They obviously have to figure out who their next coach will be and change the roster to give them a chance at returning to the playoffs next season, though that will take care of itself in due time. What they are focused on beyond making the most of their selections is nailing who they will pick when they are called to the stage to begin the festivities. The consensus seems to be that it will be Gavin McKenna, and no one would be surprised if it ends up being the case. But while it seems to be the most likely outcome, it’s far from a lock at the time of filing.
In any case, the Leafs will have their work cut out for them when the NHL congregates in Buffalo later this month to replenish their farm system. The Leafs Nation team came together to break down what is at stake and how it can be a successful weekend for the Leafs. Without further delay, let’s get to the roundtable!
Assuming the Leafs go with Gavin McKenna, how big of an impact do you think he will have on the team in his rookie season?
Jon Steitzer, editor: It seems like too much pressure to expect an impact from a rookie no matter how highly touted the prospect. There is no Auston Matthews winning the Calder level expectations, but I’d expect a better offensive debut season than what Easton Cowan had this year. If he can start the year in the top nine forward group and end in the top six he’s done enough.
If they don’t go with McKenna, which other player that they might select would you be the most happy with and why?
Srinivasan: Chase Reid is widely considered the best defenceman in the draft, and would easily become the best prospect in Toronto’s pool. Toronto has lacked a bonafide No. 1 defenceman throughout the Auston Matthews Era and beyond. Reid is an archetype the Maple Leafs simply don’t have, and if it’s not McKenna, going with a defenceman that carries real star potential is a victory in and of itself.
Hobson: In all honesty, once I got over the shock from not taking McKenna first, I think I’d warm up to anybody, whether they went for the next best player in Ivar Stenberg or a defensive cornerstone like Chase Reid or Carson Carels. Six weeks ago we had made peace with the fact that the Boston Bruins would be getting their first pick. Brad Treliving’s incompetence and a stroke of luck have led to the Leafs playing with house money here, in a sense.
Mazzei: I can understand why Ivar Stenberg would be the most likely player to dethrone McKenna, but I can see Chase Reid being their target if they decide it’s more important to get a defenceman since it’s been an organizational need for what seems like eternity. It would be a bit of a reach since Reid isn’t a Schaefer, but it could also work out. With that said, I still think they go with McKenna.
Steitzer: Ivar Stenberg is a perfectly acceptable option for first overall as well. It’s pretty close to being a coin flip for me on who I’d rather see selected. If the Maple Leafs are serious about anyone else they better plan on trading down in order to make that happen and if that’s the case I don’t mind Caleb Malhotra as the option there. I’m perfectly happy with the Maple Leafs waiting until the second round to find a defensive prospect.
Who is your diamond in the rough candidate as a target beyond the first round?
Hobson: Matias Vanhanen was on the Everett Silvertips for this year’s Memorial Cup and was an instrumental part of their success in the regular season (87 points in 62 games) and the playoffs (12 goals, 24 points in 18 games). His goal-scoring in particular took a massive step once the stakes rose, going from 20 in the regular season to 12 in a third the amount of games. This is his second year of draft eligibility, so he’s technically an overage prospect, but with a birthday on September 11, he was about a week shy of this year being his first one of eligibility and probably being projected higher as a result.
Beyond nailing the first overall pick, what would you deem to be a successful 2026 Draft for the Leafs?
Srinivasan: Take McKenna first overall, then find positional value, whether it’s selecting Knowling in the second round, or betting on talent and production above all in the latter rounds. McKenna is an excellent start. Now it’s incumbent on finding more depth, and the class will be evaluated for how many supporting players the Leafs graduate to the NHL, after McKenna starts his pro career next fall.
Hobson: It sounds like a captain obvious take, but they need to leave this draft with a couple of guys who will give you NHL games down the line. They appear to be on a better path with the emergence of Easton Cowan and Ben Danford in recent years, but if they can add a legitimate defensive prospect and a legitimate centre prospect, their outlook will be much more favourable.
Mazzei: I think it’s important they add more centres and defencemen into their system, simply because those are two positions they could use some additional reinforcements in. Of course, your best bet is always to go with the best one available, the later the draft progresses, and that makes a lot of sense when your system isn’t in the best shape. But addressing those two positions when possible would do them some good long-term.
Steitzer: A successful draft would see the Leafs with a strong defensive prospect, a strong offensive centre prospect, and another interesting goaltending prospect developing in the system. With the first round pick they are restocking the roster not the prospect pool, I’d like to see the prospect pool addressed with worthwhile prospects to keep an eye on.
How confident are you in the Leafs’ draft being led by Mark Leach and Judd Brackett?
Srinivasan: Very confident. Leach and Brackett are widely considered among the best scouts in the game. We’ll have to evaluate Leach again in a few years, but we’ll see if he values size above all this year, in a class where the Leafs could snap up undersized players with excellent production in the latter rounds.
Hobson: I’m confident in them until they give me a reason not to be. Leach’s resume with the Dallas Stars speaks for itself. They have given me no reason to worry as of right now, so we can revisit this question in a few years.
Mazzei: It’s only the second year with Mark Leach leading the scouting department, but the early returns of his first draft have been promising. GM John Chayka is smartly letting his head scout lead this year’s draft, and there is no reason to believe the Leafs won’t be able to make good on their selections. Adding Judd Brackett into the mix only helps improve the confidence given the work he did with the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks.
Steitzer: I think Mark Leach and Judd Brackett are both a hell of a lot more capable than I am. John Chayka as the final word takes away a bit of confidence as does the fact that these are the Toronto Maple Leafs and a level of confidence in this team should probably never exceed an eight on a scale of one to ten. So with that said, I’ll give them a 6.5, which adjusting for the limits of my scale is an actual endorsement of them.