"Gavin McKenna is the project first overall pick, but is it possible that management trades this pick instead? McKenna is a stud, scoring 121 points in his last year of junior hockey and leading his Penn State team in scoring, despite being the youngest player on the team."
"There's probably a five percent chance that the Leafs would ever trade the pick, but let's talk it through. By holding that first-overall draft slot, there are 31 other teams who would love to get their shot at McKenna."
"Toronto could gain an extra first-rounder, still draft an unreal player like Ivar Stenberg and then gain a young centreman. All at the same time, Toronto could finally offload Nylander's contract, so they're re-tooling while staying relevant at the same time."
"By doing that, they've all of a sudden added a first-line winger who's making league minimum."
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL Draft Lottery, granting them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. This victory follows a disappointing season, allowing the team to avoid giving a potential sixth-overall pick to the Boston Bruins. Gavin McKenna is projected as the top pick, but his size raises questions about fit. The Leafs could consider trading the pick for additional assets, potentially offloading William Nylander's contract while still drafting a top player. Keeping the pick would allow them to add a first-line winger at a low cost.
Read at Editor In Leaf
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]