The Toronto Maple Leafs have a huge offseason ahead of them as they enter this upcoming NHL entry draft with the top selection after winning the draft lottery.
The prevailing expectation is that the Maple Leafs will keep that pick and use it to select the projected top prospect Gavin McKenna. The 18 year old Canadian forward has been labeled by many prospect gurus to be a generational talent. This is the type of player that teams build their franchise around.
However, all options could be on the table when it comes to this Toronto front office getting this team back into contention sooner rather than later. No asset appears safe as management looks to implement a fast retooling process.
Toronto’s Top Pick May be in Play
According to insider Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs have not married themselves to their first overall pick. Chayka is listening to the offers that teams are laying in front of him when it comes to potential trade offers.
This is not to say that Toronto is shopping the pick themselves. The preference would be to keep the pick, rather than move it. But, Chayka is at least hearing teams out and considering his options. After all, such a valuable piece could be used to grab an absolute haul in return that could immediately assert this team as a playoff contender once again.
It Would Take a Lot for Toronto to Move Top Pick
It would have to be an offer that could not be refused for Chayka to pull the trigger on a deal. Not every draft has a talent at the level of McKenna. He is a player who can be inserted into the Maple Leafs lineup next season and translate seamlessly to the NHL. He can be a core piece that this group can surround with weapons. The nice thing for Toronto is they already have viable linemates to potentially pair with McKenna. Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies would provide McKenna with the support he needs to have a successful rookie campaign.
If Chayka were to move this asset, he would likely be looking for star players that could fill the massive void in their lineup that has been lost with the removal of Mitch Marner. It is rare to see teams trade top draft picks. The trade value package presented to Chayka would have to be at an unprecedented level for him to actually make the move.
With that said, Toronto is in a unique position compared to most teams that have held the first overall pick. This is a squad that is just one season removed from the playoffs, having made the postseason nine straight years prior to this most recent edition. This is not a team that is engaged in a rebuild. If any organization would be positioned to trade a top pick it would be the Maple Leafs.
It will be interesting to see what happens on draft day. The most likely scenario is Chayka hangs on to the pick and makes the obvious McKenna selection. It would be a massive gamble to trade this pick that could backfire badly in his face. The Chayka hire has already been heavily scrutinized in Toronto, such a risky decision would only raise those concerns from the Maple Leafs fandom.
Insider: Toronto Could Consider Moving 1st Overall Draft Pick