LetsGoLeafs prime picks: Which former Leaf would you bring back in their prime?

First, the rules. Pick one player to bring back to the Leafs as they were when they played in Toronto. Example; you get the Toronto version of Eric Lindros, not the Flyers version.

Ben:

It's a tough choice, I wrestled with Mats Sundin, then Wendal Clark, but the one name that really stood out for me was Gary Roberts. Hear me out here. Sundin is the greatest Leaf of all time I know, but with Matthews and Tavares as your 1-2 down the middle, the Leafs would be better served with a player at another position. Plus, I wouldn't want to be the guy responsible for splitting ice time between those 3.

Clark, well, he'd spend more time suspended than on the roster.. love the guy though. Roberts would slot in as 1LW. He was (still is) an absolute unit, and he's just so competitive. Remember the 2002 playoffs? Sundin got hurt and Gary just refused to let the team go down and carried them to the conference final.

For you younger fans, imagine a rabid Zach Hyman who wouldn't hesitate to put you through the glass or over the boards. The perfect combo of skill and balls.

Roberts was a beast in the corners, he could score, he could hit, and if all else failed he could beat the snot out of you. You add a prime Gary Roberts to today's Leafs and you've got a cup. No way the Leafs crumble with Gary Roberts on the bench. He simply wouldn't allow it. Alright fellas, that's my take. Let's hear from the rest of the crew.

Steve:

For me, it's Doug Gilmour. I don't think anyone in my age group would argue this pick. Gilmour's peak run in Toronto is what we dream Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner will become. Absolutely beloved and a franchise leading 127-point season that ended in a Selke Trophy win.

Gilmour was great everywhere, and just such a fierce competitor. A two-way hockey machine who is still beloved by Leafs Nation today. This was easy for me. If I want to inject anyone into the current team at their peak, give me a killer like Doug Gilmour.

Mikey:

This is a tough question, because there are so many variables. I flipped back and forth between goalies like Ed Belfour and Curtis Joseph, but in the end, I settled on a winger. If I'm bringing back anyone from their prime to add to this Leafs team, I'm going with Darcy Tucker.

Picture Wolverine, but on skates. This guy was an absolute berserker. Tucker was never going to be the guy who scores you 30 goals, although he did come close in '05-'06, but if there's one thing you could count on from Tucker, it's that he was going to make life miserable for the opposition.

Darcy Tucker was all heart, and I think he'd drag guys into the fight and draw that competitive spirit out of guys who don't show much of a mean streak now. If you were a fan of the Leafs in the early 2000's, I don't need to tell you why Tucker is the guy for me. You would have lived it and you'd understand.

Cole:

This ran through my mind all day. Initially I thought of legends like Doug Gilmour, Mats Sundin, and Borje Salming. Sundin was the only player of the group that I am old enough to remember playing but with Matthews and Tavares down the middle I looked at the blueline. I ended up going off the board and took Jake Gardiner.

Gardiner caught a lot of flack in Toronto because when he screwed up he screwed up bigtime. He suffered from what Steve Dangle refers to as "Brian McCabe syndrome" meaning that he is a very talented player but when he messes up it is in the worst way possible and it is what he's remembered for.

Many fans forget that before his back injuries Gardiner was a great puck-moving defender and powerplay quarterback who was for the most part good defensively. During his time in Toronto the Leafs were a better team with him on the ice.

My hope is that one day, Rasmus Sandin can evolve into a prime Jake Gardiner, minus the backbreaking missteps. They play a very similar style.

With Jake Muzzin showing signs of age catching up to him, Justin Holl being a non-option, and Sandin still having a lot of room to grow, Jake Gardiner in his prime would be a welcome addition to this team's top-4 and powerplay.