The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering a bit of uncharted waters. The last time the club picked first overall in the NHL Draft was back in 2016. At that point, there was a debate over whether Auston Matthews or Patrik Laine was the better choice for the top selection.
In the end, the Maple Leafs took Matthews and the Winnipeg Jets‘ Laine at #2. The rest is history. With the Maple Leafs in a similar situation, it’s worth taking a look at the top three choices the Leafs have heading into this year’s NHL Draft.
Maple Leafs Top 3 Options for Top Picks
Gavin McKenna
McKenna has been the top prospect throughout most of this draft cycle. While some publications have ranked him lower, he’s still a consensus generational talent. The Athletic compares him to Artemi Panarin, focusing on “off-the-chart puck skills.” Also, his overall creativity and skating skills make him an elite playmaker.
However, as The Athletic points out, he doesn’t have a ton of physicality and can get pushed around a bit. That may be something to work on, though he doesn’t have a huge physical presence. That may hold him back somewhat, especially when facing more hard-checking opponents.
The general opinion seems that McKenna would be an ideal running mate for Auston Matthews on the Maple Leafs’ top line. However, there might be a need for someone else to round out that top line, potentially with a mean streak.
Chase Reid
The Maple Leafs clearly need a number-one defenseman. That’s a major pain point that won’t be going away anytime soon. That’s where Chase Reid comes into the picture. Reid is considered the best blueliner in the 2026 NHL Draft class. As The Athletic describes him, he’s got the speed, hands, and vision to become an elite scoring defenseman.
His shot is a major plus to complement his overall skill set and creativity. That package has earned him comparisons to current Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson.
The biggest drawback to taking a blueliner at number one is the time it takes for such a player to impact the team. There’s no guarantee Reid will make the jump like Matthew Schaefer did this season. While the temptation may be there, the likelihood of the Maple Leafs going in this direction might seem slim.
Ivar Stenberg
Stenberg has to be the most intriguing choice in the entire top end of this year’s draft. According to most estimates, the Swedish winger could be an elite top-line winger.
As Frank Seravalli described him, Stenberg could be a winger version of Aleksander Barkov. Stenberg can do a little bit of everything, becoming a “more physical replacement for Mitch Marner.”
That said, the biggest knock on Stenberg is that he isn’t overly physical and doesn’t have an overwhelming presence. Well, when looking at Marner, he didn’t have an overwhelming presence either. So, that’s that.
What to read next:
Maple Leafs Likely to Decide Between McKenna and Stenberg
Overall, it seems like the choice will come down to McKenna or Stenberg. Unlike 2016, the Maple Leafs can’t go wrong with either one. But when looking at the potential upside, it seems that Stenberg might actually be the better choice.
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