Maple Leafs Notes: Day Two Draft Thoughts

While Day One of the entry draft is the night everyone will be talking about, due to the addition of franchise defenseman Luke Schenn, the Maple Leafs had a very productive Day Two, and may have even gotten two pretty big steals.

With their second choice, 60th overall, the Maple Leafs took Jimmy Hayes.  Hayes played in the USHL last season, and will be a freshman at Boston College this year upcoming.

Hayes had an off year last year but is determined to prove the Leafs got a steal at this year's draft. 

Like most of the other picks the Leafs took, Hayes is a big kid, but also has good speed and tremendous hands.

Hayes' mother is a cousin of NHL forward Keith Tkachuk, and retired NHL'er and former Leaf Tom Fitzgerald.

The Maple Leafs, with their next choice 98th overall, took Mikhail Stefanovich of the Quebec Remparts.

Stefanovich, once a projected first rounder, has knocks on his work ethic, but the scouting staff feel that with some proper coaching they got another steal on their hands.

Stefanovich, another big body, had 36 goals last season for Quebec in the QMJHL.

Other Leafs selections include:

• American-born Defenseman Greg Pateryn (128th overall)
• Centre Joel Champagne, Quebec Remparts (129th overall)
• Germany's Jerome Flaake (130th overall)
• Goaltender Grant Rollheiser (158th overall)
• Defenseman Andrew MacWilliam (188th overall)

When you talk about Schenn, Hayes and Stefanovich, you're looking at three guys who have a real great chance of making this team down the road.

Schenn will be given the opportunity this fall at Maple Leafs training camp, while Hayes and Stefanovich will continue to work toward their future in College and major junior respectively.

Five of the selections, including first rounder Luke Schenn stand 6'2"  While Hayes (6'5") Champagne (6'4") and Rollheiser (6'5") make this one of the bigger draft classes for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

All in all, this is a draft you can very much be excited about if you're a Maple Leafs fan.

Schenn will patrol the blueline for years to come with his Dion Phaneuf/Shea Weber style.

Hayes is a big kid with great hands who I have heard some say is very comparable to James VanRiemsdyk, and Stefanovich is a player I have heard compared to fellow Belarussian Sergei Kostitsyn, but with more of a finish.

For those interested, the rookie camp/tournament will be held in just a few weeks in Toronto.  Then the rookies and prospects camp will take place in late August/early September.  Following that, the big club opens it's camp to kick off another year.

So, by all accounts it was a very successful draft for the Maple Leafs.  Next up, free agency.