Well, Leafs Nation, the day has finally come. 10 years after the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Auston Matthews first overall, they head into the draft with the first overall pick again, and all signs point to them calling Gavin McKenna's name in Buffalo.
That in itself has the fan base fired up. After how the season went and the Mitch Marner departure as well as his playoff success with the Vegas Golden Knights. This was the break that just about every member of the fan base needed. Now, they are counting the hours until the draft starts and he becomes an official member of the organization.
However, before that, it's a good time to look over what the Maple Leafs have in their draft cupboards ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. So, let's look over the Maple Leafs' 2026 Draft Guide.
Maple Leafs' Draft Picks
First, the draft picks that the Maple Leafs actually own. Surprisingly, there are more than most would expect. They have seven in their contract at this time, but with how crazy the trade market has been, there is a good chance that they could have more by the end of the draft.
Here's how their draft pick breakdown looks:
- Round 1, Pick #1
- Round 2, Pick #2
- Round 3, Pick #3
- Round 3, Pick #85
- Round 4, Pick #114
- Round 5, Pick #158
- Round 6, Pick #169
Obviously, all signs point to McKenna at No. 1. There are reports that suggest the Maple Leafs are trying to see about acquiring the second overall pick from the San Jose Sharks. There have also been reports that suggest the Maple Leafs are looking to try and move into the top 10, wherever they can, even after No. 1.
However, until that comes to fruition, if it does. They do have a second round pick that could turn out to be an impactful player. Most fans will remember Matthew Knies, who has been in a ton of trade rumours over the last few days, was selected in the second round by the Maple Leafs with the No. 57 pick.
Prospects to watch for at pick No. 60
So, with the 60th pick, they will likely be looking for something similar to what they got for Knies. A player who has fallen out of the first round. There are a few names that could be of interest to John Chayka and the Maple Leafs' front office.
- Adam Nemec – F - Sudbury
- Dmitri Borichev - G - Loko-76 Yaroslavl
- Giorgos Pantelas - RD - Brandon
- Jonas Lagerberg Hoen - W - Leksands IF
- Adam Andersson - C - Leksands IF
- Rudolfs Berzkalns - C - Muskegon
- Alexander Bilecki - LD - Kitchener
The common trend with most of these players is they are similar builds to what Knies is. Two names that would be great additions for the Maple Leafs would be Andersson and Berzkalns, who are both 6-foot-4, 200+ pounds, and play center. Outside of that, Nemec is an interesting name, as is Pantelas, who is a right-handed shooting defensemen.
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