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Toronto Maple Leafs: Life Of A Pipe Dream

By John |

Toronto Maple Leafs fans know what it’s like to dream. Let’s not stop now.

With the draft and free agency coming up June 24/25 and July 1, respectively, expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs are high. As per usual, every single decent free agent, and every single decent RFA has been tied to the Toronto Maple Leafs as a possible fit.  The truth is we cannot get them all, but what we can do is play out a perfect scenario for these next two weeks. Here is my attempt at just that.

Scene 1

Fade in…

It is day one of the Draft and Mark Hunter, Lou Lamoriello, and Mike Babcock are all lined up at the podium waiting for Auston Matthews to walk up to the podium to give him his new Leafs Jersey.

Scene 2

The draft continues from the Jets picking Laine all the way to San Jose making the 29th overall pick. But conspicuously Alex Debrincat has yet to be taken, with his 5 foot 7 frame scaring off all other first round selections. The Leafs take the two-time 50+ goal scorer being one of the best goal scoring talents in the draft.

Scene 3

One day later…

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TSN won’t stop talking about how the Toronto Maple Leafs just won round one of the draft, picking a Toews-like two way franchise center, and a two-time 51 goal scorer who’s only negative is his size. Something the Maple Leafs care very little about. The skill of DeBrincat is undeniable and top-end.

With the first pick in the second round, Mark Hunter is on stage alone announcing their first defensive selection of the draft, Dennis Cholowiski. Leaf fans in attendance are a little quiet, unsure of who Cholowiski is but they cheer and the Sabres fans boo. The left shooting 6 foot, 175lb defenseman is not out of place at 31st overall. TSN analysts approve of the pick, pointing out the lack of depth on the Leafs blueline but can’t help themselves by pointing out they didn’t select London Knights, G, Tyler Parsons.

Scene 4

At pick 57, three goalies including Filip Gustavson, Evan Fitzpatrick, and Carter Hart have been taken. The Maple Leafs in need of drafting a goaltender, select Mark Hunters, London Knights, goalie Tyler Parsons. The draft is starting to look like a home run for Mark Hunter and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Scene 5

At 61st overall, the beginning of round three the Maple Leafs select former exceptional status recipient, and 6 foot 2 inch, 230lb defenseman, Sean Day.  The criticism for Day has been loud ever since his expectations of being granted exceptional level status into the CHL proved to be far too much for Sean.

Being ranked 51 of N.A. skaters in the NHL central scouting and #59 by McKeen’s hockey draft guide, Sean has the size and ability to be a solid defender in the NHL. His size is something the Leafs do not have much of and his talent is there. The biggest thing Sean Day suffers from is the Pylon-Dion Disease, where his contract made him look terrible.

If put in the right position, he can be a good defenseman. Sean Day is the same, where his terrible contract was the CHL granting him exceptional player status and likening him to Ekblad, Tavares, and Mcdavid. Phanuef is not a top defender, and neither is Day, but both viewed outside of their respective white elephants, they can be a good addition to any team.

Scene 6

Da na na! Da na na!

Sportscenter analysts go nuts when they hear breaking news that the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. James Duthie calls the trade…

To TML: Frederick Andersen, Hampus Lindholm, and a 2018 6th round pick.

To AD: James Van Reimsdyk, Jonathan Bernier, Stuart Percy, and the Maple Leafs second round pick in 2017.

The Toronto Maple Leafs pick up a young defender that can play in their top four for the next decade. The Ducks pick up the “high quality left winger” that their GM Bob Murray admitted that they are looking for. With The Ducks having an internal cap, and signing Sami Vatanen to 4 years this week at almost $5M per, they would be hard pressed to afford to sign RFA Lindholm and JVR’s two more years at $4.25M is a number that would fit perfectly into their budget in their win-now mentality. It’s a win-win.

Scene 7

The draft is over, and in rounds 3 – 7 the Toronto Maple Leafs trade a pick in the 5th round for two picks in next years draft in rounds 5 and 6. The fill out the rest of their draft with a few European skaters, and another goalie in the seventh round.

Scene 8

June 30th comes around, it’s 11:59pm. We see the clock turn to midnight, and immediately deals start flowing in. By 12:07AM, it is announced that the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Steven Stamkos to 7 years AAV $9.1M and that he will wear number 91 and is expected to wear the “C” come training camp. This gives Auston Matthews the shield and shade that he needs to be able to play his own game and learn at his own pace. All of a sudden…Playoffs? PLAYOFFS??!!! Are we talking about PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!?

Next: TML: Drafting Draft Ideas

Now, of course this is a pipe dream, but we are Toronto Maple Leafs fans, we have gotten very good at dreaming. Let’s just hope that at least some of what I just described above happens so we can stop dreaming and start living in reality sooner than later.

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