Remember how much fun it was when the Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL Draft Lottery in 2016? The same thing needs to happen one decade later.
On April 30, 2016, the Leafs won the NHL Draft Lottery and the Auston Matthews sweepstakes. For years, this organization had been without a number-one centre, but thanks to a lottery, they now had a franchise changing player. For the past 10 years, Matthews has broken multiple team records, has won the Hart Trophy and has been everything you could ever hope for with a first-overall pick.
As we all know, things are not going too great this year, but it doesn't have to be the end of the world. If the Leafs can win the NHL Draft Lottery this year, they don't have to go through a multi-year rebuild, but can instead get back into a good position for 2026-27.
Gavin McKenna is the projected No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft and if the Leafs had the ability to draft him, it would immediately change the future of the franchise. I wouldn't guarantee playoffs next year, but it would help the team get creative.
Winning the NHL Draft Lottery could help spark serious change
If things progress with Easton Cowan, the Leafs could possibly have two top-six forwards on an entry level contract. It's possible that you could stack the first-line with McKenna-Matthews-Cowan, then have Knies-Tavares-Nylander as your second-line, which is pretty electric.
Or, if you wanted to get even more creative, adding McKenna could help the Leafs move on from Nylander and get mutliple forwards or a stud defenseman that they truly need.
If the Leafs traded Nylander, they would be able to clear a ton of cap-space, but more importantly would be able to get another amazing forward, or defenseman which they desperately need. McKenna wouldn't be able to replace all of Nylander's projection in year one, but based on his price-tag and potential, he would be the better option.
Toronto is clearly a mess right now, but McKenna would help fix a ton of their problems, so they need to do whatever it takes to win the Draft Lottery.