Who are the best Toronto Maple Leafs players of all time? One of the most iconic teams in the NHL, we’ve seen some of the league’s greatest stars don the blue and white on the ice.
Sharing some of the biggest NHL rivalries, the Leafs have had a rich history with many record breakers making our list. Here are the ten best Maple Leafs players in history:
10. Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner cops criticism for being overrated but the fourth pick of the 2015 draft is no doubt one of the best two-way players and passers in the NHL.
When Marner was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team in 2021 the speedster snapped a Maple Leafs drought for a player being named to the team that dated back to 1977.
9. Doug Gilmour
If you were a Leafs fan in the 1990s, Doug Gilmour was your guy. The fiery center brought a level of skill, leadership, and intensity to a team that sorely needed it. In his six seasons in Toronto he made two All-Star appearances.
A career best 127-point season in 1992-93 was one of the most electrifying seasons in Leafs history which included a season franchise-record 95 assists, and a record tying six assists in a single game.
8. Auston Matthews
The covered first pick of the 2016 draft Auston Matthews scored four goals on his NHL debut to set the tone for things to come with the goal-scoring machine setting a single-season record of 69 goals in 2024.
Already Matthews is one of the best Toronto Maple Leafs players of all time. As the face of the franchise who’s also taken on a leadership role as Maple Leafs captain, he’ll only climb higher up on our list as he continues his productive and electrifying game.
7. Börje Salming
Trailblazing Swede defenceman Börje Salming spent 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, twice finishing as a James Norris Memorial Trophy runner-up and helped to pave the way for European-born hockey players.
Salming pioneered the defenceman position and finished with 620 assists, the most in Maple Leafs history. He also holds the franchise record for most career points by a defenceman and second in plus-minus.
6. Mats Sundin
Another Swede makes the list of best Toronto Maple Leafs players in history and this time it’s Mats Sundin. Five years after Börje Salming retired, Sundin was traded to Toronto from Quebec. In 13 seasons with the franchise he served all but two of those as captain.
The face of the franchise with his unique combination of size and skill, by the time Sundin retired he left a formidable legacy as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (420), assists (567), and points (987).
5. Frank Mahovlich
Frank Mahovlich won six Stanley Cups, scored 533 career goals and 570 assists. Twelve of those seasons were in Toronto where he helped guide the Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups including three consecutive between 1962-1964.
Breaking out in 1960, Mahovlich dominated on the left wing with his ferocious combination of size, speed, and skill. A powerful skater, it was his slap shot that him one of the most feared players in the NHL.
4. Tim Horton
Before becoming a household name thanks to what is now Canada’s largest quick-service restaurant chain, Tim Horton was a stalwart defenseman for the Maple Leafs for over two decades and had the best plus minus in Maple Leafs history with +151.
Across 24 seasons, with 20 of those in Toronto, Horton won four Stanley Cups and was one of the toughest two-way players. He died in a car crash following a game he starred in for the Buffalo Sabres against his former team but his legacy lives on as one of the Maple Leafs’ greatest.
3. Johnny Bower
A key figure in the Leafs’ four Stanley Cup victories in the 1960s, Johnny Bower is one of the best Toronto Maple Leafs players of all time and one of the greatest goaltenders of his era.
Known for his reflexes and agility, Bower was a key part of Toronto’s dynasty during the early 1960’s despite being undersized by modern standards. It was his leadership, calm demeanour, and clutch performances in particular that helped cement his legacy as a Leafs legend.
2. Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler is a legend in Leafs lore, famous for his 10-point game against the Boston Bruins in 1976 – a record that still stands to this day. Over his 12 seasons in Toronto, Sittler amassed 916 points, making him the second-highest scorer in franchise history.
Known for his all-around play and leadership, Sittler starred at centre and captained the Leafs for six seasons, although a Stanley Cup alluded him as he was unlucky to have been surrounded by a substandard playing group.
1. Dave Keon
Dave Keon is the best Toronto Maple Leafs player of all time due to his exceptional skill, leadership, and consistency over his 15-season career with the team. As a two-way forward, he excelled in both offense and defense.
Keon led the Leafs to four Stanley Cup championships and he built a reputation for his durability, hockey IQ, and clutch performances. He became the cornerstone of the franchise and his influence on the Leafs remains unparalleled.
