Maple Leafs 1983 Draft Review
Posted 10:22 PM ET | Comments 2
The Leafs are looking to rebuild and a bit of that will come from the draft and drafting the correct pieces of the puzzle is always difficult. The Leafs have been known to trade a lot of picks away and have not been great draft day players and until this past draft in which they selected Luke Schenn 5th overall the last time the Leafs had a pick in the Top 5 was all the way back in 1989 when they selected Scott Thornton from Belleville with the 3rd Overall selection. So I have decided to have a look at the Leafs last 25 years of draft selections and grade how the Leafs performed.
Legend: GP=Games Played, G= Goals, A= Assists, PTS= Points,
W= Wins, L= Losses, T= Ties, GAA=Goals Against Average, SO= Shutouts
We will begin the review with the 1983 draft held in Montreal on June 8th and went 12 Rounds.
7th Overall Pick- Russ Courtnall (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 309 G- 90 A- 128 PTS- 218
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP- 29 G- 8 A- 11 PTS- 19
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 1029 G- 297 A- 447 PTS- 744
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 129 G- 39 A- 44 PTS- 83
Review: Courtnall had a long career and was a fan favorite wherever he played, will always be remembered in Toronto for playing on the hound line with Gary Leeman and Wendel Clark and of course the terrible trade that sent him to Montreal for John Kordic.
Notable Players Drafted after: Cam Neely, Dave Gagner, Dan Quinn
Draft Rating- B
28th Overall Pick- Jeff Jackson (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 77 G- 9 A- 10 PTS- 19
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 263 G- 38 A- 48 PTS- 86
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 6 G- 1 A- 1 PTS- 2
Review- Jackson isn't remembered in Toronto for much expect missing quite a few teeth. He had a short NHL career as a fourth line winger which amounted to just over 3 seasons spanned over 8 years at 28th Overall which would be a 1st Rounder today you'd expect quite a bit more.
Notable Players Drafted after: Wayne Presley, Peter Zezil
Draft Rating- D+
49th Overall Pick- Allan Bester (Goalie)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 205 W- 69 L- 91 T- 16 GAA- 4.06 SO- 7
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP- 10 W- 2 L- 6 GAA- 4.43 SO- 0
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 219 W- 73 L- 99 T- 17 GAA- 4.01 SO- 7
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 11 W- 2 L- 6 GAA- 4.37 SO- 0
Review- Bester was rushed into the league at age 19 and onto a lousy Maple Leafs team, he had a few performances were he stole the game for the Leafs but also had a knack to let in his famous five hole tavern goals at the wrong time.
Notable Players Drafted after: Brian Bradley, Marc Bergevin
Rating- C-
85th Overall Pick- Dan Hodgson (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 40 G- 12 A- 13 PTS- 25
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 114 G- 29 A- 45 PTS- 74
NHL Playoff Stats: None
Review: Hodgson had a long career just to bad it was in Europe and not in the NHL.
Notable Players Drafted after: Petr Klima, Garry Galley
Draft Rating- D
133rd Overall Pick- Cam Plante (Defense)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 2 G- 0 A- 0 PTS- 0
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 2 G- 0 A- 0 PTS- 0
NHL Playoff Stats: None
Review: Cam Who? Enough Said
Notable Players Drafted after: Christian Ruutu, Viacheslav Fetisov
Draft Rating- E
217th Overall Pick- Mike Tomlak (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: None
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 141 G- 15 A- 22 PTS- 37
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 10 G- 0 A- 1 PTS- 1
Review: The Leafs got Tomlak in what would be an 8th Round pick today its just to bad he played all his career games in Hartford.
Notable Players Drafted after: Uwe Krupp, Sergei Makarov
Draft Rating- D+
The Leafs also drafted Paul Bifano, Cliff Albrecht, Greg Rolston, Brian Ross, Ron Choules in the 1983 draft none of the players played an NHL game so all get an E rating.
The 1983 draft gave the team and the league one bona fide NHLer in Russ Courtnall out of the eleven picks. Courtnall played more NHL games then all the other ten players combined. Courtnall had one 30 goal season and eight 20 goal seasons in which three were with the Leafs. the Leafs gave up on Courtnall at the tender age of 23 in what was one of the most bone headed trades in franchise history.
The teams general manager for the 1983 draft was Gerry McNamara and for those wondering who was the best player taken that year? Steve Yzerman 4th Overall.
Complete Draft Rating- D+
Legend: GP=Games Played, G= Goals, A= Assists, PTS= Points,
W= Wins, L= Losses, T= Ties, GAA=Goals Against Average, SO= Shutouts
We will begin the review with the 1983 draft held in Montreal on June 8th and went 12 Rounds.
7th Overall Pick- Russ Courtnall (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 309 G- 90 A- 128 PTS- 218
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP- 29 G- 8 A- 11 PTS- 19
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 1029 G- 297 A- 447 PTS- 744
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 129 G- 39 A- 44 PTS- 83
Review: Courtnall had a long career and was a fan favorite wherever he played, will always be remembered in Toronto for playing on the hound line with Gary Leeman and Wendel Clark and of course the terrible trade that sent him to Montreal for John Kordic.
Notable Players Drafted after: Cam Neely, Dave Gagner, Dan Quinn
Draft Rating- B
28th Overall Pick- Jeff Jackson (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 77 G- 9 A- 10 PTS- 19
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 263 G- 38 A- 48 PTS- 86
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 6 G- 1 A- 1 PTS- 2
Review- Jackson isn't remembered in Toronto for much expect missing quite a few teeth. He had a short NHL career as a fourth line winger which amounted to just over 3 seasons spanned over 8 years at 28th Overall which would be a 1st Rounder today you'd expect quite a bit more.
Notable Players Drafted after: Wayne Presley, Peter Zezil
Draft Rating- D+
49th Overall Pick- Allan Bester (Goalie)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 205 W- 69 L- 91 T- 16 GAA- 4.06 SO- 7
Leafs Playoff Stats: GP- 10 W- 2 L- 6 GAA- 4.43 SO- 0
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 219 W- 73 L- 99 T- 17 GAA- 4.01 SO- 7
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 11 W- 2 L- 6 GAA- 4.37 SO- 0
Review- Bester was rushed into the league at age 19 and onto a lousy Maple Leafs team, he had a few performances were he stole the game for the Leafs but also had a knack to let in his famous five hole tavern goals at the wrong time.
Notable Players Drafted after: Brian Bradley, Marc Bergevin
Rating- C-
85th Overall Pick- Dan Hodgson (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 40 G- 12 A- 13 PTS- 25
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 114 G- 29 A- 45 PTS- 74
NHL Playoff Stats: None
Review: Hodgson had a long career just to bad it was in Europe and not in the NHL.
Notable Players Drafted after: Petr Klima, Garry Galley
Draft Rating- D
133rd Overall Pick- Cam Plante (Defense)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: GP- 2 G- 0 A- 0 PTS- 0
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 2 G- 0 A- 0 PTS- 0
NHL Playoff Stats: None
Review: Cam Who? Enough Said
Notable Players Drafted after: Christian Ruutu, Viacheslav Fetisov
Draft Rating- E
217th Overall Pick- Mike Tomlak (Forward)
Leafs Regular Season Stats: None
Leafs Playoff Stats: None
NHL Regular Season Stats: GP- 141 G- 15 A- 22 PTS- 37
NHL Playoff Stats: GP- 10 G- 0 A- 1 PTS- 1
Review: The Leafs got Tomlak in what would be an 8th Round pick today its just to bad he played all his career games in Hartford.
Notable Players Drafted after: Uwe Krupp, Sergei Makarov
Draft Rating- D+
The Leafs also drafted Paul Bifano, Cliff Albrecht, Greg Rolston, Brian Ross, Ron Choules in the 1983 draft none of the players played an NHL game so all get an E rating.
The 1983 draft gave the team and the league one bona fide NHLer in Russ Courtnall out of the eleven picks. Courtnall played more NHL games then all the other ten players combined. Courtnall had one 30 goal season and eight 20 goal seasons in which three were with the Leafs. the Leafs gave up on Courtnall at the tender age of 23 in what was one of the most bone headed trades in franchise history.
The teams general manager for the 1983 draft was Gerry McNamara and for those wondering who was the best player taken that year? Steve Yzerman 4th Overall.
Complete Draft Rating- D+
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Blog Archive
11 The Leafs will target more then just Smyth
13 Maple Leafs Current Salary Structure
24 Maple Leafs will need to unload defensemen
29 Which UFAs should Leafs go after?
13 Maple Leafs Current Salary Structure
24 Maple Leafs will need to unload defensemen
29 Which UFAs should Leafs go after?
16 Is it blockbuster time for the Maple Leafs?
25 As the Leafs turn....
30 Expansion Ideas for the NHL
25 As the Leafs turn....
30 Expansion Ideas for the NHL
03 What would your Maple Leaf lineup look like?
22 Which Maple Leaf will step up and fill Wellwood's spot.
22 Which Maple Leaf will step up and fill Wellwood's spot.
01 Maple Leafs moves for 2009?
11 Brian Burke's time is coming
20 Maple Leafs 1983 Draft Review
23 Maple Leafs 1984 Draft Review
11 Brian Burke's time is coming
20 Maple Leafs 1983 Draft Review
23 Maple Leafs 1984 Draft Review
13 The Greatest Toronto Maple Leafs, Decade by Decade
28 Brian Burke's first move of 2010, sign Ian White
28 Brian Burke's first move of 2010, sign Ian White
Woof... Courtnall over Stevie Y... oh the pain of it all.
If the Leafs were drafting 7th, there's no way they would've got Yzerman anyway unless they traded up and with Jimmy Devellano the Wings GM, he never would've done a deal with the Leafs to switch spots. And if Detroit had their way, they would've grabbed Pat LaFontaine instead of Yzerman if they had the choice at that time. But LaFontaine went no.1 and the Wings had to "settle" for Yzerman at no.4.