Top 5 Maple Leafs stars with most goals when facing elimination ft. William Nylander 

By Sam Nestler

Modified May 03, 2024 22:33 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs have pulled themselves out of a 3-1 hole, and thanks to a two-goal night from William Nylander in Game 6, have forced a Game 7 on Saturday against the Boston Bruins.

Nylander snapped a 13-game goal drought, putting in two in Game 6 in Toronto. But his was not the only impressive performance with the Maple Leafs facing elimination.

In Toronto's rich hockey history, there have been some monumental players that have worn the Leafs' sweater. And in that long and historic franchise, five players have stepped up the biggest when the team needed them most.

5 Maple Leafs with the most goals when facing elimination

#1 Wendel Clark - 10

Wendel Clark played with Toronto for 13 seasons across three different stints after being drafted No. 1 overall in 1985.

The winger racked up 441 points (260 goals, 181 assists) in 609 games with the Maple Leafs but is most remembered for his performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

When his team was facing elimination, Clark scored a total of 10 goals, the most in franchise history. Clark recorded 61 points (34 goals, 27 assists) in 79 playoff games with Toronto.

His #17 jersey is hanging from the rafters in Toronto.

#2 Darryl Sittler - 8

Darryl Sittler played over 1,000 games in the NHL, recording 1,121 points (484 goals, 637 assists) in that span.

844 of those games came with Toronto. Sittler sits second on this list with eight goals when the Maple Leafs faced elimination.

He also holds the NHL record, as the only player to ever score 10 points (six goals, four assists) in a single game (Feb. 7, 1976). No other player has surpassed eight.

Sittler was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989 and his #27 was retired in 2016.

#3 Lanny McDonald - 8

Lanny McDonald also had eight goals in this high-pressure scenario for the Maple Leafs.

McDonald, known for his excellent mustache, was nearly a point-per-game player in his career. The forward recorded 1,006 points (500 goals, 506 assists) in 1,111 games mostly with Toronto and the Calgary Flames.

He added 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 45 career playoff games with the Leafs.

McDonald was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.

#4 Dave Keon - 7

Keon played 15 seasons with the Maple Leafs during his 18-year NHL career.

The Quebec native scored 858 points (365 goals, 493 assists) in that span and was a huge piece of the Maple Leafs' Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967.

That final championship still remains the last in the organization, 56 years ago.

Keon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.

#5 William Nylander - 7

Nylander cemented himself onto this list with his excellent play in Game 6 against the Bruins. But the winger has been doing this for his entire career.

Nylander now has 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 53 career playoff games. He has been nearly a point-per-game player in every playoff appearance for Toronto over his nine-year career.

But Nylander has also joined this list by chipping in slowly and consistently. In 13 playoff elimination games during his career, he has scored in six of them.

That is a healthy percentage, and Toronto could certainly use another one in Game 7 on Saturday.