TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 14: Brandon Convery #12 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Phoenix Coyotes during NHL game action on December 14, 1996 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)
1. Brandon Convery
The biggest draft bust in Toronto Maple Leafs history, Brandon Convery.
Drafted with the eighth overall pick in 1992, Convery played for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL in his draft year. In 44 games, he scored 40 goals and 27 assists for 67 points.
In terms of points per game, he was second among draft eligible players behind Todd Wariner who was drafted fourth overall. In the following seasons in the OHL, Convery would play for the Sudbury Wolves, Niagara Falls Thunder, and Belleville Bulls. He would play 110 games and accumulate 85 goals and 96 assists for 181 points. He was clearly a talented prospect and was living up to his draft stock.
After his time in the OHL was over, Convery would spend the majority of the next four seasons with the Leafs AHL-affiliate, the St. John’s Maple Leafs. He’d dominate, playing in 210 games, scoring 97 goals and 110 assists for 207 points. However, his time in the NHL was much more underwhelming, in 50 games he’d only rack up 17 points.
This would lead to him being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in March 1998 and then being picked-off waivers by the LA Kings that following November.
After missing the entire 1999-2000 season, he would go on to finish out his career in various European leagues in Switzerland and Sweden. Outside of his poor play, he also faced a lot of injury issues over his career which undoubtedly played a part in him not taking off. Overall, in his NHL career, Convery played in 72 games scoring nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points.
It’s not a star-studded list after Convery which softens the blow a bit but here are some players the Leafs missed out on within the next 10 picks: Sergei Gonchar and Jason Smith.