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The Toronto Maple Leafs top priority is resolving their goaltending issues in the next few weeks before the onset of free agency on July 13, but GM Kyle Dubas is also focused on the NHL Draft in Montreal, where the club has the 25th pick in the first round on Thursday and two lower round selections on Friday.
The Leafs may attempt to acquire more draft capital in the later rounds by trading down from 25 to later, moving the rights of pending free agents Jack Campbell and Ilya Mikheyev, or moving out players like Justin Holl or Jake Muzzin, but assuming Toronto stays where they are, here is who various mock drafts have the Leafs selecting:
The Leafs had luck drafting a left-handed blueliner from the Warriors a decade ago in Morgan Rielly, and the analysis here is that Toronto “typically values skill and hockey sense in their picks.” Mateychuk averaged nearly a point-per-game in his first full WHL season (13 goals, 51 assists in 65 games, 10 points in 10 playoff games), and according to Elite Prospects, the 17-year-old is “always up in the play, when he gets the puck, few defensemen create more opportunities, and he’s a confident, aggressive defender.”
Isaac Howard – LW (US National Development Program)
Howard was the top scorer at the under-18s for the US with 11 points and led the USNTDP with 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games last season. The 5’10”, 181 lb. winger compares himself to Penguins forward Jake Guentzel his quick hands and elusiveness in the offensive zone are the keys to his success.
Considered one of the top offensive defensemen in the ’22 Draft class, the only fly in the ointment is that Hutson is 5’8”, 159 lbs. Elite Prospects says the 18-year-old “a fantastic skater with second-gear acceleration, possessing great vision of the ice and is reliable for a good first pass out of the zone” and nearly broke all of Quinn Hughes scoring records in the US program this season.
A right-handed, slightly bigger version of Hutson, Havelid led all defensemen in scoring at the under-18s with 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) and played 23 games in the SHL as an 18-year-old. Described as an outstanding skater with a big shot from the point, improvement in the defensive end and adding strength will be where he needs to improve.
A combination of speed and skill at one end and hard work at the other, Ostlund shined at the under-18s for Sweden (4 goals, 6 assists in 6 games) and played 11 games for Djurgardens as a 17-year-old. Considered a legitimate center candidate down the road in the NHL, he will have to build on his 5’11”, 163 lb. frame over the next couple of years.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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