Maple Leafs by the numbers: #32 - Steve Thomas

Remember, when you vote it’s based on #32 play only.

Steve Thomas (1985-1987/1998-2001)
Stats: 377GP -118G - 173A - 291ts - 423PM
Awards: N/A

Thomas was an undrafted player from the OHA (precursor to the OHL) who signed with the Maple Leafs after leaving junior hockey, he split two seasons between the Maple Leafs and St. Catharines Saints. In the AHL he would win rookie of the year in 1985 and he would crack the NHL in his third pro year in the 86/87 season. Just before 1987 training camp Thomas would be traded with Bob McGill and Rick Vaive to the Blackhawks for Ed Olczyk and Al Secord. He’d then play for the Blackhawks, Islanders, and Devils before returning to Toronto in the 1998 off-season.  He’d play three more seasons in Toronto before leaving as a free agent. The Leafs invited him to training camp in 2005, but never signed him. Thomas would join the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in 2010 as a coach and did not have his contract renewed in 2017.

Other 32’s:
Greg Britz (1985)
Stats: 1GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 2PM
An NCAA free agent, he played three years in the Leafs organization before signing a one year deal with the Hartford Whalers to end his professional career.

Joe Colborne (2011-2013)
Stats: 16GP -1G - 5A - 6Pts - 6PM

Colborne was a first round pick for the Bruins in 2008 and came to the Leafs with a first and second round pick in a deadline trade for Tomas Kaberle. He bounced between the Leafs and Marlies for three seasons until he was sent to the Flames for a fourth round pick. He’s currently in the Avalanche system playing with the San Antonio Rampage in the AHL.

Mike Eastwood (1992-1995)
Stats: 111GP -14G - 23A - 37Pts - 85PM
Eastwood was a fifth round pick who joined the Leafs after his four years of college were up. He split three seasons in St. John’s and Toronto and after making it full time in the 94/95 season he would be traded to the Jets to bring in Tie Domi.

Alex Foster (2008)
Stats: 3GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM
Foster was an NCAA free agent who spent five years with the Marlies, eventually becoming captain. He would play 3 NHL games for the Leafs and left to play in Europe after the 10/11 season. He’s currently playing in the ECHL for the Brampton Beast.

Benoit Hogue (1994-95)
Stats: 12GP -3G - 3A - 6Pts - 2PM
In one year, and out the next. Hogue came from the Islanders in 1995 and was shipped off to the Stars in 1996. He wore two different numbers in his 12 games in the 94/95 season, and switched to a third in 95/96 before being traded.

Wes Jarvis (1988)
Stats: 1GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM
Jarvis wore #32 in his final NHL game. He played six years for the Saints and was called up once in each of the first four seasons. After 1988 he played two more years in Newmarket then retired.

Nick Kypreos (1996-1997)
Stats: 54GP -4G - 3A - 7Pts - 92PM
Kypreos joined the Leafs in the final two years of his career, traded them at the 1996 trade deadline. He now works for Sportsnet, showing a national audience what years of being punched in the head does to a person.

Derek Laxdal (1988)
Stats: 5GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 6PM
Laxdal rode the minors/majors pogo stick with the Leafs for three seasons before being traded to the Islanders in 1989. He is currently the head coach of the Texas Stars.

Josh Leivo (2014-Present)
Stats: 46GP -9G - 10A - 19Pts - 16PM
Leivo has played the past five seasons with both the Leafs and Marlies, but lately has been working a part time job as press box attendant.

Daniel Marois (1988-1992)
Stats: 285GP -106G - 80A - 186Pts - 346PM
A second round pick for the Leafs he jumped right from junior (Verdun Jr Canadiens) to the NHL. He stuck in Toronto for 3.5 seasons, until he was traded to the Islanders with Claude Loiselle for Ken Baumgartner and Dave McLlwain. He would finish his career where it began, with the Verdun Dragons of the LNAH.

Chris McRae (1988)
Stats: 11GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 65PM
A junior free agent, he played two years for the Saints before making the NHL. After four seasons with the Leafs org, he signed with the Red Wings and played three more seasons before retiring.

Craig Muni (1982)
Stats: 3GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 2PM
Muni wore #32 in his first NHL games, after the OHL season ended in Windsor. As we’ve heard before he didn’t make the Leafs but won a bunch of cups in Edmonton.

Frank Nigro (1982-83)
Stats: 51GP -6G - 15A - 21Pts - 23PM
After two years in the minors, Nigro played the majority of the 82/83 season in the NHL with the Leafs. He would play the 83/84 season with the Leafs/Saints as well before going to Italy to become a superstar in the Italian leagues and play for Italy internationally.

Ken Strong (1985)
Stats: 11GP -2G - 0A - 2Pts - 4PM
Strong wore #32 in his final NHL season. He played the next year with the St. Catharines Saints and left for Europe after that. He is currently the head coach of the French River Rapids in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Mikael Tellqvist (2003-2007)
Stats: 40GP - 16W - .895sv% - 3.01GAA - 2SO
A third round pick, he played in the Leafs system for 5.5 seasons, making it into the NHL full time as Ed Belfour’s back up in the 05/06 season, he would be traded to the Coyotes the following season for Tyson Nash and a fourth round pick. He represented Sweden internationally and won a gold medal at the 2006 Olympics with the Tre Kronor. He retired this past summer after spending the last eight seasons in the KHL and SHL.

Kris Versteeg  (2010-11)
Stats: 53GP -14G - 21A - 35Pts - 29PM
Versteeg signed with the Leafs after winning the cup with the Blackhawks in 2010. He played half the season here before being traded to the Flyers for a first and third round pick. The highlight of his Leafs career, which I have never stopped hearing about, was when my wife saw him naked in the Leafs dressing room while we were on a post-game ACC tour.

Gary Yaremchuk (1984)
Stats: 1GP -0G - 0A - 0Pts - 0PM
A second round pick who never quite fit with the Leafs, Gary played one game in #32, and spent most of his career in the minors before heading to Europe.

Ron Zanussi (1981)
Stats: 12GP -3G - 0A - 3Pts - 6PM
Brought to the Leafs with a third round pick for a second rounder from the North Stars, Zanussi never stuck in the NHL and retired after spending the 83/84 season with the St. Catharines Saints.

Who was the best #32 for the Maple Leafs?