As the title says If you could change one thing in your favourite franchise's history what would it be?

Lets try to keep it reasonable things (No taking HOF players in RD 1 when they went much later), Lets keep all draft related changes to within 10 picks of the spot they were in and if possible take needs at the time into account

Examples ( Keep one player for entire career, undo a trade, do a rumored deal that fell through, etc)

Mine would be giving the Ducks the Cup in 2002-2003 or conversely having Kariya on the 2007 Cup winning team just so I could see my childhood hero hoist that cup. I live in Windsor Ontario and I flew to Anaheim for his Jersey Retirement, seeing him raise the cup would have been an awesome experience and falling in 7 games in 02-03 especially how Giggy was lights out that year and won the Conn Smythe as the losing goalie (21 GP - 15-6 Record - .945 SV% - 1.62GAA - 5 SO)

I know this is something very drastic but I figure since they lost in 7 that season anyways or just having him on the cup winning team in 07 isnt that unreasonable in a "change one thing" series

Fire away let me know what you guys would change!

Question: Are we assuming that everything afterwards stays the same as it is or should we take into account how our choice would change our team today?

I didnt really think that far ahead ahah, I was more focused on changing one thing, if you want to bring future implications in go for it!

Ok... There are so many things that I would like to change as a Leafs fan lol but if I had to choose one I'd probably just go with game 7 (the first one against Boston). It's the first playoff series that I can actually remember, I was too young for the early 2000's ones. We all knew that the Leafs weren't good but it was 4-1, we all thought they were going to do it against all odds. It was the most heartbroken I've ever felt watching hockey, so I'd probably just go with that. There's actually a dumb story to this that's obviously ridiculous, but in a superstitious way, I also felt like it was my fault, so I'd like that weight off my shoulders.

1.Tampa Bay drafting Seth Jones over Jonathon Drouin.

Or
2. Tyler Johnson breaking his wrist in 2015. Not only does that probably get Tampa over the Blackhawks fot the cup with. Without that injury his career doesn't plateau and Tampa's centre depth is even better today as a result.

By chance do you know how to insert a poll when starting a new thread in the forums? I see the add poll button, but from there what do you do?

Click add poll, type in a question and asnwers then hit submit poll

Yeah, I figured it out, thanks. I thought you had to insert it before you published by checking that little box, but I realized after I published how it actually works. Thanks anyway.

As a Devils fan, the Schneider from VAN for a 1st rounder (that became Bo Horvat) really bothered me, even today. Not just because of Horvat, although he's one of the best #2 C's in the NHL, imo. But, Marty was still a capable starter during Schneider's first season and the team was never gonna contend anyway. Watching Marty on the bench for half the season was tough to see.

Schneider was a top 5 Goalie for the first few seasons as a Devil, and it was wasted on a terrible team. DeBoer couldn't sit him when he was near the top in the NHL in stats! He made them a bottom 10 team instead of a bottom 3 team. Marty woulda never left for STL, too.

Would be nice to see how many more goals Stamkos would've scored had he not broken his leg. He's still an elite scorer, but he was a superstar before the injury.

I agree. The only reason I dont have that up there is that he's still good and I still like watching him play. As opposed to not having Jones and not having the 2015 cup and a fully healthy Tyler Johnson.

Do not get swept

Not trading Markus Naslund to Vancouver in 1996.

or

Trading for Ryan Reaves at the 2017 draft.

or

Trading for Derick Brassard at the 2018 trade deadline.

Past Leaf history. Not having Stafford Smythe (briefly and Harold Ballard destroy the Leafs in late 60s and next 25 years.
Recently. Hiring Babcock. Cost the Leafs at least one series against Boston. Matthews might have signed a more friendly team contract $$$ and or term if Babcock hadn't been on a long term contract.

Sign Price for $5 583 333x3