The Toronto Maple Leafs were not able to beat long odds to qualify for the playoffs after their calamitous March eight game losing streak and did not defy probability again on Monday, as the Leafs did not hit that 3.6% chance of winning the NHL Draft Lottery and will select eighth overall at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on June 27-28.
The 2014 Draft has been described as a weak draft by some, as there is a drop off after the top four of Barrie’s Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart of the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, Sam Bennett of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs or Prince Albert center Leon Draisaitl.
Toronto would love to find that franchise center that they have been missing since Mats Sundin’s departure or a big, tough defenseman with mobility to add to the blueline, but according to Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News, that player will not be available to the Leafs at #8.
Kennedy has Toronto picking Niagara Ice Dog winger Brendan Perlini with their selection. The 6’3” 205 lb winger is the son of former Leaf Fred Perlini, who was an eighth round pick in 1980 and played eight games for Toronto from 1982 to 1984 before stops in the American and British Hockey Leagues. The 17-year old was shipped from Barrie to Niagara in 2013 and thrived in his second year with the Ice Dogs, finishing second in team scoring behind linemate and Leafs prospect Carter Verhaeghe.
Toronto has a few forward prospects in the pipeline, including 2013 first rounder Frederick Gauthier, along with Tyler Biggs, Jerry D’Amigo and Josh Leivo, but could be interested in putting the top 10 pick in play if GM Dave Nonis and new Team President Brendan Shanahan see a move to add a player that could provide some immediate leadership and help in the culture change that was discussed at their press conference on Monday.
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The Maple Leafs locked up one of their defensive prospects, signing Swedish defenseman Viktor Loov to a three-year entry level contract on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old blueliner had five goals, seven assists in 42 games in his rookie season for Modo of the Swedish Hockey League. Loov was selected 209th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft and marks the second player from that draft class to be signed in the last week, as the club locked up London Knights center Ryan Rupert to an entry level deal.
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Listen to the latest episode of Leaf Buzz with myself and co-host John Restaino as we discuss the hiring of Brendan Shanahan, the status of Randy Carlyle and what roster decisions may be made by the Leafs this summer:
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