The Toronto Maple Leafs have just three days between now and Friday's NHL Entry Draft.
After the draft, which concludes Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs (and the rest of the NHL) will turn around and immidietly face free-agency, which opens up the following Monday.
Besides the draft and free-agency, game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is tonight. Therefore, you can expect a pretty exciting week in the NHL word over the next
Because the Leafs free-agency and draft plans are going to be contingent on certain factors, and based on the fact that they did try to add a goalie via trade last week, as predicted, there are some things they are going to have to do before Friday.
3 Things the Toronto Maple Leafs Will Do Leading up to the Draft
1. Trade for a goalie.
I don't see how the Leafs can do anything until they know who their goalie is. I have identified their top four targets and would assume one of them is a Leafs player by Friday.
It can't be overstated how badly they need a top goalie, especially considering that Joseph Woll was injured for game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
2. Mitch Marner
The Leafs can't go into the season with the Mitch Marner thing hanging over their head, but they also can't do what they need to do in free-agency and at the draft with such a huge issue left unsettled.
The Leafs simply can't leave this hanging all summer, so if they are going to trade Marner I would expect them to do it before the draft. If they aren't going to do that, I would expect that they announce they plan on signing him as soon as he's eligble for an extentsion, which is next Monday.
3. Move up in the Draft
If the Leafs don't use their 23rd pick to get a goalie, I expect that they will try to move up in the draft with the hopes of getting one of the many potentially great defenseman available this year. 2024 is supposed to be a great draft, and there are so many good defensemen, especially Anton Silayev, who is a 6'7 potential Zdeno Chara.
I don't know what the Leafs will ultimately do, I can only make predictions. However, based on the team's needs and current competitive situation, I think these three things need to be taken care of this week.