Leafs' hits and misses at NHL entry draft

**doniceage** · 06-26-2009, 06:10 AM

BY: Lance Hornby

Brian Burke will be the ninth Maple Leafs’ general manager in 40 years to preside at Toronto’s draft table. Keeping in mind that GMs defer to scouts in many cases and that other NHL teams passed on the same future stars the Leafs did, here are their hits and misses:

JIM GREGORY (1969-79)

HIT: Darryl Sittler at No. 8 in 1970. For all their draft acumen the Habs had the five and six slots and took Ray Martyniuk and Chuck Lefley.

MISS: In 1977, holding the 11th and 12th picks, opted for John Anderson and Trevor Johansen from the hometown Marlies. Anderson was okay, but Mike Bossy went to the Isles three picks later.

GERRY MCNAMARA (1981-88)

HIT: For all his faults, McNamara had an eye for talent, picking Vince Damphousse, Al Iafrate and Russ Courtnall. After some internal haggling, Leafs used their first overall in 1985 on future captain Wendel Clark.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hoc...5/9935971.html