9 former Leafs still active in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Toronto Maple Leafs may no longer still be active in the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been awful at selecting talent over the years.
From Zach Hyman to James van Riemsdyk, players are littered across NHL rosters that once called Toronto home.
One caveat: this list only highlights players who suited up for Toronto at the NHL level.
Boston’s Justin Brazeau, for example, spent parts of two years with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and the ECHL’s now-defunct Newfoundland Growlers, while Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe was drafted by Toronto before being traded away to the New York Islanders in 2015 having played just two games for the Marlies.
Those two — and surely others — count in bar arguments discussing who the Leafs should’ve kept, but we’ll skip them for this article.
With that being said, here are nine former Leafs who are still active in the postseason:
James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins
The Leaf with arguably the most impactful time in Toronto on this list, James van Riemsdyk arguably now has the most painful direct result on the team as well.
The veteran winger picked up a point on Saturday night for the Boston Bruins when he registered an assist on Hampus Lindholm’s goal that tied Game 7 1-1, a contest Toronto lost in overtime to end their season.
Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
One of the most talented goalies Toronto has seen in the last few decades, Frederik Andersen came fourth in Vezina voting in the first year after he left the city.
The Leafs’ former No.1 goalie has quite the challenge cut out for him in the second round of the playoffs, with his Hurricanes down 1-0 to the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers.
Mason Marchment, Dallas Stars
Mason Marchment is the classic case of why it’s always important to never completely write off a player too early.
Having played just four NHL games by the time he was 25, Marchment put up an impressive 22 goals and 53 points for the Stars this season.
Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers
Of all the former Leafs on this list, no one has seen their NHL stock rise further since leaving the team than Zach Hyman.
Peaking at 21 goals during his tenure in Toronto, Hyman has put up totals of 27, 36, and 54 goals while playing the last three years on the Oilers.
Cody Ceci, Edmonton Oilers
A former first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, Cody Ceci has spent all but 53 games of his NHL career playing in Canadian markets.
After leaving Toronto, Ceci signed on with the Pittsburgh Penguins on a one-year deal, before eventually settling in Edmonton on a four-year contract that he is currently in the third season of.
Jack Campbell, Edmonton Oilers
Jack Campbell has yet to officially see the ice so far in the playoffs, with Stuart Skinner in the starting spot and Calvin Pickard as his backup.
Since leaving the Leafs, Campbell has had a bit of a rocky tenure in Edmonton, having played just five NHL games this season while playing 33 for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers
Once considered the hottest college free agent in all of hockey, Jimmy Vesey is now on his second stint with the New York Rangers after spending time with four other NHL teams.
Vesey’s only time in Toronto was during the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 season, and never played for the Leafs with fans in the stands.
Erik Gustafsson, New York Rangers
If your hockey fandom waned for even a little bit last season, we’d excuse you if you missed Erik Gustafsson’s Toronto tenure.
The Swedish defenceman spent just nine regular season games as a member of the Leafs following a trade from the Washington Capitals centred around Rasmus Sandin, before suiting up for two postseason contests.
Ilya Mikheyev, Vancouver Canucks
A huge fan favourite during his three seasons with the team, Ilya Mikheyev ultimately priced himself out of a return to Toronto when he hit the free agent market.
Mikheyev’s had serious issues scoring in the postseason; however, he has just four points in 25 playoff games, all of which came in a seven-game stretch in 2022 with Toronto.
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