5 random players you forgot were on the Toronto Maple Leafs

3. Kenny Jonsson

Former NHL defenseman Kenny Jonsson is likely remembered for lacing up the skates with the New York Islanders during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Swedish native was a member of the Isles for almost a decade, after skating with the orange and blue from 1995-96 until the 2003-04 campaign.

It was one the darkest eras in Islanders history, which is why it’s so memorable in the hockey community — but Jonsson was originally a blueliner for Toronto in parts of two seasons.

Jonsson was selected by the Leafs with the 12th overall selection at the 1993 NHL Draft, but was then traded to the Islanders during the 1995-96 NHL Trade Deadline. The blueliner was acquired by New York in a multiple-player deal that witnessed Wendel Clark’s return to the Maple Leafs.

However, the Leafs also shipped their 1997 first-round draft pick along with Jonsson which turned out to be goaltender Roberto Luongo. Most fans can recall that Luongo ended up as the pick that was traded, but chances are that fans never realized Jonsson was also a member of the deal.

The former first-round draft pick only skated in 89 regular-season contests with Toronto, but did record 35 points in the brief tenure. Considering that Jonsson was only 20 during his rookie season North of the Border, it’s safe to say he portrayed promise for the Original Six franchise.

Jonsson didn’t exactly turn out to be a superstar or have a notable career such as other first-round picks from the 1993 draft, but fans have to wonder if his career would have been more memorable if Toronto never dealt him so early in his career.

Not only did the late 1990s Islander teams wear questionable jerseys and execute terrible trades, but New York found itself finishing in the basement for the league standings for a handful of seasons. It seemed that Jonsson was never surrounded by talented superstars to benefit his own production, and his brief tenure with Toronto earned him a spot on this list.