their lineup soon.

We’ll have to wait and see what’s next for the American impact throughout the future of this franchise. But, in the meantime, I wanted to wish a Happy Independence Day weekend to our American friends and fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs!