Toronto Maple Leafs Hold the 15th Overall Pick Tonight

The Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 15th overall  tonight at the NHL Entry Draft.

That is, assuming they keep the pick and add a prospect to their soon to be thinning pool of future NHL talent.  With Rasmus Sandin, Nick Robertson and Timothy Liljegren all likely to become NHL players in the very near future, the Leafs top three prospects will be graduating and leaving behind a mysterious collection of high-ceilinged lottery tickets.

After graduation, the Leafs best combination of ceiling and readiness for the Show is probably the recently acquired Fillip Hallander.  Hallander has the make up of a gritty player who can score a bit, and projects as a decent bet to become a middle of the lineup NHL player.   But he’s the surest bet left after the three top prospects all become NHL players.

So while many people, including myself, have speculated on the many good reasons for the Leafs to trade their pick, the most likely scenario probably sees them line up a few options before hand and then retain flexibility until its almost their turn to pick.

Toronto Maple Leafs and the NHL Entry Draft

For instance, you have to imagine that there are a few players that, should they be passed over and start to drop, it would make sense to move up and select.  Maybe they want to trade the pick, but have a list of players they will draft if they make it to 15.   Perhaps once their turn comes, it makes sense to drop back because the guy they like is ranked lower.

Options are the best in this kind of situation, so unless a fantastic opportunity comes along in the next few hours, I would expect the Leafs to still have their pick when the draft starts tonight.

Its said to be a deep draft, and the Leafs have shown to be both crafty and creative, so nothing is off the table at this point.

Well not everything.  The Leafs signed Spezza, and I think that was an excellent move.  They also apparently tried to sign Clifford, and were willing to eat the one round of picks it would have cost (moving from giving up a 3rd to a 2nd) but obviously Clifford wants to test free-agency, because the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t overpay for fourth liners. (Which other teams will).

There was also a Radko Gudas rumour I saw, although I was not able to ascertain its credibility.  Regardless of if the person reporting this actually knows anything for sure, Gudas is obviously a player the Leafs would want – at the right price.

He’s declined from his peak, but he certainly makes the team harder to play against.  As bottom pairing player at around the league minimum, he’d be an ideal aquiristion.  At the $4 million he probably wants, its an easy pass.