Draft Day Anticipation - What the Leafs May Do

[Daisy Jane]

I'm thinking the Leafs will trade down ... Just a hunch!

that was my feeling like it we don't have that many picks and if it's not that clear cut.. yah. i can see that too..z

 

[Kiwi]

Ditto but depending on who's on the board at 25 of course

I think there's going to be some nice talent available at #25, I'd stay where we are and take the BPA personally, we've still got 7 picks and good depth at the AHL level so I'm not as keen on a trade down like 2015 where we had bugger all in the system

 

[ACC1224]

I was just thinking, we could theoretically sign him to a deal, knowing full well that we can trade him when it is necessary, especially if it is true that he really wants to stay, and could perhaps take a bit lower.

For example, if next summer, we need to sign Matthews & Marner if we haven't already, or know that we need to shed a contract, JVR would be an extremely easy player to trade, and would probably get quiet the return.

Like, we have 25 million in cap space next season, and we have Horton's 5.2 or whatever we can use with LTIR, there's nothing preventing us from signing JVR, knowing we will likely be trading him.

Can’t imagine as a UFA he’s signing anything without a NTC.

 

[showtime8]

The Leafs are in a very good spot.

As mentioned in the article, they waited for the high picks with Rielly* (not specifically mentioned, but you were just rattling off the last couple of drafts with Hunter) Marner, Nylander & Matthews.

They're at the point where they should be looking for kids down the road that should replace Marleau, Hyman, Brown, etc.

My personal take on this would be to trade back in the first or parlay the pick into an immediate impact defenseman. The Leafs have a bunch of fringe players either looking for a spot to play or not quite ready, but will be soon. The problem is, none of them can play in the top 4 next season. I don't think they can go through another season where they try and get veterans at the end of their careers to play significant minutes and hope that the other players around them find the next level. There's 2 options in my mind: trade the pick for a player or trade back and get another pick. From all of the reports, it seems like there is little separation between the back half of the first round and the start of the 2nd round (and that is usually the case).

Also, I'd like to echo what was said in the article about not focusing on a specific player. It's tough to imagine that everyone watches 40-50 different players and know specifics about each.

 

[Nineteen67]

Good stuff, Daisy

They are about to embark on year three of the rebuild so I would think they would continue to acquire and develop assets.

 

[HernzNation]

Call me crazy, and some of you might, but at least indulge me for a second here. Aside from defensive help, what is the leafs most pressing issue? Well, in my opinion it's toughness. The leafs lack any tangible grit throughout their lineup. Notice how well Tom Wilson complimented Washington's top line. Granted, he actually has talent. The leafs desperately need a player like him in order to take the next step.

Who does that remind you of in this draft? A certain Tkachuk anyone? I think the leafs should seriously look into trading UP for a guy like that especially (and only) if he slides past 8 or 9. I think he's the future answer to our top line's left wing. What do you think?

 

[HC7]

Why is this a post? It's a whole bunch of nothing. I don't see other articles allowed to be posted.

 

[Menzinger]

Call me crazy, and some of you might, but at least indulge me for a second here. Aside from defensive help, what is the leafs most pressing issue? Well, in my opinion it's toughness. The leafs lack any tangible grit throughout their lineup. Notice how well Tom Wilson complimented Washington's top line. Granted, he actually has talent. The leafs desperately need a player like him in order to take the next step.

Who does that remind you of in this draft? A certain Tkachuk anyone? I think the leafs should seriously look into trading UP for a guy like that especially (and only) if he slides past 8 or 9. I think he's the future answer to our top line's left wing. What do you think?

If he’s expected to be taken inside the top 10, the Leafs don’t really have the assets.

Trading up from 25 would take way too many added picks from the Leafs, so you’d probably have to trade a roster player and the ones who have top 10 pick value the Leafs wouldn’t want to give up.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Call me crazy, and some of you might, but at least indulge me for a second here. Aside from defensive help, what is the leafs most pressing issue? Well, in my opinion it's toughness. The leafs lack any tangible grit throughout their lineup. Notice how well Tom Wilson complimented Washington's top line. Granted, he actually has talent. The leafs desperately need a player like him in order to take the next step.

Who does that remind you of in this draft? A certain Tkachuk anyone? I think the leafs should seriously look into trading UP for a guy like that especially (and only) if he slides past 8 or 9. I think he's the future answer to our top line's left wing. What do you think?

While I'd love to have a shit disturber like him, moving up 15 spots or so is going to cost quite a bit. You're looking at multiple picks and a quality player or two. You need to give the other team some serious incentive. There's a pretty significant gap between Tkachuk and someone like Woo or Merkley.

 

[cookie]

I'm thinking the Leafs will trade down ... Just a hunch!

I think it's very likely. If we can infer anything from how different mock draft rankings are from one publication to the next, it's that there's a good chance a team sees their guy at 25 and bites. I mean, it could very well be the Leafs, but if Montreal or the Islanders see a guy they had in the top 10 slip all the way to 25, Dubas should do all he can to maximize the pick value.

As for the article, if we're kissing the 50-contract mark, could we not focus on drafting from the US program? Given how good the National team development program played this year, there's bound to be tons of talented players available.

 

[StevenB]

If I’m the Leafs I just take the BPA. We have prospect depth now, no need to trade down

 

[Mugzy97]

Why is this a post? It's a whole bunch of nothing. I don't see other articles allowed to be posted.

Why is your post a post? It’s a whole bunch of whining. If you don’t like it, don’t read it.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Great piece Daisy

 

[HoweHullOrr]

that's... kinda risky though eh?

You raise a good point. Do we remember what happened with Kessel and the supposed "Kessel sweepstakes"? If JVR gets a big contract (term and $s), I think there could be a limited number of suitors if we were trying to move him down the road.

 

[garyturner3]

Before Mark Hunter left I could've easily seen us move up for Evan Bouchard. We still very well could but unsure. Dubas needs to be careful 3 calendar days a year teams over pay for players..trade deadline, draft and July 1st.

If we take last season into account we know now Marner is the guy we keep out of him and Willie (if we were to trade one). Marner only got better and was great in the playoffs.

Maybe we sign and trade jvr and our 1st to move top 10?

These sort of trades don't happen in the NHL. NBA maybe, but not the NHL.

 

[Daisy Jane]

You raise a good point. Do we remember what happened with Kessel and the supposed "Kessel sweepstakes"? If JVR gets a big contract (term and $s), I think there could be a limited number of suitors if we were trying to move him down the road.

exactly. a lot of people have a lot of ideas that this would fly, but this would mean that
1: JVR would sign a very affordable deal to make this happen to begin with
2: JVR would not have a NTC/NMC that makes it easy to do this
3: Teams would want to give very valuable assets to gain JVR.

 

[-DeMo-]

I'm thinking the Leafs will trade down ... Just a hunch!

Trade Down options

28: NYR --- 2nd rounders: 39th or 48th
29: St. Louis --- 2nd rounder 45th
30: Detriot --- 2nd rounders 33rd and 36th or could get both instead of 30
31: Washington --- 2nd rounders 46th

 

[BertCorbeau]

Trade Down options

28: NYR --- 2nd rounders: 39th or 48th
29: St. Louis --- 2nd rounder 45th
30: Detriot --- 2nd rounders 33rd and 36th or could get both instead of 30
31: Washington --- 2nd rounders 46th

A lot of options which is why I think we'll see it happen.

If there is no trade, I think standing pat and drafting BPA at #25 is more likely than trading up or trading the pick for a roster player (in a package).

I wouldn't say there is a lot of pressure on Dubas to 'win now' so he will probably keep the long term plan up at the draft table, and look to shore up the defense in other ways.

 

[meefer]

Kadri
Rielly
Nylander
Marner (+Dermott?)
Matthews
Lilijgren

A pretty solid and attractive core. This year, if a top D falls in the draft, I can see the Leafs trading up to acquire said D, with a cap reaching up to 15th/16th overall (moving up 10 picks). Of course this is tempered by how the Leafs have interpreted this year's crops development curve.

 

[Critical13]

A lot of options which is why I think we'll see it happen.

If there is no trade, I think standing pat and drafting BPA at #25 is more likely than trading up or trading the pick for a roster player (in a package).

I wouldn't say there is a lot of pressure on Dubas to 'win now' so he will probably keep the long term plan up at the draft table, and look to shore up the defense in other ways.

Trading down doesn't make a lot of sense to me. We've got a lot of prospects in the system, adding another 1st rounder will be nice.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs 'open to anything' at NHL Draft

Looking ahead to the Draft, are you looking to move up or down? What's your philosophy going in?

"I think this is the lowest we've picked in my time with the Leafs. We picked fourth (in 2015), then first, then 17th and now 25th. I think we're open to anything, moving up, moving down. We certainly have the requisite assets to move up. If there is a case to move down, we'll have our conversations with other general managers in the League and get a sense of what they're looking to do and then make our decisions as it comes along."

In terms of draft preparation, how has it gone since Lamoriello and Hunter left?

"I think it's been made seamless by the staff that's here. We have some great area directors and they've made it very, very easy with their professionalism and their interactiveness. At this time, I've talked with everyone on the amateur staff. Things have gone very, very well at the combine here. We have a smaller contingent here than we normally do with the purpose of having better interactions than we may have had in the past with larger groups and narrow our focus on the next couple of weeks. The scouting staff has been great and I've been very appreciative of the work that they've done."

How important is it to find players who actually want to play in the Toronto market, fishbowl that it is?

"I think it's something to be mindful of, but I don't think it's something where we want to eliminate players just because they're from smaller markets or smaller cities. Say, hypothetically, someone is from northern Saskatchewan and they've only played in a small Western League city or town, it's an adjustment coming to Toronto. At the same time, we've had plenty of players from our team now that aren't from cities or towns that carry with them a similar spotlight. I think the onus is on us to make sure the players are prepared for our market. That falls on us as part of the player development department. Things like public relations, how to best handle oneself, how to cope within the city and the marketplace, and what the expectations are on a player off the ice as well in terms of their character, makeup, development, and how we can help them in the way they have to cope in a place like Toronto. Because it is different. It's on us as a program, not the individual player."