Toronto Maple Leafs' Draft Outlook: Don't Fret, the Shelves Are Full...Kinda

Sorting through the Maple Leafs' picks for this summer's NHL Entry Draft requires saint-like patience.

Brian Burke has draft picks coming from all corners of the league. Want to know what they have? (And please, feel free to correct me on any error. There could be a hidden pick that I’ve missed, and the Rangers pick for Antropov doesn’t count.)

Here are the picks the Leafs have right now in June's draft:

• one third round pick (own)
  
• one fourth round pick (from the ‘Yotes for Stempniak)
  
• two fifth round picks (one from NJ for Skoula and one own)
  
• two seventh round picks (one from ‘Yotes and one own)

Though Burke is missing his first and second rounds, the Leafs still have six picks over seven rounds. Essentially the cupboard is almost stocked, but Mom forgot to get Doritos.

However, I’ll trade a bag of Cool Ranch for Phil Kessel’s 30 tallies any day.

If a team can draft well and have luck on their side, late draft picks can be every bit as valuable as a first rounder. I don’t need to tell you this, you already know.

For every Jiri Tlusty that doesn’t pan out, there’s a Henrik Zetterberg that does. The tough part is coming out on the right side of it, but it’s not as uncommon as you’d think.

It’s always been a part of the league for late round draft picks to turn out great, especially now with more in-depth scouting; it’s why the draft has seven rounds.

What bugs me sometimes is that Burke doubters will pipe in with, “You have to build through the draft.”

Building with late draft picks is still building through the draft, isn’t it?  Ask Detroit; they’ve been doing it for 20 years and it hasn’t hurt them.

I have to commend Burke on grabbing enough draft picks to gather a nice group of prospects this summer. Not only that, but it’s been rumored that Nonis and Burke have discussed moving up in the draft. Whether or not that happens is obviously still up in the air.

With what the Leafs currently hold, plenty of opportunity is still there. More draft picks simply means more chances at landing a great NHL’er.

Let’s hope the Maple Leafs can do just that in June.

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