Toronto Maple Leafs: Building the Perfect Leafs Player

The Toronto Maple Leafs are full of skill and talent. If you could combine each individual player’s best attribute, what would that Leaf look like?

Without any new sporting news or results to discuss, sports fans have been forced to get creative in their conversations. Social media has been no different, which has led me to look at the following: if you could mix and match skills of various current Toronto Maple Leafs, what would the perfect player look like?

Wrist Shot/Snap Shot: Auston Matthews

Never mind the Leafs, Auston Matthews may have the best wrist shot in the entire NHL. His wrister is equally dangerous off the rush as it is from a standstill position.

Matthew’s quick release makes the shot nearly impossible for a goalie to track. His ability to place his shot eliminates any positioning advantage a goaltender may have.

There’s a reason the centre was on pace for over 50 goals this season. His shot may very well go down as one of the best in Leafs history.

Skating ability: Kasperi Kapanen

Kasperi Kapanen can straight up fly. Give him some open ice and a puck to chase, and there’s a very good chance he will beat all challengers to that puck.

Kapanen’s speed has been extremely valuable on the penalty kill and in 3-on-3 overtime. This has been seen through numerous breakaway goals in each format over the past number of years (including in the playoffs against the Boston Bruins).

The winger has been criticized for missing breakaway chances before, but this may only be because he gets loose behind the defence more than any other player on the team. One area he could improve on is his skating with the puck, which is why..