Other Sports 5 Toronto Maple Leafs Players Could Play

Spring is here, and once again the Toronto Maple Leafs will not be playing in the NHL's second season. It's been another forgettable season for loyal Leafs fans, who have had little to cheer for since December.

With the Leafs now playing out the string, thoughts will turn to other sports. The Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors will benefit from their early exit.

With that in mind, let's consider, tongues partly in cheek, what other sports five of the top Maple Leafs might have played if not toiling for the Leafs.

Joffrey Lupul: Golfer

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Yes, we know that Leafs players have had a lot of opportunities to work on their golf games in recent history. But Joffrey Lupul would fit seamlessly into the PGA world.

The native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, stands 6'1" and 206 pounds. He possesses great size for the game and would bring a powerful swing and soft hands to the links. A sport with a little less physical pounding would help the talented winger stay a little healthier as well.

Lupul is also known for his fashion sense. With PGA golfers' increasing focus on not just play but style, the Leafs winger would be right at home.

It's pretty easy to picture Lupul striding right alongside some of the more stylish golfers in the game, some of whom were featured in GQ in 2012. 

Dion Phaneuf: Football Safety

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Dion Phaneuf has been a big-time hitter throughout his hockey career. It just seems natural that he'd excel as a football player.

At 6'3" and 214 pounds with a preference to play defence, Phaneuf would be a natural safety. He seems to be at his best in hockey when the play is unscripted and he can just react. Playing safety would allow him to do basic reads and react to the point of attack.

With his ability to deliver crushing blows on skates, it's obvious he'd be that much more devastating on the turf. 

Phil Kessel: Curler

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While Phil Kessel has the kind of hand-eye coordination that would allow him to play a number of sports at a high level, curling might have worked for the talented Leafs winger.

Kessel hails from the northern United States, where some Americans actually curl regularly. The Madison, Wisconsin, native might have spent some time around curling rinks in his younger years.

His lighthearted nature and ability to engage on a casual level with fans would play well in the world of curling. 

The ability to unwind with a cold one or dozen following the most intense curling games would make Kessel's postgame interviews even more exciting than the ones he conducts in hockey. Remember this one?

Picturing Kessel as a world-class skip just seems right.

Nazem Kadri: Basketball Point Guard

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With Toronto, and Ontario in general, teeming with basketball talent, Nazem Kadri could have just as easily excelled on the court.

Kadri has exceptional vision, great speed and certainly knows how to stand up for himself, especially with his ability to chirp opponents. At 6'0" and 188 pounds, he'd also have good size at the point guard position.

It's easy to picture Kadri with some of Steve Nash's passing ability, Jason Kidd's toughness and Allen Iverson's swagger.

With the Toronto Raptors being the hottest ticket in town, maybe we'll see Kadri courtside as a spectator for the NBA playoffs.

Jonathan Bernier: Baseball Catcher

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Jonathan Bernier has many of the skills required of baseball's greatest catchers.

Like fellow Canadian Russell Martin, Bernier is cool under pressure, has a great catching hand, operates well in a lot of traffic and can lead by example.

Bernier is able to put a tough goal behind him, which would serve him well in a sport where players play 162 games. Dwelling on the past game doesn't work in Major League Baseball.

Focusing on the here-and-now is an important skill for all baseball players, as even failing seven out of 10 times at the plate can lead to a place in Cooperstown, New York's Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bernier would be a natural catching for a challenging knuckleballer like R.A. Dickey. An educated guess would be that very little would get by the talented Leafs goalie.

All stats can be found on NHL.com unless noted otherwise.