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3 Different Scenarios For the Toronto Maple Leafs On Draft Night

By Stephen Nixon

Jun 22, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Rasmus Sandin poses for a photo with team representatives after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Rasmus Sandin poses for a photo with team representatives after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Jun 22, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Rasmus Sandin poses for a photo with team representatives after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs  Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

#3. Make A Selection with the 15th Pick

We’ll start with the most boring result. There’s a ton of rumors that the Leafs will trade the 15th overall selection, but let’s assume they don’t and actually draft in the spot they have.

This year’s NHL Entry Draft is stacked with prospects, so a 15th overall pick in this draft could very well be similar to a top-10 selection any other year. That means that it would be very smart of the Leafs to keep this pick and draft accordingly.

As I mentioned before, if the team keeps this pick and makes a selection, don’t expect them to select a right-handed defenseman. The team needs to draft the best player available and not necessarily on need. If the Leafs followed Bob McKenzie’s final draft rankings, they would be getting Hendrix Lapierre with the 15th overall pick. Obviously those rankings don’t mean anything as every team has a different ranking system, but Lapierre would be a great selection.

Lapierre was injured during the 2019-20 season, so if this draft took place in June, he may have been a question-mark. However, now that’s he’s completely healthy, it’s possible that he may not even be on the board at 15 anymore. However, if he is, the Leafs should consider drafting the 6-foot centre from Gatineau, Quebec. His puck-carrying skills and speed are some of his best features, which would look great on this Leafs roster.

Two other players that the Leafs could grab with their 15th overall selection are Braden Schneider or Ridly Greig. Although I mentioned the Leafs shouldn’t draft on need, Schneider would be a tough player to pass up. According to TSN’s Craig Button, he’s a “fiercely competitive, in-your-face player with a take-no-prisoners approach. He is a player opponents will have no joy facing. Has progressed significantly over three seasons in all areas.”

Greig on the other hand is a two-way centre that can play on the edge. Drawing comparisons to Brayden Schenn and Nazem Kadri, Greig has the potential of becoming a second-line/third-line two-way centre.

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