Toronto Maple Leafs’ 5 Best Wingers of All Time

In 2015, my THW colleague Andrew Forbes wrote a series of posts on the all-time best forwards in Toronto Maple Leafs history. With the 2019-20 NHL regular season now on hiatus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seemed time to add my own thoughts to his. I encourage Maple Leafs fans to read his earlier post.

As
I have been researching Maple Leafs history, I’ve come to my own thoughts about
key players who make up that history. And, for the sake of conversation, I will
place these players in an order of who I believe was the best. I grant that
others will have different choices. Here’s my own take on the best wingers in
Maple Leafs history.

1. George Armstrong (Right Winger)

In this 2015 post, Forbes named George Armstrong as the best right winger ever to wear a Maple Leafs’ uniform. I won’t disagree. The Maple Leafs were the only team Armstrong ever played for, and he’s one of only two right wingers to play over 1,000 regular-season games for Toronto in his 21-season career. He’s the highest-scoring right winger in Maple Leafs’ history, which gives him some bragging rights.

Armstrong wasn’t supposed to have a long NHL career. Critics found lots to dismiss about his game and he had the reputation of being a slow, awkward skater without much of a shot. But, critics couldn’t dismiss his heart. Armstrong was an overachiever and a leader extraordinaire, and is remembered as one of the all-time great Maple Leafs captains. He’s a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He was universally known as Chief because of his mother’s proud heritage. In 1,187 regular-season Leafs games, Armstrong scored 713 points (296 goals, 417 assists). He also helped the team win four Stanley Cups and was a seven-time NHL All-Star. In 2015, Armstrong’s statue was erected on Legends Row.

2. Frank Mahovlich (Left Winger)

Forbes’ 2015 post named Frank Mahovlich as the Maple Leafs’ all-time best left winger. Again, I have no disagreement. He started quickly with the team, and after a 20-goal and 36-point season, he won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1957-58. He was simply known as “The Big M.”

Related: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Top-20 Goal Scorers All-Time

Although Mahovlich also played four seasons each with the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens, during his career with the Maple Leafs — he played 11 full seasons in Toronto — the team enjoyed great success during the 1960s. He helped lead them to four…