23 Options for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft - Cole Hutson

The Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 23rd in this year's NHL Entry Draft.

Because the Toronto Maple Leafs are picking 23rd, we thought it would be a fun idea to profile 23 potential draft picks they could make in that spot leading up to the draft.

Toronto has already gotten in a head start in taking the brothers of their rival Canadiens stars. Cole Caufield's brother, Brock, was a member of the Leafs ECHL affiliate, the Newfoundland Growlers, before the team was folded, later playing for the AHL Toronto Marlies.

The Leafs have also invited the brother of top prospect Lane Hutson, Quinn, to development camp.

You probably shouldn't acquire players because it's funny to do so, but in the case of Cole Hutson, it's a very fair pick to make for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His strong offensive game could see a similar rise to what made brother Lane one of the top prospects in Hockey. Here's why.

INTRODUCTION

Cole Hutson is an American left-handed defenseman. Hutson, like his older brother Lane, a second round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2022, Hutson played for the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP), being a hig-scoring offensive defenseman for the Americans.

Cole had 15 goals, 36 assists & 51 points in 51 games for the NTDP this season. In the same draft year, Lane had 10 gols, 53 assists & 63 points in 60 games. Internationally, Hutson led all defenseman in points at the WJC-U18 for the silver medal winning Americans, netting 4 goals and 13 points in 7 games, a tournament record. Hutson also had the record for draft -1 eligibles with a goal and 12 points last time at the U18's.

Cole is ranked mostly favorable by scouts, ranked 23rd by TSN's Craig Button. 41st by Bob McKenzie, (Lane ranked 40th in 2022) 60th by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, 34th by The Athletic's Scott Wheeler, and 52nd by DobberProspects.

Hutson is consistently producing offense, he's bigger (5'10) than Lane at the same age (5'8 at the draft), and he has better offensive stats than Hutson with the NTDP.

Cole - 112GP 25G 94A 119P Lane - 109GP 15G 75A 90P 0.83PPG

So why isn't Cole a surefire first round pick if Lane has proven he's such a dynamic player, and Cole is taller, more physical and a better point producer?

SCOUTING ANALYSIS

Cole Hutson does a lot of what made his brother Lane such an interesting player.

He's a mobile, offensively pressing defenseman who excels at finding ways to produce by himself, and have good deceptiveness in their skating and puck movement.

Both were strong playmakers who did well creating in transition and pushing the game forward. Cole is a bit more physical at the same age, but has two inches on his older brother.

Like Lane, the two aren't the most physically challenging defenders. Cole benefited from playing alongside EJ Emery, one of the draft's best defensive defensemen, playing to Hutson's strength of playing upwards almost as a 4th forward.

He's a creative player who makes a lot of flashy and accurate passes that set up a lot of good chances for his teammates. He could be a top-four NHL defenseman, but he could also use an Emery to cover him on defense when needed. Hutson also has the quick skating to get back into position relatively quickly, and he's solid as a defender.

What seperates Lane from Cole is Lane's exceptional skating and explosiveness with the puck. Cole is good at those areas, he's not Lane. It's a little revisionist to argue that Lane was the better prospect at the same age, because many scouts were fairly uncertain about the size. Cole had Lane to back up that this sort of archetype can grow and still be a top prospect, Lane didn't get that luxury of having a Lane before him.

For what it's worth, I had Lane ranked 35th back in 2022, and Cole will probably be just a tad lower when I finish my 2024 rankings, somewhere in the late 30's to early 40's.

I want to say Cole is his own player, he's not just his brother, but he sort of is, in a good way. It's still not a certainty Lane is an NHLer, and Cole by extension, but the upside has proven it's there in both of them. At his best, Cole could be a top defenseman, and a leader on the power play.

Toronto Maple Leafs Likeliness

He's probably more likely to be drafted by the Leafs if they trade a bit down from 23, such as in 2022 when Toronto traded 25 to 38 in the Mrazek draft deal that ended in the Leafs taking Fraser Minten.

23rd feels a little rich, especially since he's not as explosiveness or dominating as Lane was. Hutson is a good player, but he feels squarely like a second rounder.

Maybe if the Leafs went a bit deeper and that pick was closer to the second it'd be fine, but there will likely be better options.

In terms of likeliness the front office and scouting team likes him. The Leafs don't really draft smaller defenseman.

The last defender under 6ft drafted by Toronto was John Fusco in the 7th round of the 2020 draft. They may draft small at times at forward, almost never on the blueline.

Every player this season who played on D for the Leafs was over 6'0. They don't go small, so in the case of Hutson, they'd really have to like him. In the first round, I'm not so sure, but he's talented and it doesn't seem entirely out of the realm of possibility he goes round one, but more likely it's another team later on that pulls the trigger rather than Toronto.

Montreal does have a second pick after Toronto at 26th overall. LHD isn't a big need for the Canadiens but you do have to wonder.

If he's drafted, he's off to Boston University, where Hutson developed further into a superstar. If you look at Lane and see the positive steps he took, it's not a crazy thought to hope for the same in Cole. Don't see him at the top of Toronto's list, but i'd imagine there's a slim possibility.