Leafs ready to make an impact at the draft

TORONTO – It’s never easy being a Maple Leafs fan, year after year hope and ambition soon turns to disappointment and failure. Maple Leaf fans watch with envy as no hope team’s in the league go from non-existent to Stanley cup winners in a very short time, something that Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs cannot seem to do. However, as the Leafs showed in the final third of the 2010-11 season, it does seem that there is light at the end of the tunnel and Burke is leading the way. Unlike previous drafts, the Leafs are not overrun with veteran players or trying to off load the over the hill superstar that didn’t quite work out in a vain attempt to get a third round pick in the hope that he will turn into the next Sidney Crosby. No, in fact the Leafs are in a good position to stock pile the franchise with a fresh batch of players that could help turn the Leafs into an also ran rather than a no show last season.

With 11 picks in the bank, including two in the first, Burke has deep pockets come draft day and could to move up from their 25th position overall. Burke has made no secret of his intention to move up the picking order by offloading one of his first round picks. Burke has been a very busy man since failing to make the playoffs despite a good run to end the season. One area that does not need addressing is goaltending, although the Leafs have yet to tie up veteran Jean-Sebastien Giguere they have secured the services of standout rookie James Reimer, and with Jonas Gustavsson battling back through health worries, the Leafs have a great tandem already in place even without Giguere. In the defensive front, the blueline of Captain Dion Phaneuf and Luke Schenn are the building blocks of a strong blueline. The recent signing of Carl Gunnarsson’s contract has shown what a good season the young blueliner had in the latter part of last season that saw Gunnarsson play nearly 24 minutes a game. Despite the defense needing to be addressed Burke will probably look to free agency to tie up a puck moving defenseman to compliment the smash and bang play of Phaneuf. Offense is where it matters most for the Leafs in this year’s draft with the center position high on Burke priority list the Leafs will be hunting a top player that can one day compliment the likes of Phil Kessel on the wing. Nazem Kadri showed what he can do and will be sure to be a regular in the Leafs line up after two stints in the show. A classic power forward is top of the shopping list and in an ideal world will be found at pick 25 and slot straight into the lineup and suddenly Kessel will become a 40 goal a season player. But it is not a perfect world and the Leafs ain’t that lucky, however, with plenty of depth in the draft, it’s not a complete dream. One player that fits that mold and is though highly by Burke of Oshawa Generals forward Boone Jenner. Standing at six foot one, 204 pounds, the Dorchester, Ontario born center is a steal at his low position in the draft. Coming off a 66 points season in the OHL, Jenner is a fast skater who isn’t afraid to mix it up in front of the net and has been described by many as a workhorse that can change games. Is he going to be a NHL from the start? Not likely but he will be a solid addition to the Leafs franchise. So if in the unlikely event Burke fails to move up the draft, all is not lost as there will be hope for the franchise starting at 25. “The Toronto Maple Leafs is proud to select from the Oshawa Generals center Boone Jenner.”
To learn more about Boone Jenner click here .
Contact the author at Kevin.Oconnor@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com