Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 5 Draft Picks of All-Time

In preparation for the start of the 2016-2017 NHL season and the debut of the number one overall pick, Auston Matthews, we count down the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top five draft picks of all time.

Since the first NHL Amateur draft in 1963 (later Entry Draft), the Toronto Maple Leafs have made hundreds of picks, some good and some bad.

Drafting isn’t easy. Even with seven picks in the draft each year, the likelihood of plucking out a player who is simply going to contribute at the NHL level is low, let alone finding one that will excel.

Based on research by Travis Yost from TSN, the likelihood of drafting a player that will play at least 50 games in the NHL is 80 percent from the first round, 44 percent in the second and 30 percent in the third. The final four rounds all level off at around 20 percent.

That means there is a 20 percent chance those precious first round picks, which are so highly coveted come trade deadline time, will not even play in 50 games at the NHL level.

Toronto, especially recently, has seen its fair share of busts. Since 2007, only six players drafted by the Leafs have played over 50 games, and only Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly currently remain on the team.

However, over the years, Toronto has managed to hit a couple of home runs in the Entry Draft. So, without further ado, here is our countdown the top five draft picks made in franchise history.