5 Leafs castoffs are lighting up the NHL goal-scoring leaderboard

For every Toronto Maple Leafs fan, there’s always the question of who the one who got away was.

Depending on your generation, it might be Larry Murphy winning a Norris Trophy, it might be Mats Sundin heading to Vancouver to finish his career, or it might be the lottery balls sending Connor McDavid to Edmonton. Wherever you look in the NHL, there’s probably a way someone can find a Leafs connection.

And right now, there’s a surprising list of five former Toronto depth pieces that are all coming into their own as NHL players.

Five forwards across the league who were all projected to be bottom-six talents for the Leafs at some point are all in the top 50 in NHL goals right now, with each of them having at least 10 on the season to date.

That’s maybe a testament to Toronto’s scouting and management over the years that they were able to identify the talents, but also likely a detriment that they weren’t able to keep the talent around.

Carter Verhaeghe, Florida Panthers

Time with organization: 2013-2015
Leafs stats: N/A (played only for Toronto Marlies)
2023-24 stats: 25 GP, 12 G, 9 A, 21 PTS

If the Leafs could have any player back they let go, it’s kind of odd to think that the former third-round pick might be the answer right now given his 42-goal season a year ago. Traded away to the New York Islanders way back in 2015, he’s become a bit of a late bloomer after making his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

But now the Florida Panthers’ all-time playoff goal leader, he got the last laugh when he was part of the team that sent Toronto packing in the second round of last year’s playoffs.

Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers

Time with organization: 2015-2021
Leafs stats: 345 GP, 86 G, 99 A, 185 PTS
2023-24 stats: 22 GP, 15 G, 11 A, 26 PTS

Of all the players on the list, Zach Hyman is the one who had the most success in Toronto. But it was also pretty sensible to see him part ways with the Leafs, given the seven-year deal he signed with Edmonton back in 2021.

On a star-studded Edmonton lineup that has struggled out of the gate this season, it’s actually Hyman’s 15 goals that lead the team in scoring. Maybe good for Hyman, but maybe not the best for the Oilers.

Michael Carcone, Arizona Coyotes

Time with organization: 2018-2019
Leafs stats: N/A (played only for Toronto Marlies)
2023-24 stats: 23 GP, 12 G, 3 A, 15 PTS

Of all the players on this list, Michael Carcone might be the one who’d get the fewest guesses in a trivia contest of former Leafs. He was first acquired in December 2018 from Vancouver in exchange for Josh Leivo, before being flipped to Ottawa the following July in a six-player trade.

His hot start to the season has been the most impressive of his career, as he’s already set career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points in his third year in Arizona.

Jared McCann, Seattle Kraken

Time with organization: 2021-2021
Leafs stats: N/A
2023-24 stats: 26 GP, 12 G, 5 A, 17 PTS

What an experience Jared McCann had with the Leafs. Acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, McCann was selected just three days later in the 2021 NHL expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken.

Though a leaked video seemed to suggest the Kraken would be taking Alex Kerfoot from Toronto, McCann’s time in Toronto was the equivalent of a popular Abe Simpson meme.

Trevor Moore, LA Kings

Time with organization: 2006-2007
Leafs stats: 52 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS
2023-24 stats: 22 GP, 12 G, 9 A, 21 PTS

A key part of the Toronto Marlies’ 2018 Calder Cup title, Trevor Moore never really got his feet wet at the NHL level with Toronto.

His pinnacle moment was likely a hit on Zdeno Chara in the 2019 playoffs that knocked the future 6’8″ Hall of Fame defenceman to his feet, before he was shipped out to LA in the 2020 trade that brought Jack Campbell back to Toronto.

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