My Toronto Maple Leafs Young Guns Collection

[YoungGuns1988]

Hi guys,

Just thought I would share my current collection of Maple Leafs young guns and other items. The desire to complete this set was what really got me back into collecting cards. I am not positive that I have every young gun released to date, but these were the ones I could find. Hopefully someone will find this listing useful incase they want to collect Maple Leafs young guns as well!


90's - Rob Pearson and Nikolai Borchevsky (this was when Upper deck first started experimenting with young guns, and they weren't released yearly)

2002/2003- Karel Pilar, Sebastian Centomo, Carlo Coliacovo and Mikael Tellqvist. Really like the look of these older young guns.



2003/2004 - Maxim Kondratiev, Matt Stajan

2004/2005- I believe the lockout prevented any young guns from being made.

2005/2006 - Alex Steen, Andy Wozneiwski, Staffan Kronwall. This Steen card was the first Leafs young gun I ever received, from a pack that was out at the time. Always loved Steen and was very upset when he was packaged for Stempniak. Woz, on the other hand, brings back horrible memories of defensive lapses as he tripped over his own feet.



2006/2007- Ben Ondrus, Brendan Bell, Ian White, Jeremy Williams and Jean Francois Racine.

White was a decent little player for a time before he was sent to Calgary for part of the Dion Phaneuf deal. The rest of these guys never really made the NHL.



2007/2008- Jiri Tlusty and Antron Stralman. Not many remember that the gifted Tampa Bay d man was once a Leaf prospect.

2008/2009- John Mitchell, Robbie Earl, Luke Schenn, Justin Pogge, Nikolai Kulemin, and Jonas Frogren.

Actually some pretty decent quality players in this draft class. Kulemin was a staple with the buds for years, Schenn didn't really put it together in Toronto but was swapped for the now prominent JVR. Even Mitchell has been a serviceable NHLer in a checking role. Frogren and Pogge were pretty much stinkers. You can't win them all!



2009/2010- Viktor Stalberg, Jay Rosehill, Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak, Jonas Gustavsson, Carl Gunnarson and James Reimer

The Leafs struck gold signing Boak out of NCAA as he's been a decent contributor for the team ever since. No he doesn't put up 70 point seasons but he's done his job admirably. I recall there was lots of hype for "the monster" when the Leafs signed him. He actually played better for the Leafs then people remember, his heart conditions at the time were what really derailed his early career. Funny that Reimer was probably an after thought at this time and turned out to be the best Leafs goalie since Belfour.



2010/2011 - Braden Irwin, Korbinan Holzer, Keith Aulie, Nazem Kadri + Nazem Kadri Exclusives

I had a very difficult time tracking down the Holzer young gun, it was the last one I found. Not sure if it was short printed or I just got unlucky. Naz is a personal favourite of mine, so I decided to grab his exclusives card as well.



2011/2012- Jake Gardiner, Joe Colbourne, Matt Frattin, Ben Scrivens

Really thought Frattin was going to be a player after his performance during the lockout shortened season, but he just couldn't seem to stay consistent. Gardiner is another personal fav, will be picking up his Canvas and exclusive at some point.

2012/2013- Ryan Hamilton, Jussi Rynnas, Carter Ashton

Is anyone else starting to notice a trend of failed Leafs goalie prospects? This must be the 6th or 7th one already and we aren't done yet!



2013/2014- Morgan Reilly + Morgan Reilly Canvas, Josh Leivo, Jerry D'Migo

If anyone knows where I could find a Reilly exclusives card, please let me know. Ive never even seen a photo of one. Do they exist?



2014/2015- Brandon Kozun, Stuart Percy, Greg McKegg, Christopher Gibson

2015/2016- Antione Bibeau, Garett Sparks- More future bust goalies? I like both of these guys but am not convinced either of them are consistent enough to be starters in the NHL. Backups I could see though.




2016/2017- Auston Matthews, Connor Brown, Zach Hyman, Nikita Zaitsev, William Nylander, Young Guns checklist

Finally, a can't miss class of Leafs prospects. Perhaps one of the strongest classes of young guns ever seen by a single team, Matthews and Nylander both project as star players while Brown, Zaitsev and Hyman have good NHL upside. Heck all 5 of these players are currently on the Leafs roster and that doesn't even factor in Marner. What a time to be a fan of the Leafs!

Other Goodies:

Marner/Laine Canvas checklist, Young guns Acetate Checklist, Mitch Marner young guns Canvas- was lucky to hit all 3 of these in a case that I purchased.


Nylander and Reilly portraits with Nylander blue /25 and Reilly gold /25

Hope you enjoyed. Please let me know if there are any Leafs young guns I am missing and if you have any exclusives, canvas or other Leafs cards for trade or sale.

[creasecollector]

As a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, I love these Young Guns! WOW! Congrats on this collection so far! with all the Leafs' top rookies, this year is quite the year for you, huh? Best of luck moving forward :)

[YoungGuns1988]

Thanks very much! Yes it certainly is a fun year, albeit expensive year to collect Leafs stuff :) hoping to hit a Matthews or Nylander exclusive at some point because they are priced a bit out of my budget!

As a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, I love these Young Guns! WOW! Congrats on this collection so far! with all the Leafs' top rookies, this year is quite the year for you, huh? Best of luck moving forward :)

[Scobes]

Nice collection! Congrats!

Scobes

[Leafsman]

Thanks very much! Yes it certainly is a fun year, albeit expensive year to collect Leafs stuff :) hoping to hit a Matthews or Nylander exclusive at some point because they are priced a bit out of my budget!

Congrats from me as well. As a Leafs fan myself this year's group of Leafs rookies will be more expensive...I collect SP Authentic rookies (BGS 9.5 copies, whenever possible).

The possibility of Mitch Marner, Nikita Zaitsev, Nikita Soshnikov, Auston Matthews, Zach Hyman, William Nylander, Brendan Leipsic, and Connor Brown all having SP Authentic rookie cards - OUCH!!

My wallet is going to hurt!!

[ReimerFan]

Great collection! Going through the years you can really see when the Leafs started to turn around and develop their own picks.

[YoungGuns1988]

Thanks guys. Went to a local card show today in my City and found few more items:

Toronto Card Show Exclusives top draft picks Nylander and Marner

Pankhurst rookies Matthews, Marner, Nylander + Nylander blue, and Laine

[30ranfordfan]

Nice thread! Congrats!


If you're looking for other cards - 1996-97 Sergie Berezin YG exists too. That was one of the years where YG's were part of Collector's Choice, not UD Series 1/2.

I'm pretty certain there are Leafs in the 00-01, and 01-02 UD sets (Young Guns) as well. If you need help figuring them out, drop me a line.

[YoungGuns1988]

Thanks for the info! I would be very interested in learning more about any I may be missing. I couldn't spot any names I recognized from 00-01 and 01-02 but it did seem odd to me that there weren't any leafs.

Nice thread! Congrats!


If you're looking for other cards - 1996-97 Sergie Berezin YG exists too. That was one of the years where YG's were part of Collector's Choice, not UD Series 1/2.

I'm pretty certain there are Leafs in the 00-01, and 01-02 UD sets (Young Guns) as well. If you need help figuring them out, drop me a line.

[Fmwfan]

Nice set! I've actually been working on my own leafs young guns set! You are however missing 96/97 Collectors Choice- Sergei Berzin YG and 00/01 UD- Greg Andrusak YG. Im pretty sure that's all though!