"I wouldn't trade the core of the Toronto Maple Leafs for any other core around the league. They're going to have chances to win a championship... I'm very, very optimistic about what management of the Leafs has done to build this young core of great players. It's coming."
When Mats Sundin speaks, all of Leaf Nation listens and the Hall of Famer has high praise for the Leafs core. Although they have not broken through the glass ceiling in the playoffs, it is easy to forget how young the Leafs' core is.
Sundin is a franchise icon who knows a thing or two about what it takes to win in the playoffs. He sees what is special in this current Leafs core. Star power upfront in Matthews, Marner, Tavares, and Nylander and then one of the best blueliners in the game in Morgan Rielly - the Leafs have one of the best cores in the league.
Although the Leafs have not exercised their playoff demons yet - when they do, they have the potential to accomplish ever greater things than the Sundin-led Leafs did. Mats thinks so too.