According to The Hockey News, the Maple Leafs rank No. 23 in under-22 talent in the NHL. Some scouting publications have them even lower. That’s to be expected when your organization has had only three selections in two of the past three drafts.
With no second-round pick in 2024 and no selections until the third round in 2025, there’s a good chance things will get worse before they get better. And that’s before the March 8 trade deadline when, according to speculation, the Leafs’ first-round pick could be very much in play.