2 Former Toronto Maple Leafs That are Excelling in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Wouldn’t either of them look great if they were still on the Leafs team?
The Toronto Maple Leafs once again had an early playoff exit for the seventh time in the past eight seasons, along with losing to their arch nemesis in the Boston Bruins for the fourth consecutive time in the past 11 years.
But it can be even more disheartening to also learn that two former Toronto Maple Leafs players have been excelling with their present clubs in leading their respective teams to the final four.
Not only do they play hard and effective, they have now become true difference makers, particularly during the playoffs when the games matter most.
If the Leafs still had these players, perhaps their fate would have been different this time around. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at who the Leafs perhaps sorely missed that could have moved the needle big time for the team.
2 Former Toronto Maple Leafs That are Excelling in the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Zach Hyman
Everyone knew that Zach Hyman was a real player during his time with the Leafs. Not only did he do all the grinding and hard work, he actually seemed to make his linemates even better with whoever he played with.
The only apparent flaw he had at the time was the fact he had some stone hands when it came to goal scoring, as he never scored more than 21 goals in a season in a Leafs uniform despite being flanked mainly by superstars.
With the fact that he was due for a big contract that the Leafs weren't interested in giving him, along with the fact that the Leafs were weary about his aggressive style of play which could lead to a steep decline as he ages, Hyman ultimately joined the Oilers during the 2021 offseason.
In doing so, Hyman has essentially become the next Chris Kunitz, as he has become a star playing alongside Connor McDavid and company.
This past season, he set a career-high in goals with 54 as he was certainly stone hands no more. More significantly, he has been a major force in leading the Oilers offensive attack in the current playoffs, with a league-leading 13 goals in just 15 games to date.
For a Leafs team that struggled to put the puck in the net during this year’s playoffs, Hyman would have certainly helped tremendously in that department. Nevertheless, he continues to write his own history now in an Oilers uniform.
Still, keep in mind when you want to trade Marner for his playoff performances that Hyman was way older than Marner is now and his playoff stats with the Leafs were terrible.
Carter Verhaeghe
As for Carter Verhaeghe, one could say the Leafs once had him in the system, since he never suited up in an actual NHL game with the blue and white. But what seemed to be just a throw-in in the Leafs trade for Michael Grabner at the time has now turned into a big-time player for the Florida Panthers. Not only has he evolved into a point-per-game player and a force to be reckoned with, he is also now a playoff monster as well.
Verhaeghe had put up 13 goals and 29 points in 31 playoff games with the Panthers prior to this season, helping Florida in reaching the Stanley Cup Finals last year.
He has been at it again this year, adding another 8 goals and 16 points in 14 games entering Tuesday in helping the team reach the final four once again.
More importantly, Verhaeghe is as clutch as they come, with five career playoff overtime goals to lead the way for the Panthers in their recent playoff success. No doubt the Leafs really could have used someone like that who could perform so well during crunch time. (All stats from NHL.com)
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Nevertheless, as we witness and admire the superb play of both players with their respective contending teams now, we are only left with what could have been if they had been still wearing the Leafs uniform.