As a result of the Buffalo Sabres being eliminated in the playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 59th in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Sabres 3-2 in overtime in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. The loss knocked the Sabres out of the playoffs and also determined their spot in the upcoming NHL draft.
Due to a prior trade involving another team, it was also determined which second-round pick the Maple Leafs will now get.
Maple Leafs Get 59th Pick in Upcoming Draft
At the trade deadline, former Leafs general manager Brad Treliving traded center Scott Laughton to the Los Angeles Kings for a conditional third-round pick. The condition on the pick was that if the Kings made the playoffs, they would instead transfer Buffalo’s second-round pick to the Leafs. The Kings went on to make the postseason, so the Leafs now get Buffalo’s second-round pick in return for Laughton. Now that Buffalo has been knocked out of the playoffs, we know that pick will be No. 59.
“With the Sabres elimination, tonight we know the Leafs will be picking #59 in the 2026 NHL Draft, as a result of the pick that transferred to Toronto in the Scott Laughton trade to LA back on March. Of course they have No. 1 before that,” wrote Maple Leafs reporter David Alter on X.
Of course they have No. 1 before that.
As Alter noted, the Maple Leafs have, of course, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft as a result of the team winning the lottery. So, now the team has the No. 1 overall pick, the 59th overall pick, plus a 3rd, a 4th, two 5ths, and a 6th. For a Leafs team that desperately needs to restock the prospect cupboards, they have seven picks in this year’s draft to do so under new GM John Chayka and senior advisor Mats Sundin.
Maple Leafs Ready to Make Big Moves
The Leafs are certainly ready to make some big moves this offseason. The team is going to make the first pick in the draft and will likely take top prospect Gavin McKenna with that selection. Then, they will make the 59th pick and five more, for a total of seven draft picks.
The team also has to hire a new head coach after recently firing Craig Berube. Several names have already been connected to the Leafs, with Chayka confirming that the team will take its time to find the right coach and that they are not going to rush into making such a crucial decision.
The future of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is also important to figure out. He has two more years left on his contract, but Chayka is hoping to convince him to stick around for longer. If Matthews likes the plan the Leafs present him and the new coaching hire, perhaps he would consider signing an extension.
Plus, the team needs to shore up the rest of its roster, with defense a top concern. To that end, longtime defenseman Morgan Rielly may be asked to move his NMC, and rumors are floating around that the Leafs are considering making a run at free agent Darren Raddysh.
Maple Leafs Get 59th Pick in 2026 NHL Entry Draft From Sabres