Leafs: Storylines to Watch Heading Into the Draft and Offseason Part 1
Who will they select First Overall?
While many are expecting the Leafs to take Auston Matthews with the the first overall pick, Patrik Laine did play well enough to be included into the conversation. Last year there was no doubt Connor McDavid would be selected first overall, but on this occasion the Leafs will have to choose between two players with different styles of play.
Matthews is a strong two-way centre who possesses the intangibles that Mike Babcock wants, especially down the middle. The Leafs have not had a centre with the elite skill that Matthews possesses, since Mats Sundin, who they have been trying to replace since 2008.
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Scouts said Matthews could have gone second overall in 2015. However, since his birthday was just past the deadline, he was seen as the top prospect for this year’s draft.
He made the surprising decision to go play in Europe against professional players, rather than the CHL or NCAA. While he may not possess the hype McDavid had last year, with time and patience he will be an integral part of this Leafs team moving forward.
Being coached by former NHL head coach Marc Crawford is an added bonus, because he has a established track record. Crawford even went as far as to compare Matthews to NHL players he coached, including Joe Sakic, Anze Kopitar and Jamie Benn.
Meanwhile, Laine has made it a point to be seen as the flashiest player in the draft, going out of his way to say he could be like Alex Ovechkin. He has shown flashes of that with his size and shot.
The enticing part for the Leafs looking at Laine has to be the fact they struggled to score goals, especially on the power play. He would certainly help with this, but is it enough to convince them to select him first overall?
Laine was impressive with Finland at the World Juniors and the World Championships, which helped him separate himself from fellow countrymen Jesse Puljujarvi. With the direction the Leafs are going in, they are focusing heavily on skill, something Laine has a lot of.
Overall, looking at what Matthews offers the Leafs with his two-way game and his position, it makes it easier to choose him over Laine. Finally, with other teams reportedly interested in the first pick, it would take a massive overpayment in terms of draft picks and prospects for Toronto to even consider trading it.
Next: Players who could be on the move