The next Sundin?

Is there a Mats Sundin among the current Toronto Maple Leafs?

Is there a player who, years from now upon retiring will be called to centre ice to have his jersey number raised to the rafters at Air Canada Centre?

Being that the Maple Leafs are the youngest team in the NHL, it is far too early to identify any sure-fire candidates. However, given the fact this team appears to be moving in the right direction, building in such a fashion that when it does get good, it will be good for a long time and not just for a while, candidates could ultimately emerge.

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Captain Dion Phaneuf, if he enjoys a long and prosperous career in Toronto, is one while Phil Kessel, who could be a top-10 scorer in the NHL for the next decade, is certainly another.

Just as Sundin started his career with another team, the Quebec Nordiques, but was quickly embraced by Leafs fans upon his arrival in Toronto, Phaneuf was the ninth overall selection in the 2003 NHL entry draft and played his first four and a half seasons with the Calgary Flames. Now in his second full season with the Maple Leafs, Phaneuf has become a valuable leader on a team that is showing genuine signs of making the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

At 26 years old, Phaneuf has plenty of time to do his part in trying to bring a championship to Toronto. Assuming the Leafs continue to improve and that they'll eventually participate in a couple of decent playoff runs, Phaneuf will play a key role for his year. There were some who questioned the decision to make Phaneuf the captain because it might be too much pressure for him, but that simply has not been the case. The Edmonton native has embraced the role.

There are still inconsistencies in Phaneuf's game that will hopefully disappear with experience. He broke into the NHL with a 20-goal season in 2005-06 and followed that with back-to-back 17-goal years. But since then his aim has not been as good and the guy who racked up 182 PIM in 2007-08 doesn't always seems as willing to be involved physically. That said, Phaneuf is still a great open-ice body-checker and with eight goals and 33 points through 56 games, he ranks sixth in scoring amongst NHL defencemen.

The Leafs have identified Phaneuf as the leader and if the organization enjoys success, he will be the face of the team. A long and prosperous career in Toronto could conclude with Phaneuf joining the other honored Maple Leafs high in the rafters at ACC.

The same thing can be said for Kessel. The 24-year-old seems to have taken his game to another level this season with 30 goals and 60 points in 56 games; good for fourth in league scoring. Like Phaneuf, Kessel will be front and centre when the Leafs finally make it to the post-season. He is on pace for 44 goals this season and if he continues to develop, scoring 50 in a season is well within his reach.

Let's say, just for fun, Kessel gets his 44 goals this season, which takes him to 172 for his career. The say he plays another 14 seasons (which gets him to 37 years old) and averages 35 goals a year over that span. That would give Kessel 662 goals in his career. If he hits those numbers and the team enjoys success, then surely he would be considered worthy of being honored.

At the end of the day, it's all about making an impact in Toronto.

Sundin did not win the Stanley Cup. In fact, he didn't even get to the final. And yet he became the 18th Maple leaf to have his number honoured after having led the team in scoring year after year. It should be 19, but former Leafs captain Dave Keon - the best Maple Leaf ever in my books - refuses to allow the organization to honour him. The Leafs generally do not retire players' numbers, although they have made two exceptions: Bill Barilko's No. 5 and Ace Bailey's No. 6.

Remember, it doesn't take a lot in terms of years of service to capture the fancy of Leafs Nation. Doug Gilmour's No. 93 hangs in the rafters and he played just 5 1/2 seasons in Toronto. It's what he did during that time, however, that people remember. The blood. The sweat. The tears. No Stanley Cup, but Gilmour got the team closer than it had been since its last win in 1967. For that he will be eternally loved in Toronto.

Phaneuf and Kessel watched as Sundin's No. 13 was raised to the roof. Wonder if that inspired them to reach for new heights in their careers?

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.