Leafs have plenty of options come draft day

TORONTO – The Toronto Maples Leafs head into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft looking to bolster a roster that at the start of the season looked promising only to falter the rest of the way.   Picking fifth overall is a good position to be in, especially with a defense heavy draft that could bring the Leafs that kind of impact player that could make next season’s roster on either end of the ice.

Toronto finished tenth in offense and 29^th on defense. The power play was tenth and the penalty killing unit 28^th.   Needless to say the Leafs must improve on defense no matter how you slice it. The offense was led by Phil Kessel and had balance scoring throughout the lineup. The forwards should be solid for the next few years to come. Prospects Joe Colborne a Carter Ashton should get a long look in training camp but one of them could be used as trade bait to land a defenseman.
On defense Luke Schenn and Dion Phaneuf was both a negative in the plus/minus category but with some help on the blueline that could change, along with some consistent goaltending. Jake Gardiner has the look of a future all-star. Adding another piece of the puzzle might not come from the teams’ current class of prospects.   Jesse Blacker might be spending another year in the AHL before he gets a crack at the Leafs lineup.
The Leafs will surely have options no matter how the draft flows with the top four picks. In PHN’s mock draft, the only defensemen that should be taken by now is Ryan Murray but if he is still on the board when the Leafs pick taking him   will be a no-brainer.   If he’s not than the Leafs will have the pick of the litter. Defensemen   Matt Dumba, Morgan Reilly and Griffin Reinhart should be available but Dumba is considered the best offensive defenseman in the draft.   That said the Leafs won’t go wrong by picking Reilly or Reinhart.
If the Leafs go for O that the question will be whether or not Alex Galchenyuk will be their when the Leafs pick. We think so but it is a tough call. This is where taking need over want comes into play because if the Leafs are picking best player than Galchenyuk should be the pick, but then your team is 29^th in defense passing on a defenseman might be a bad think unless Brian Burke thinks he can add a defensemen or two through trades or free agency.  
That said, expect to hear the following come draft day.
“With the fifth pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maples Leafs select, from the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, Matt Dumba. “
To learn more about Matt Dumba click here .
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com