Since Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas took over in May of 2018, the Leafs have done quite well at the draft table.
The years were Dale Hunter was running the Toronto Maple Leafs draft table were pathetic, yielding almost nothing outside of the high-end slam-dunks.
Dubas not only had to contend with a near-empty cupboard when he took over, but the team’s competitive status ensured he’d only have mid-to-low first round picks at his disposal.
Although only having first round picks in 2018 and 2020, Dubas has been able to find gems in later rounds. This year, more than many others, seems to be the year where this fact is finally starting to reveal itself to the hockey world. Despite only having drafted one regular in the Leafs lineup, the early returns are great from just about every draft.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may lack big-name prospects at this point, so their system isn’t known to be great, but draft experts like Byron Bader are very high on their prospects compared to other teams. Time will tell, but the Leafs, under Dubas, appear to be excellent at drafting.