Toronto Maple Leafs Mock Draft

Here's everything in bolded text. Easier on the eyes!

ROUND ONE

1. C Auston Matthews (ZSC Lions, SUI)

Info from the Draft Analyst:

The hockey gods rewarded Toronto’s tortured fanbase with the opportunity to bask in the glee from receiving the club’s first top pick in 31 years.

That pick should be Matthews, a dynamic, franchise-changing pivot who nearly won the Swiss League’s MVP award as an 18-year-old. A dominant player whether he’s shooting it or dishing it out, he’s ready for the rigors of the NHL, and his upbringing will prevent the GTA pressure cooker from bugging him.

30. RHD Adam Fox (U.S. NTDP)

Info from Scott Wheeler (Future Considerations):

Under the radar guy whose offensive production is impressive.

Draft Anaylst info on Fox:

A dynamic playmaker who was named top defenseman at the 2016 U18 worlds. Fox set the single-season NTDP scoring mark for defensemen with 59 points and basically took the No. 1 role away from Chad Krys.

Graceful and extremely creative, he’s headed to Harvard in the fall, so being an Ivy Leaguer may mean he’ll be there for a while. Still, his view of the ice is already pro-level.

ROUND TWO

31. C/W Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL)

Info from the Draft Analyst:

A crafty yet undervalued two-way center with excellent vision, Howden’s point totals would be way higher had he not taken a back seat to Moose Jaw star vets like Brayden Point and Dryden Hunt.

He can also play wing, kill penalties, and has absolutely no problem running a power play.

Howden isn’t as fast as brother Quinton (25th overall in 2010), but he makes up for it with smart positioning, a soft touch and strong all-aroung hockey sense.

57. LHD Ryan Lindgren (U.S. NTDP)

Draft Analyst info:

This future Minnesota Gopher served as captain for Team USA, and you can certainly see why he was chosen. He’s a strong young man with very good offensive instincts, using his size (6’0, 200) and strength to lean on opponents as he separated them from the puck.

He’s a very good skater with a keen eye for openings. Lindgren is a battler and a tough one-on-one matchup, and can be trusted to move the puck up the ice without it breaking into a million pieces.

ROUND THREE

62. G Stephen Dhillon (Niagara Ice Dogs, OHL)

Info from The Draft Analyst:

Stephen assumed an understudy role to Carolina first rounder Alex Nedeljkovic for the Niagara Ice Dogs in the OHL.

This kid has a ton of potential, and he’s one of the draft’s youngest eligible goalies — he is only a few days from being eligible for next year.

Dhillon plays an aggressive butterfly, and the kinks we noticed at the Hlinka (form, net awareness) were quickly addressed, albeit in limited opportunities. His size-quickness combination is rare, and with draft picks for days, the Leafs can afford to take a chance on him early..

72. RHD Luke Green (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL)

Draft Analyst info:

One of the steadier defensemen available for any round who quietly had a strong season for an Ice Dogs’ squad with a deep blue line. Green came to Saint John with high regard — he was the first overall pick in the 2014 QMJHL Draft — but he stagnated after a strong rookie season a year ago.

Compounding things was a nasty hit from Cape Breton’s Pierre-Luc Dubois in March which may have been the catalyst behind his average postseason. Still, Green is a very good skater with terrific instincts and is one of the draft’s better shot selectors from the back end; if Green is taking a shot, it’s going to be hard and accurate.

ROUND FOUR

92. LW Jonathan Dahlen (Timra, Allsvenskan)

Info from The Draft Analyst:

Predatory winger with an excellent touch around the net, much like his father Ulf who played over a dozen NHL seasons as a grind-it-out power foward.

Jonathan’s game differs from his father’s in that he’s a bit quicker and more flashy but not nearly as physical. He had an outstanding season for Timra, with solid showings at both the U18 Hlinka and U19 Five Nations.


101. LHD Dennis Cholowski (Chilliwack, BCHL)

He's ranked #23 by Central Scouting but I'm guessing he falls.

More info from The Draft Analyst:

Steady two-way defender whose name started to ring bells following December’s World Junior “A” Challenge.

He’s got good size to work with, and he makes smart plays, specifically picking the right time to either join the rush or sneak into the left circle for a quality scoring chance.

Cholowski is bound for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, so the Leafs can be patient with a defender with top-4 upside.

He’s far from physical, however, and it seems the way he processes the game is the biggest, possibly only reason why he’s skyrocketed up the rankings.

ROUND FIVE

122. G Joseph Woll (US U18, NTDP)

Good size for a goalie at 6'3" and 196 lbs. according to online sources.

Following info from The Draft Site:

Missouri-born goaltender with long arms and legs, but is still in the early stages of his development in terms of movement, instincts. Committed to Boston College.

ROUND SIX

152. RHD David Quenneville (Medicine Hat, WHL)

Some have him in the 90-100 range but I think he slips since he's only 5'8". I think he's worth taking a swing with here, though.

179. C/RW Oskar Steen (Farjestad BK, SHL)

A Dmytro Timashov-type (highly touted prospect who went in the 5th round last year).

I think he falls to the 5th or 6th round. Projected to go in the 4th but any player after the first round can go anywhere from what the past has told us about the NHL draft.

Draft Analyst info:

Quick winger with a knack for burying the puck who played well in a brief stint with Farjestad’s senior club.

Steen is a hard worker who can play on both the power play and the penalty kill, and you can fit him into the same category as fellow draft-eligible Swedish sparkplugs Carl Grundstrom and Jesper Bratt.

The biggest knock on Steen is that he isn’t very tall (5’9), but he’s strong and can play a physical, in-your-face style, especially on the forecheck.

He was superb at the Five Nations tournament in November, and made big plays at the U18 world championship in April.

ROUND SEVEN

182. RHD Nikita Makeyev (Russia U18, MHL)

Small right-handed defenseman.

Ranked #54 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters) but I think he drops like Nikita Korostelev who was ranked by many in the top 40 and went in the 7th round as well.


All of these currently numbered rankings are from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_NHL_Entry_Draft

I think this year's draft (like most drafts, I guess) are going to have players who you thought were going in the second end up in the fourth or fifth, etc.

It should be chaotic and fun.

Would love to read your thoughts and opinions. Thanks!