Grading the Three Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 NHL Draft Picks
By Jeff Borsuk
Ty Voit
The Toronto Maple Leafs used their second pick to take fifth-rounder Ty Voit. Unlike with Knies, the Leafs didn’t get to see the player in action this season. That’s because the OHL didn’t operate this year due to COVID-19. To make this pick, Dubas had to have faith in what his scouts saw in Voit’s rookie season.
It’s a gamble for Toronto but not a big one. According to Hockey Prospect’s Black Book, there is a lot to like about Voit, primarily, his playmaking. He has demonstrated excellent vision while playing for the Western Conference last-place team, Sarnia Sting. This stood out to scouts as Voit would make difficult passes look easy.
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The 5’9, 161-pound right-winger knows that he is never going to be the largest player on the ice and it appears as though he wears that as a badge of pride. He isn’t afraid to throw his body around and will compete hard on every shift.
Just like with Knies, there is still significant development needed until Voit is ready to compete for an NHL job. However, considering that it’s already a long shot for a fifth-round pick to make it to the NHL, the Leafs can take a hands-on approach and try to groom Voit to clean up his game and add some muscle. They can be patient because the expectations are lower.
The best part of this pick is that there is a path to the NHL for Voit. He is someone who can be trusted in all situations and will likely be a coach favourite playing in the Leafs system. Voit should get his opportunities and with a stronger club, may even excel.
Draft Grade: B+