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Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Things to Expect at the Draft

By James Tanner

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 30: James van Riemsdyk #25 (l) of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores at 2:01 of the third period against the New York Islanders and is joined by Tyler Bozak #42 (r) at the Barclays Center on March 30, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 30: James van Riemsdyk #25 (l) of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores at 2:01 of the third period against the New York Islanders and is joined by Tyler Bozak #42 (r) at the Barclays Center on March 30, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the 25th pick in the draft.

The NHL’s annual Entry Draft is being held next Friday/Saturday in Dallas.  As of now the Toronto Maple Leafs have picks in the first, second (San Jose), third (San Jose), fourth, fifth rounds.  They also have two seventh round picks (Anaheim).

Here are three things you can expect the Leafs to do at the draft.

Now keep in mind that these are just wild guesses. We’re just having fun here.

 1. Trade their #25 pick. 

The Leafs are a team that relies heavily on analytics.  SInce we know that to be true, we know that that they are aware that players tend to have their peak season somewhere between their third and fifth year.

Additionally, we know that they know that they will never have a better shot at a cup than next year when they will have two of the NHL’s best players on contracts that do not have significant salary cap hits.  Because of the relative cheapness of Matthews and Marner, the Leafs are forced to attempt to win it all next year.

They won’t go ‘all-in’ but you can expect that they will almost certainly trade this draft pick as part of a package to improve in the present.

     2.  Trade for Jakob Silfverberg

There are no rumours out there that I know of about this, but it just makes too much sense not to happen.  The Anaheim Ducks are an aging team that would probably like to stock up on some draft picks.  The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a win-now situation.

The player in question, Jakob Silverberg happens to be one the best defensive wingers in the NHL – the very thing the Leafs are weak at.  He makes under a $4 million cap-hit and is a pending UFA.  Just the kind of player the Leafs would want to acquire, since they have tons of cap room this year, but won’t have so much next season.

  3. Announce that they have Re-Signed James van Riemsdyk

The Toronto Maple Leafs – as I might have mentioned once or twice – need to go for it next year.   Losing your best goal scorer and a member of one of the best powerplays of all-time isn’t going to help with that.

Everyone expects that JVR will be moving on, but why would he want to? He’s been on the Leafs for years, is one of their longest serving players and is only a few more seasons of excellence away from being an all-time great franchise player.

Additionally, why would he want to move on when the team is about to be great? When they’re about to win it all?  Why would he want to go be a bit player on another team when he can be a key player on the team he helped build? He’s already a millionaire.

So look for one of two things to happen: the Leafs sign him for a big one year contract for way more than he’d get anywhere else.  This will allow him to be part of the 2019 Stanley Cup Champs and set him up for  big pay day later.  Or, the Leafs sign him to a long term deal with a bit of a hometown discount.

Next: Top Ten Prospects Part 1

I know everyone expects JVR to be gone, but I just can’t see the Leafs losing such a great player for nothing.

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