The only downside to bringing in head coach Mike Babcock and GM Lou Lamoriello for the Toronto Maple Leafs is that it occurred when the NHL had draft pick compensation in place for hiring someone under contract with another organization.
The Leafs owe the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils a third round pick between now and the 2018 NHL Draft and on Wednesday informed the league that they would retain their 2016 pick, thus giving the Wings their 2017 pick and the Devils the 2018 pick.
This is by no means a surprise, since the Maple Leafs finished last in the standings and have the top pick in each round of the NHL Draft in Buffalo later this month, whereas the picks over the next two seasons should be lower in the round as the team begins to improve.
Another factor in Toronto's decision could be the additional draft picks they accumulated prior to the NHL Trade deadline. The Leafs have three second-round picks in 2017; their own, Ottawa's (from the Dion Phaneuf deal) and San Jose's (from the Roman Polak deal), as well as two second-rounders in 2018; their own and San Jose's and the Sharks third-rounder (a conditional pick from the James Reimer deal).
There is still a possibility that compensation for either Babcock or Lamoriello could be satisfied this season, based on what was allowed last June between the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks.
According to General Fanager, the Oilers did not have their third round pick to provide as compensation for signing head coach Todd McLellan, so the league assigned the Oilers 2016 pick to the Sharks.
Edmonton did have a lower pick in that round and San Jose was interested in a player, so they agreed to swap the Oilers their 2016 third rounder back for the lower third in the 2015 Draft. The Leafs have the Devils 2016 third round pick from the Phil Kessel trade and it is possible that New Jersey or Detroit could offer to accept that pick in exchange for the 2017 or 2018 third rounder.
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Maple Leafs management is hard at work at the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo this week, interviewing a number of prospects in preparation for the Draft on June 24th and 25th.
NHL.com's Mike Morreale reports that GM Lou Lamoriello sat in on every interview, but deferred the questioning of the prospects others in the room and indicated that Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter and the scouting staff will make the important decisions on Draft weekend.
"I certainly haven't watched all these players play, but I am going to have an opportunity to see them as people, see their personalities and tie that to what are scouting reports are," Lamoriello said. "But the decisions will come from our scouting staff, just like they did when I was in New Jersey."
Lamoriello heaped praise on presumptive top pick Auston Matthews, who he had some interaction with at the World Championships in Russia last month, but the Leafs GM held his cards close regarding who the club will pick first overall three weeks from now.
"(Matthews) is a quality young man and a tremendous amount of credit must go to his family to how he represents himself," Lamoriello said. "But I will say that each of the top three prospects (Matthews, Laine, Puljujarvi) are quality people, quality players. I know three teams are going to get exceptional players."
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Listen to the latest edition of "The Convo" with myself and CTV's Norman James, as we discuss the Marlies demise, the London Knights winning the Memorial Cup, Mitch "MVP" Marner and much more:
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