Confirmed with Link: LEAFS WIN #1 PICK IN 2026 NHL DRAFT

[ZEBROA]

One would hope a GM and scouting team would have the courage to go with their BPA whether that's McKenna, Stenberg, Reid, or whomever and not be concerned about any public fallout over going against consensus.

Maby we should just fire the scouting team, hire a survey team and let the fans decide.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

I know we'll pick McKenna and am excited. I also think San Jose will get hell of a player in Stennberg too, credit where credit is due IMO.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

There's a lot of insecure people in this fanbase, I'll just leave it at that.

This line of a logic is baffling to me. One would hope a GM and scouting team would have the courage to go with their BPA whether that's McKenna, Stenberg, Reid, or whomever and not be concerned about any public fallout over going against consensus.

Everyone has people to answer to. Even the GM of the Leafs.

 

[BoBfromAulon]

I know we'll pick McKenna and am excited. I also think San Jose will get hell of a player in Stennberg too, credit where credit is due IMO.

SJ traded Eklund to make room for Stenberg. What does that tell you ? He is a good player, he will compliment a good C. He is a better version of Eklund but not 1st overall player.

Btw, everyone is ''jealous'' of SJ, but i feel like their GM is stuck in collecting assests but doing nothing with them. Macklin is hiding a LOT of their flaws

 

[Peasy]

So Sharks taking Stenberg at 2. Hawsk trade 4th overall to get a D man.

I think that is all you need to know how teams view the Cs and Ds in this draft.

And also why I find it funny some of these publications are shoehorning a C at number 1.

 

[Buckley]

SJ traded Eklund to make room for Stenberg. What does that tell you ? He is a good player, he will compliment a good C. He is a better version of Eklund but not 1st overall player.

Btw, everyone is ''jealous'' of SJ, but i feel like their GM is stuck in collecting assests but doing nothing with them. Macklin is hiding a LOT of their flaws

The problem for San Jose will ultimately be money, because they won't spend.

 

[Fogelhund]

 

[Twine Tickler]

Just watched Gavin McKenna's sit down interview with Colby Armstrong just affirms everything we need to know with this kid. Seems like an extremely mature kid. He carries himself with a very clear confidence and swagger, but it doesn't feel cocky. He was also asked about the potential possibility of playing in a pressure cooker market like Toronto, and ha said "I think this past year has prepared me for what's coming" before adding "with potentially playing there". Seems like a bit of a freudian slip to me. I think it is very clear that he was told he is going to be selected by us long in advance of the draft. Which I think 100% is the right move, and I have spoke to this in the past on here. Showing your commitment to the player well in advance of the draft is the best way to instill trust and confidence in the player you are selecting. Make the kid understand right away, that there is no one else we want.

On another note, you can see Gavin's face light up at just the thought of playing in Toronto.

This is an absolute dream.

 

[francis246]

Sitting in the Roger’s seats? Lol

Rogers is an NHL sponsor as well?

 

[sd1976]

Rogers is an NHL sponsor as well?

They own the stadium lol

 

[Leafsfan74]

Just watched Gavin McKenna's sit down interview with Colby Armstrong just affirms everything we need to know with this kid. Seems like an extremely mature kid. He carries himself with a very clear confidence and swagger, but it doesn't feel cocky. He was also asked about the potential possibility of playing in a pressure cooker market like Toronto, and ha said "I think this past year has prepared me for what's coming" before adding "with potentially playing there". Seems like a bit of a freudian slip to me. I think it is very clear that he was told he is going to be selected by us long in advance of the draft. Which I think 100% is the right move, and I have spoke to this in the past on here. Showing your commitment to the player well in advance of the draft is the best way to instill trust and confidence in the player you are selecting. Make the kid understand right away, that there is no one else we want.

On another note, you can see Gavin's face light up at just the thought of playing in Toronto.

This is an absolute dream.

I think the Leafs did the right thing and let him know so he can prepare mentally (especially) and physically. He can envision playing with star snipers.

The kid seems like he has the confidence needed. All these young players seem to have it and Matthews will be a major benefactor of his playmaking,

For me it is about listening to him and seeing his actions on the ice. He wants to do well and he kept challenging himself before the NHL. I think some may even be underestimating what he will ultimately bring as he becomes a bone fide NHLer.

If the team looks at Cowan, McKenna, Knies, Danford in the near future with the mix of Nylander/Matthews and JT still being effective, and now you throw Raddysh and whoever else they pick up, this team is not going to be a slouch in the coming year.

It all comes down to managements understanding of the type of player they need, not just running the data in some A.I algorithm.

 

[ITM]

So Sharks taking Stenberg at 2. Hawsk trade 4th overall to get a D man.

I think that is all you need to know how teams view the Cs and Ds in this draft.

And also why I find it funny some of these publications are shoehorning a C at number 1.

Someone posted a scenario of Reid at 2 and either Bjorck or at 9…which isn’t bad either and addresses need. I think it’s Stenberg. But…

If it is that coveted RHD Reid at 2, and Malhotra goes three, then holy moly…Stenberg at 4…to Buffalo? Makes me wonder if Jarmo knows something…apart from recovering from the shock of 4,45 and Crevier for Byram, lol

 

[Stephen]

There's a lot of insecure people in this fanbase, I'll just leave it at that.

This line of a logic is baffling to me. One would hope a GM and scouting team would have the courage to go with their BPA whether that's McKenna, Stenberg, Reid, or whomever and not be concerned about any public fallout over going against consensus.

You might be creating a false scenario where the Toronto Maple Leafs have a contrarian view to let’s say the “majority” of the scouting community (let’s avoid consensus to get people riled up into definition debates), or they have a scouting department that’s completely torn up over Stenberg or Reid being better.

Sometimes the right thing is the obvious thing and this appears to be it.

 

[TMLegend]

You might be creating a false scenario where the Toronto Maple Leafs have a contrarian view to let’s say the “majority” of the scouting community (let’s avoid consensus to get people riled up into definition debates), or they have a scouting department that’s completely torn up over Stenberg or Reid being better.

Sometimes the right thing is the obvious thing and this appears to be it.

Not sure where you got that from my post. Especially by all accounts that they're picking McKenna anyway.

 

[Tak7]

SJ traded Eklund to make room for Stenberg. What does that tell you ? He is a good player, he will compliment a good C. He is a better version of Eklund but not 1st overall player.

Btw, everyone is ''jealous'' of SJ, but i feel like their GM is stuck in collecting assests but doing nothing with them. Macklin is hiding a LOT of their flaws

I'd take the Sharks current roster, prospects, cap, and draft pick situation over ours immediately.

That "jealousy" comes from the fact that they are so well positioned to be a strong team for years to come if they finesse this right. I don't for a second think the Leafs have the same projection.

 

[Buckley]

I'd take the Sharks current roster, prospects, cap, and draft pick situation over ours immediately.

That "jealousy" comes from the fact that they are so well positioned to be a strong team for years to come if they finesse this right. I don't for a second think the Leafs have the same projection.

Unfortunately for Sharks fans, I think they are going to find that their roster is ultimately submarined by the fact that the team won't commit to spending what is necessary to win.

 

[Peasy]

I'd take the Sharks current roster, prospects, cap, and draft pick situation over ours immediately.

That "jealousy" comes from the fact that they are so well positioned to be a strong team for years to come if they finesse this right. I don't for a second think the Leafs have the same projection.

Celebrini is the only reason I would trade situations. Remove him and im not even thinking about it.

Still have shit D. Dickinson is fine, but I dont see him becoming a top 15 D man. Never been a fan of Askarov and he showed last year hes not anywhere close to being a great goalie in the NHL.

Ironically their set up and situation looks extremely similar to the Leafs of 10 years ago.

 

[kevsh]

Celebrini is the only reason I would trade situations. Remove him and im not even thinking about it.

Okay, uh, that's the whole point of the comparison.

Of course if you take away their by-far best player and currently one of the best players in the league it completely changes the argument.

I'd say almost entirely because of Celebrini I'd trade these team's situations in a heartbeat, that's the point. He's the difference between the Sharks now and the Leafs 10 years ago. The Leafs didn't (and still don't) have a player like him so I'd bet they have a better shot at winning some playoff rounds with their roster (led by him) than the Leafs did with this core.

 

[TMLegend]

Unfortunately for Sharks fans, I think they are going to find that their roster is ultimately submarined by the fact that the team won't commit to spending what is necessary to win.

That's an odd proclamation to make considering they were a cap team for the majority of their competitive window during the Thornton era.

 

[hamzarocks]

Celebrini is the only reason I would trade situations. Remove him and im not even thinking about it.

Still have shit D. Dickinson is fine, but I dont see him becoming a top 15 D man. Never been a fan of Askarov and he showed last year hes not anywhere close to being a great goalie in the NHL.

Ironically their set up and situation looks extremely similar to the Leafs of 10 years ago.

They do have pick #2 and pick #9.

If they dont galaxy brain things, I would either do:

2nd OA - Reid (elite RHD player profile)
9th OA - Vehrhoof or Rudolph (very good RHD profile)

Or

Trade down 2nd OA for 6th OA + Picks and then take

6th OA - Carels/Smits - Elite LHD player profile.
9th OA - Vehrhoff/Rudolph - Very good RHD profile.

They should have a dcore of

Reid/Carels/Smits (#1D)
Rudolph/Vehrhoff (#2D)
Dickinson (#3D)

Set up after this draft which is as elite a top 3 as you can get.

That top 3 would be considerably better than any top 3 dcore we had and it would be all developing and in prime players in the next 3-4 years.

A core forward group of

Celibrini (#1C)
Misa (#2C)
Smith (#1W)
Chernyshov (#1W)

+ Defensive core of

Reid/Carels/Smits (#1D)
Rudolph/Vehrhoff (#2D)
Dickinson (#3D)

Is better than our core at its best from around 2018ish

Matthews
Marner
Nylander
Rielly
Kapanen
Lilijgren
Sandin

 

[Peasy]

Okay, uh, that's the whole point of the comparison.

Of course if you take away their by-far best player and currently one of the best players in the league it completely changes the argument.

I'd say almost entirely because of Celebrini I'd trade these team's situations in a heartbeat, that's the point. He's the difference between the Sharks now and the Leafs 10 years ago. The Leafs didn't (and still don't) have a player like him so I'd bet they have a better shot at winning some playoff rounds with their roster (led by him) than the Leafs did with this core.

So yeah its a pretty pointless discussion. Probably like 5 teams that wouldnt trade positions with the sharks simply because of Celebrini.

 

[Peasy]

They do have pick #2 and pick #9.

If they dont galaxy brain things, I would either do:

2nd OA - Reid (elite RHD player profile)
9th OA - Vehrhoof or Rudolph (very good RHD profile)

Or

Trade down 2nd OA for 6th OA + Picks and then take

6th OA - Carels/Smits - Elite LHD player profile.
9th OA - Vehrhoff/Rudolph - Very good RHD profile.

They should have a dcore of

Reid/Carels/Smits
Rudolph/Vehrhoff
Dickinson

Set up after this draft which is as elite a top 3 as you can get.

Whatever D they take isnt helping them for probably at least 3 years, probably 4 before they even start making an impact, and nothing is guaranteed.

Theres a reason the sharks offered 9th+ for Byram.

 

[hamzarocks]

Whatever D they take isnt helping them for probably at least 3 years, probably 4 before they even start making an impact, and nothing is guaranteed.

Theres a reason the sharks offered 9th+ for Byram.

Reid/Smits/Carels should be top pairing dman within 3 years.

We saw morgan rielly be used as a top 4D as a 5th OA in 2015.

I think those 3 prospects are a class higher than Rielly was and will be on a better team then the 2014-2016 leafs.

Mid term guys like

Kesselring
Rielly/Carlo
Orlov

Are fine, to let those 2 top end Dman cook and grow.

Sharks if they rush their rebuild and try to move picks for guys that dont have established sustained op pairing play in their primes will hurt them in the long-run

 

[Peasy]

Reid/Smits/Carels should be top pairing dman within 3 years.

We saw morgan rielly be used as a top 4D as a 5th OA in 2015.

I think those 3 prospects are a class higher than Rielly was and will be on a better team then the 2014-2016 leafs.

Mid term guys like

Kesselring
Rielly/Carlo
Orlov

Are fine, to let those 2 top end Dman cook and grow.

Sharks if they rush their rebuild and try to move picks for guys that dont have established sustained op pairing play in their primes will hurt them in the long-run

Yep, all 3 of those guys are going to hit their max potential for sure

Are any of these D top pairing d men going into next season?

Or these ones?

What about these guys? I can keep going.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Yep, all 3 of those guys are going to hit their max potential for sure

View attachment 1258588

Are any of these D top pairing d men going into next season?

View attachment 1258590

Or these ones?

View attachment 1258591

What about these guys? I can keep going.

Check the 2017, 2018, and 2020 drafts for me.


Even in 2016, with Sergachev and Chychrun, if you want


Dmen take longer.