Say it ain’t so, Joe. Article content

As the Maple Leafs grapple with all-star Mitch Marner’s likely departure, former general manager Gord Stellick brought up another story of a first-round pick, this one that got away at the draft table. Article content Article content

While it was well known that the Leafs passed on Joe Sakic in 1987 — as did 12 other clubs before Sakic went to the Quebec Nordiques — Stellick detailed how close the future Hall of Famer came to wearing Blue and White in a guest appearance on the Leafs Morning Take podcast.

Holding the seventh overall pick that year, the Leafs had an ad hoc committee with Stellick, who was then the NHL’s youngest GM at 30 years old, coach John Brophy and senior scouts, but all living with the whims of unpredictable owner Harold B

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