Your personal all-time Leafs team

[L K]

Stoically Dazzling: Tavares - Sundin - Mogilny
Unfairly Maligned: Kadri - Nylander - Kessel
F?n Maniacs: Roberts - Grabovski - Tucker
Worker Bees: Kulemin - Stajan - Hyman
Perfect Spare: Winnik, Komarov

Kaberle - McCabe
Gardiner - Rielly
Phaneuf - Yushkevich
Marincin

Belfour (probably not water in that bottle)
Reimer

You spelt Winnik wrong.  It's actually "Winnik for a 2nd"

 

[ZBBM]

Stoically Dazzling: Tavares - Sundin - Mogilny
Unfairly Maligned: Kadri - Nylander - Kessel
F?n Maniacs: Roberts - Grabovski - Tucker
Worker Bees: Kulemin - Stajan - Hyman
Perfect Spare: Winnik, Komarov

Kaberle - McCabe
Gardiner - Rielly
Phaneuf - Yushkevich
Marincin

Belfour (probably not water in that bottle)
Reimer

You spelt Winnik wrong.  It's actually "Winnik for a 2nd"

Haha!

 

[herman]

You spelt Winnik wrong.  It's actually "Winnik for a 2nd"

We also got Connor Carrick for him the following year after re-signing and trading him at the deadline again. Mad value.

 

[nutman]

This is going to make me sound about 1,000 years old but I really sometimes think that Clark is someone who is really hard to explain to people. Especially to younger people for whom fighting has always been seen as sort of a damaging and counter-productive element of the game.

But back in the early 80's and 90's the idea of having someone around who was very maybe the best fighter


around as well as an excellent goalscorer felt like your team had one of the best weapons in the entire game. People sometimes talked about Probert being a solid player in addition to being one of the better fighters out there largely based on one sort of flukey year where he scored 29 goals but Clark in his first go-round with the Leafs averaged about 37 goals per 82 games while just destroying people when the gloves dropped. The guy was a super-hero and, quite frankly, I don't really think there was anyone else quite like him.

I get all of the intellectual/hockey based arguments about why fighting needed to leave the game but when you were a kid and didn't know about all of the consequences it was just incredible to watch. The idea that we'll never see another Wendel Clark makes me sad, even though I know it's ultimately for the best.

And seriously though, I want to stress how good he was. If you look at his career from when the Leafs got good until when the injuries finally caught up with him I think you get the real picture. From 92-93 to 96-97 he scored 137 goals and 252 points in 303 games. That's 37 goals and 68 points per 82. I really, genuinely believe that with better luck with injuries and being on better teams that he'd have ended up in the Hall of Fame.

I agree 100%.  Well said.

 

[Pick]

This is going to make me sound about 1,000 years old but I really sometimes think that Clark is someone who is really hard to explain to people. Especially to younger people for whom fighting has always been seen as sort of a damaging and counter-productive element of the game.

But back in the early 80's and 90's the idea of having someone around who was very maybe the best fighter around as well as an excellent goalscorer felt like your team had one of the best weapons in the entire game. People sometimes talked about Probert being a solid player in addition to being one of the better fighters out there largely based on one sort of flukey year where he scored 29 goals but Clark in his first go-round with the Leafs averaged about 37 goals per 82 games while just destroying people when the gloves dropped. The guy was a super-hero and, quite frankly, I don't really think there was anyone else quite like him.

I get all of the intellectual/hockey based arguments about why fighting needed to leave the game but when you were a kid and didn't know about all of the consequences it was just incredible to watch. The idea that we'll never see another Wendel Clark makes me sad, even though I know it's ultimately for the best.

And seriously though, I want to stress how good he was. If you look at his career from when the Leafs got good until when the injuries finally caught up with him I think you get the real picture. From 92-93 to 96-97 he scored 137 goals and 252 points in 303 games. That's 37 goals and 68 points per 82. I really, genuinely believe that with better luck with injuries and being on better teams that he'd have ended up in the Hall of Fame.

All true and he was one of the best body checkers too. The other thing about Clark was his personality. On the ice he was never seen yapping or complaining (like say Tucker, Corson or Domi)... it was all business. With Clark it started quickly and lasted no longer than the time it takes for his opponent to drop to the ice after a punch in the face. No wrestling with the ref after the fact, no jarring on the way to the penalty box, no insults from the penalty box...

Off the ice he was humble. Always a gentleman. When he was traded to Quebec he thanked the Leafs. I don?t think I ever heard Clark criticize a team, player, or coach. He was always a gentleman.

 

[Arn]

If there was one Leaf I?d have loved to have seen play ?live? Clark is probably it. There used to be an amazing 5ish minute video on YouTube about him that I watched dozens of times.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting him randomly in the old Hard Rock Cafe that was in the Skydome. He was doing some kind of talk and hung round to chat and do autographs and so on and spent a long, long time chatting to people.

 

[Kin]

If there was one Leaf I?d have loved to have seen play ?live? Clark is probably it. There used to be an amazing 5ish minute video on YouTube about him that I watched dozens of times.

If you're talking about the "All Heart" video then it's still on there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7XgYSoK1go

I actually had the pleasure of meeting him randomly in the old Hard Rock Cafe that was in the Skydome. He was doing some kind of talk and hung round to chat and do autographs and so on and spent a long, long time chatting to people.

I'm not sure I could handle meeting him. It'd turn into the old SNL sketch "The Chris Farley Show" where he interviews Paul McCartney.

 

[Deebo]

I'm not sure I could handle meeting him. It'd turn into the old SNL sketch "The Chris Farley Show" where he interviews Paul McCartney.

I was at Real Sports a couple years ago and they were doing trivia in intermissions. They brought up someone at random and lobbed them some softball trivia questions. For one of the sets of questions, the last answer was Wendel Clark and when the guy got it right, Wendel Clark came out to give him his prize of a pair of tickets.

 

[Frank E]

Met Clark at the opening of one of his restaurants.  Steve Staios introduced us in Hamilton about 4 years ago, as we were sponsoring the new junior team that Staios was running.

Sized him up, he's intimidating just with his gaze.  He went toe to toe with guys that we'd all run away from.  He was my hero, as a young kid playing hockey.

We had small talk.  He's really not comfortable in that setting, but man was he generous with conversing and friendly with everybody. 

He's my favourite Leaf, and as Nik mentioned, he was maybe the most dangerous guy in the league in his prime...dangerous to score or kick anybody's ass.  He was scary when the Leafs weren't really an intimidating opponent.

I watched that "all heart" link, I miss watching Clark play.

Remember his wrist shot? 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Met Clark at the opening of one of his restaurants.  Steve Staios introduced us in Hamilton about 4 years ago, as we were sponsoring the new junior team that Staios was running.

Oh thanks for the invite.

 

[Arn]

If there was one Leaf I?d have loved to have seen play ?live? Clark is probably it. There used to be an amazing 5ish minute video on YouTube about him that I watched dozens of times.

If you're talking about the "All Heart" video then it's still on there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7XgYSoK1go

I actually had the pleasure of meeting him randomly in the old Hard Rock Cafe that was in the Skydome. He was doing some kind of talk and hung round to chat and do autographs and so on and spent a long, long time chatting to people.

I'm not sure I could handle meeting him. It'd turn into the old SNL sketch "The Chris Farley Show" where he interviews Paul McCartney.

That's the one - such a different time. You do kind of miss that edge, even though as you say it's perfectly understandable and the game itself is so much more skilful.

Watching that video back, I'd say you'd get about 15 games a season now out of Clark due to suspensions  ;D

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I met him at a book signing, though there wasn't much of a conversation. My daughter still wears 17 because of meeting him and watching the video Nik linked.

 

[Frank E]

Met Clark at the opening of one of his restaurants.  Steve Staios introduced us in Hamilton about 4 years ago, as we were sponsoring the new junior team that Staios was running.

Oh thanks for the invite.

That was 3-4 years ago, that restaurant opening, right? 

Or was it longer ago?

 

[Peter D.]

Thomas-Sundin-Mogilny
Clark-Gilmour-Marner
Ponikarovsky-Antropov-M. Johnson
Berezin-Tavares-Damphousse
Lindros

Rielly-Kaberle
Markov-Yushkevich
McCabe-J. Smith
Berard

Potvin
Joseph
Belfour

Coach: Pat Quinn

Grew up with the team from the mid- to late-80s onwards, so I was surprised going through it only Damphousse made it.  Quite evident the late 90s/early 00s teams were my favourites.

 

[Peter D.]

This is going to make me sound about 1,000 years old but I really sometimes think that Clark is someone who is really hard to explain to people. Especially to younger people for whom fighting has always been seen as sort of a damaging and counter-productive element of the game.

But back in the early 80's and 90's the idea of having someone around who was very maybe the best fighter around as well as an excellent goalscorer felt like your team had one of the best weapons in the entire game. People sometimes talked about Probert being a solid player in addition to being one of the better fighters out there largely based on one sort of flukey year where he scored 29 goals but Clark in his first go-round with the Leafs averaged about 37 goals per 82 games while just destroying people when the gloves dropped. The guy was a super-hero and, quite frankly, I don't really think there was anyone else quite like him.

I get all of the intellectual/hockey based arguments about why fighting needed to leave the game but when you were a kid and didn't know about all of the consequences it was just incredible to watch. The idea that we'll never see another Wendel Clark makes me sad, even though I know it's ultimately for the best.

And seriously though, I want to stress how good he was. If you look at his career from when the Leafs got good until when the injuries finally caught up with him I think you get the real picture. From 92-93 to 96-97 he scored 137 goals and 252 points in 303 games. That's 37 goals and 68 points per 82. I really, genuinely believe that with better luck with injuries and being on better teams that he'd have ended up in the Hall of Fame.

I've always thought that Clark was the most beloved Leaf player of all-time, as well as the most overrated. 

I don't think he would have been appreciated and loved like he was anywhere else outside of Toronto, but I don't think he is anywhere close to being one of the greatest Leafs of all time like he is made out to be. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

That was 3-4 years ago, that restaurant opening, right? 

Or was it longer ago?

3-4 years sounds about right. They had a bumpy ride IIRC though so there were a couple different "grand openings".

 

[AtomicMapleLeaf]

This is going to make me sound about 1,000 years old but I really sometimes think that Clark is someone who is really hard to explain to people. Especially to younger people for whom fighting has always been seen as sort of a damaging and counter-productive element of the game.

But back in the early 80's and 90's the idea of having someone around who was very maybe the best fighter around as well as an excellent goalscorer felt like your team had one of the best weapons in the entire game. People sometimes talked about Probert being a solid player in addition to being one of the better fighters out there largely based on one sort of flukey year where he scored 29 goals but Clark in his first go-round with the Leafs averaged about 37 goals per 82 games while just destroying people when the gloves dropped. The guy was a super-hero and, quite frankly, I don't really think there was anyone else quite like him.

I get all of the intellectual/hockey based arguments about why fighting needed to leave the game but when you were a kid and didn't know about all of the consequences it was just incredible to watch. The idea that we'll never see another Wendel Clark makes me sad, even though I know it's ultimately for the best.

And seriously though, I want to stress how good he was. If you look at his career from when the Leafs got good until when the injuries finally caught up with him I think you get the real picture. From 92-93 to 96-97 he scored 137 goals and 252 points in 303 games. That's 37 goals and 68 points per 82. I really, genuinely believe that with better luck with injuries and being on better teams that he'd have ended up in the Hall of Fame.

I've always thought that Clark was the most beloved Leaf player of all-time, as well as the most overrated. 

I don't think he would have been appreciated and loved like he was anywhere else outside of Toronto, but I don't think he is anywhere close to being one of the greatest Leafs of all time like he is made out to be.

Sounds like you're picking a fight.  8)

 

[OldTimeHockey]

This is going to make me sound about 1,000 years old but I really sometimes think that Clark is someone who is really hard to explain to people. Especially to younger people for whom fighting has always been seen as sort of a damaging and counter-productive element of the game.

But back in the early 80's and 90's the idea of having someone around who was very maybe the best fighter around as well as an excellent goalscorer felt like your team had one of the best weapons in the entire game. People sometimes talked about Probert being a solid player in addition to being one of the better fighters out there largely based on one sort of flukey year where he scored 29 goals but Clark in his first go-round with the Leafs averaged about 37 goals per 82 games while just destroying people when the gloves dropped. The guy was a super-hero and, quite frankly, I don't really think there was anyone else quite like him.

I get all of the intellectual/hockey based arguments about why fighting needed to leave the game but when you were a kid and didn't know about all of the consequences it was just incredible to watch. The idea that we'll never see another Wendel Clark makes me sad, even though I know it's ultimately for the best.

And seriously though, I want to stress how good he was. If you look at his career from when the Leafs got good until when the injuries finally caught up with him I think you get the real picture. From 92-93 to 96-97 he scored 137 goals and 252 points in 303 games. That's 37 goals and 68 points per 82. I really, genuinely believe that with better luck with injuries and being on better teams that he'd have ended up in the Hall of Fame.

I've always thought that Clark was the most beloved Leaf player of all-time, as well as the most overrated. 

I don't think he would have been appreciated and loved like he was anywhere else outside of Toronto, but I don't think he is anywhere close to being one of the greatest Leafs of all time like he is made out to be.

I don't think you can discount the most beloved part when discussing how he was rated here in Toronto. It contributes greatly in the discussion of someone being one of the greatest Leafs of all time. I don't think anyone has every put him in the category of most skilled, or of having the best hands in the game. What he brought to the rink cannot be denied though. So I guess it all depends on how you're defining "greatest".

 

[Kin]

I don't think he would have been appreciated and loved like he was anywhere else outside of Toronto, but I don't think he is anywhere close to being one of the greatest Leafs of all time like he is made out to be.

I suppose that's true to a degree in as much as we now have a lot that tells us that the actual value of being one of the better fighters in the league isn't what we used to think it was but like I said in my post I think there's also the element of trying to separate Clark for what he was with what he could have been with better breaks.

I really do believe that with better circumstances he'd be in the Hall of Fame but he'd be in the Dino Ciccarrelli/Bernie Federko/Glenn Anderson category as opposed to, you know, the Sakics and Yzermans. Does that make him one of the greatest Leafs of all time? Beats me.

 

[Highlander]

In the 100 Greatest Leafs, Keon was voted #1.  For me he will be that for a long time, however I can see Matthews surpassing him at some point.  I think the kid has all the tools to be the Greatest Leaf, if he continues to grow his game at its present rate and if he can stay healthy. 

Clark was a great player and deserves to be at #15 on that list.  So many great players over the years!