The Toronto Maple Leafs were extremely busy this week at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, NY, as GM Lou Lamoriello and their management and scouting hierarchy interviewed the majority of the 114 prospects who participated in the NHL Scouting Combine.
All indicators continue to point to Auston Matthews becoming a member of the Blue and White on June 24th, who told the throng of media on Saturday that he will return home to Scottsdale, AZ by way of San Jose, where he will attend Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday. The Leafs do with their other picks will depend on how the dominoes fall on Draft Day.
Auston Matthews with a few reporters. #Leafs pic.twitter.com/xtmznY7Vcg
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) June 4, 2016
The club is preparing for all eventualities and appear to paying particular attention to the top available goalies and most of the top defensive prospects.
It is expected that Toronto will draft a goaltender early on the second day of the draft and the club interviewed Sherbrooke goalie Evan Fitzpatrick and Everett netminder Carter Hart(WHL- Everett).
Memorial Cup winner Tyler Parsons went through the fitness testing on Saturday and did not talk to the media after, but the Leafs are undoubtedly interested in the London goaltender who was scouted and brought to the Knights by Director of Player Personnel Mark Hunter.
The expectation is that seven or eight defensemen will be selected in the first round. It would seem nearly impossible for Toronto to trade up into a position to select one of the top three blueliners in Olli Juolevi, Mikhail Sergachev or Jakob Chychrun, but the club did speak with all of the next level of defenders (Jake Bean, Charlie McAvoy, Dante Fabbro and Logan Stanley), who could be within reach if the Leafs move up from the bottom of the first round into the late teens or early 20's.
Auston Matthews going through fitness testing at the #NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. #Leafs pic.twitter.com/y6sOVfjNZQ
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) June 4, 2016
If the Leafs stand pat, the pick at the bottom of the first round is more likely to be an area to add a scoring forward, like Swedish center Rasmus Asplund or Erie forward Alex DeBrincat.
Otters winger Taylor Raddysh, a GTA native who scored 24 goals and 48 assists playing with DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, also spoke to Toronto and could be a target if Toronto is looking to add a scorer with size to compliment their smaller skilled forwards.
If Toronto fails to add a defenseman in the first, they will likely go that direction with one of their second round picks. The Leafs interviewed Adam Fox, who played in the US National Development Program, Kelowna blueliner Lucas Johansen(brother of Ryan), BCHL defender Dennis Cholowski and Cam Dineen of the North Bay Battalion, who registered 46 assists in his first OHL season.
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