#1 Tuukka Rask (21st overall, 2005 NHL Entry Draft)
The number one name for a whole generation of Toronto Maple Leafs fans when you ask who is the one player that got away is the recently retired, Tuukka Rask.
When it comes to Tuukka Rask, it’s very hard not to look and wonder what might have been. If his development mirrored his growth in Boston, the Toronto Maple Leafs would’ve had a bonafide number one goalie for the past decade.
In fact, there’s one particular Boston Bruins franchise record that Tuukka Rask hold that Toronto Maple Leafs fans must truly hate; he holds the record for most shut-outs in playoff series-clinching games in Bruins history.
Exactly what the Maple Leafs have been in need of, but it wasn’t to be. At the time that Tuukka Rask was traded, the return was Andrew Raycroft, which at the time wasn’t a bad return at all.
The real killer is the fact that the decision to trade Rask was made but there was some belief that Justin Pogge was a better goalie prospect, especially having won a gold medal with Team Canada the World Junior Championships.
Let’s be fair here, the Stanley Cup win that Tuukka Rask achieved with the Boston Bruins was as backup to Tim Thomas. However, he did back-stop the team back to the Stanley Cup Final two years later.
In just that space of time, the Toronto Maple Leafs iced James Reimer, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Jonas Gustavsson and Ben Scrivens for significant spells, speaking to just what the team missed out on.
Tuukka Rask on the other hand would go on to win a Vezina Trophy in 2014, while his 0.940 save percentage in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs is absolute top-tier.
Meanwhile Justin Pogge had already moved on by that point speaking to just how frustrating the whole scenario is to Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
Tuukka Rask retired this season with countless Boston Bruins records to his name; the most games by a Bruins goalie in franchise history, the most wins by a Bruins goalie in franchise history and the most playoff wins by a Bruins goalie in franchise history.
He really is the one that got away for the team; there’s really no other way of looking at it. Possibly the best Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick to never have actually played for them.