Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: Do Cup Contenders Trade Draft Picks at Deadline?

By Mike Jack

Toronto Maple Leafs (Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports)
Toronto Maple Leafs (Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next
SUNRISE, FL – JUNE 26: Mitchell Marner poses after being selected fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL – JUNE 26: Mitchell Marner poses after being selected fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few decisions to make ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on March 21st.  Some of those decisions will involve whether or not they will trade draft picks including their 2022 first round pick to bolster their playoff roster.

During the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs decided to part ways with a number of draft picks including their 2021 first round draft pick which they used to acquire Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets.  In total, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded away six draft picks around last season’s deadline in an effort to increase their chances of winning a Stanley Cup.

After an unfortunate early exit during the first round of the playoffs, many Leafs fans are questioning the team for their choice to trade away potential pieces of their future in an attempt to win now.

The Toronto Maple Leafs look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender this season, and up until last season, they hadn’t looked like contenders for a long time.  Since I’m not used to seeing the Toronto Maple Leafs as true contenders, I find myself asking “What do contenders do?”

Do Cup Contenders Keep Their Draft Picks?  Should the Toronto Maple Leafs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs still have their first round, second round and seventh round draft picks for 2022 and all their 2023 draft picks except for their seventh rounder.  Should they try to trade them for players to help them win now or keep them to build for the future?

Let’s examine what other Stanley Cup contenders are doing with their draft pick:

Home/Analysis