Barring a trade, the Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 23rd tonight in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded their own pick, but secured a pick from Boston, via Washington (for Rasmus Sandin) which was the 28th pick and which they used to select Easton Cowan.
Cowan was an unpopular selection at the time but a year later is by far the top prospect in the organization after an amazing final season in the OHL where he won basically everything there was to win.
The Leafs will be happy if they come out of this draft with half of what they did last year.
Draft Insight
For insight into the draft, I highly recommend checking out the work of Austin Kelly, our resident draft expert.
Leading up to the draft he wrote several profiles about potential Leafs picks, all of which are incredibly in-depth and worth your time.
He also wrote this incredible final piece summing up the Leafs thoughts and potential picks ahead of tonight's draft.
I myself put together our sit's Mock Draft, so don't blame Austin for that! It's my first attempt at such a thing, and while I don't know all the prospects like Austin does, it was fun to research and learn about them ahead of time. It will be interested to see how many guess I get right!
Toronto Maple Leafs Draft Tracker: Picks, Trades and Rumours
Entering the draft, the Leafs have a major need at goalie and on the blue-line. Their blue-line is basically just Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe at this point.
They may or may not re-sign Timothy Liljegren, and the definitely will need to promote Topi Niemela, and will do everything in their power to push Simon Benoit to being the #7 where he belongs.
That means they need a bare minimum of 2 defenseman, but likely more. They are heavily rumoued to be interested in Tanev but that seems like a mistake waiting to happen.
A Tanev/McCabe/Reilly/Liljegren is expensive and hardly inspires confidence.
In net they've been constantly thwarted. Jacob Markstrom was traded to New Jersey despite the Leafs offering up a likely better package. (Honestly, this stuff is so petty and embarrassing for Flames GM Craig Conroy who appears to be a major down grade on Brad Treliving).
To recap: The Leafs have the 23rd pick, though they've already tried to trade it. They need a goalie and about three defenseman.
Action
- The Leafs are rumoured to still be negotiating with Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. Both are expected to hit free-agency but there are rumours one or both will take a cheap deal to come back.
- Timothy Liljegren is maybe in play because supposedly the Leafs are concerned about his arbitration award. Best to just lock him up long-term with a cheapish cap hit.
The Leafs have the 23rd pick, then they have no picks until the 4th round. They have 3 x 5th round picks and 2 x 7th round picks.
Trade: The Leafs traded their 23rd pick to the Anaheim Ducks for the 31st and 58th picks.
Draft: At 31st overall the Leafs take defenseman Ben Danford.
Trade: The Leafs traded their second-round pick to Florida for a second-round pick next year and a 7th round pick this year. Not a bad bit of business to turn the 23rd pick into the 31st pick + a 2nd and a 7th.
Draft: Round 4 120th overall the Leafs draft Victor Johansson
Draft: Round 5 151st overall Miroslav Holinka
Draft: Round 5 152nd overall Alexander Plesovskikh
Draft: Round 5 157th overall Timofei Obvintsev
Draft: Round 7 200th overall Matthew Lahey
Trade: At the end of the draft the Leafs sent the Dallas Stats a 7th round pick and Max Ellis.
Let's see what happens, I'll be updating as things happen.