Toronto Maple Leafs and Trading Down in the NHL Entry Draft

During the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs were without a general manager, so it was headed up by Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter.

Toronto Maple Leafs fans got their first taste of the popular trade down moves that Dubas was inclined to in the years to come.

The trade down.

The organization had acquired what turned out to be the 24th overall pick in the draft from the Nashville Predators in a trade that sent Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli.

Toronto Maple Leafs piling up picks for the draft

Instead of using the pick to select a player, Dubas traded it to the Philadelphia Flyers for Pick #29 and Pick #61.

Prior using the top pick in that trade, the future general manager of the Maple Leafs traded down again and obtained Pick #34 and Pick #68.  So, in essence, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved Pick #24 for Picks #34, #61 and #68.

But how did those players pan out? Was it the right move?

Pick #34 was used to select Travis Dermott who was a flashy and shifty skating defenseman that would dress in 251 games for the Maple Leafs collecting 12 goals and 52-points.

He would also get into 22 playoff games for the club, but unfortunately will always be remembered for his unforced turnover in overtime during Game 6 of the 2021 playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.  The loss would force Game 7, which the Maple Leafs would ultimately lose.

Dermott was always thought of to be a future second pairing defenseman, but could never grab a hold of the spot.  Despite his struggles, being a #6-7 defenseman on the team and his giveaway in the playoffs, Dubas handed him a two-year deal worth $1.5 Million per season that off-season.

However, 43 games into his new contract and unable to stabilized himself in the line-up, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a third-round pick.  Ironically, Dubas would use that pick to trade down in the 2022 draft to acquire two other selections.

Dermott has fought injuries the last couple seasons in Vancouver and most recently signed on with the Arizona Coyotes this past week.

With Pick #61, the Maple Leafs drafted what they thought was as similar player to their fourth overall selection that draft Mitch Marner, in Jeremy Bracco.  The 5’8” winger would play three seasons for the Toronto Marlies and recorded 145 points in 169 games, however after not getting an opportunity with the big club, Bracco went over to Europe at 23-years old and has remained there since 2020.

With their final selection, the Maple Leafs drafted Martins Dzierkals from the Russian Junior League and he immediately came over to play in the QMJHL.  Playing for Rouyn-Noranda, Dzierkals, he averaged more than a point per game and after two seasons, turned pro, but would only play two games for the Toronto Marlies, before heading back to Russia.  The tiny winger is currently playing the Czech league.

Who did the Philadelphia Flyers select with the #24 pick?  The answer is Travis Konecny.

The hardnosed winger has built himself a fine career in Philadelphia and has amassed 332 points in 488 games, including his first 30-goal season in 2022-23 after having three previous 24-goal seasons.  He currently has two more years on his cap hit of $5.5 Million per season.

The trade breaks down to the Maple Leafs having 251 regular season games of Dermott as well as current prospects Nick Moldenhauer and Nikita Grebenkin for Konecny.

It didn’t exactly work out that great so far, but Moldenhauer is a good prospect, and who knows what could happen in the future?  Konecny turned out to be a way better player than you could ever reaosnably hope to get in that spot, so while his career makes the trade look bad, the thought process behind it was smart.