Matthews, Sundin highlight Maple Leafs’ NHL quarter century team

The best players from one of the NHL’s most historic franchises over the past 25 years have been revealed.

The league has begun rolling out its multi-phased celebration, honoring the best players for each of the 32 franchises, including one of the Original Six, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sure, the first chunk of the century hasn’t been too kind to the Maple Leafs. From playoff failures to becoming one of the worst teams in the NHL to more playoff heartbreak, it hasn’t been easy on Leafs Nation. However, there have been numerous players that have brought fans to their feet.

The First Team has a forward line with exceptional talent. Hockey Hall of Famer Mats Sundin carried the team from the late ’90s into the new millennium, giving the team so many great moments over his time with Toronto.

While Sundin has been considered one of the greatest to don the blue and white, current Leafs captain Auston Matthews is carving out a path to becoming the best player in franchise history. The three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2022. His teammate Mitch Marner has been one of the most dynamic players on the team since making his debut in 2016, also being a key part in the franchise’s resurgence. The Toronto native is the team’s leading scorer this century with 690 points.

Tomas Kaberle worked his way to becoming a mainstay on the Maple Leafs in the ’90s and was part of solid D-corps in the early 2000s. The Czech blueliner left the team as the second-leading scorer among defensemen. Morgan Rielly has carried the torch as the team’s No. 1 blueliner for nearly a decade. With 829 games played, Rielly is the most seasoned Leaf in this century.

Ed Belfour might’ve only played three seasons for the Leafs, but he was clutch when called upon, leading all franchise netminders this millennium with 17.

The Second Team has a mix of active players and stars of yesteryear. Former captain John Tavares made a splash when he signed with his hometown team in 2018, and has been a key player in helping establish Toronto as one of the top teams in the league. William Nylander is one of the more polarizing players in recent memory, but he has been an exciting player to watch regardless.

Phil Kessel made the Leafs worth watching, even when they were not. In his six years with the team, he scored 30 goals four times, helping the team snap a nine-year postseason drought in 2013.

Bryan McCabe was part of the blue line with Kaberle that was excellent on the offense end. Only Rielly has more goals than McCabe since 2000. Phaneuf was captain for over five seasons in Toronto and, like Kessel, gave the team some star power during some lean years.

In the annals of Leafs history, Curtis Joseph is one of the most popular goaltenders ever. Though he only played four seasons, no one faced more rubber in the NHL than Cujo. He was a huge reason the team made it to the Eastern Conference Final in 2002 before leaving town.