If this list were based purely on popularity, Wendel Clark would be near the top.
Clark was taken number one in the 1985 Draft, and he joined a struggling Maple Leafs team that lacked an identity. The Left Wing immediately became a fan favorite for his no-nonsense play, willingness to fight, and ability to score. As a rookie, Clark scored 45 Points and finished second in Calder voting to Gary Suter. The Left Wing had 60 Points as a sophomore, but in his third year, he began to be plagued with back problems that affected him for the rest of his career and resulted in many games lost.
Despite his medical setbacks, Clark remained the heart of the team and became the team captain. A trade from Calgary brought Doug Gilmour to the Leafs and with other pieces in tow, the Maple Leafs made a deep run in the 1993 Playoffs. Clark had his best year the season after, with a career-high 76 Points, but the Leafs dealt Clark to Quebec for Mats Sundin, and the Leaf Nation wept for days.
Clark returned two years later, where he was again oft-injured but always popular and pugilistic. He signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1998 but made one more stop in Toronto to finish his career.
Of the 564 career Points Clark scored, 441 came in a Maple Leafs uniform. Toronto would hang his banner in 2008, with his number 17 retired in 2016.
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