NHL Draft

Shaikhlislamov is very young, but has decent size and plays like a hyper-aggressive wrecking ball that could be honed into an interesting power forward.

A last minute change in his commitment from Kitchener in the OHL to Michigan in the NCAA, plus some size concerns, have driven down his draft hype. I still like him, especially if he falls into the middle rounds.

Wiggo has one of the weirdest paths in his draft year for any prospect that I can remember seeing, but that doesn't matter to me because he's just fun.

Potentially one of the better all-around defensemen in this draft, but with enough mechanical and consistency issues that made his draft stock sink in the second half.

He's big, he's heavy, and he plays like it, but with some very interesting potential as a puck mover as well.

Apparently I have Latvians on the brain this weekend. Latvian centers, specifically.

Murnieks' stats don't jump off the page at you, but he plays a quietly effective game that I think is better suited to professional leagues than junior.

A red-hot start to the season, including a few games up in the SHL, was cut off by a season ending knee injury in October but that potential he flashed lives in my heart.

Unlike what the refs may call for penalties, you can never have Too Much Måns.

Bilecki has been buried in the depth chart for a strong Kitchener defensive group, but he's made the most of his time and stepped up when needed.

If there's a player in this year's draft who gives me the same vibes as Koblar did last year, it's his Leksands teammate Adam Andersson.

Cover flashes a lot of high level skill thanks to one of the deeper set of tools in the draft, but some consistency issues could keep him out of the first round.

Preston is a highly skilled winger whose skill can seem like magic, but he's become viewed as a big gamble and his rankings have tumbled as a result.

He's been my favourite prospect all year and it seems everyone's caught on to his potential and will probably take him out of Toronto's range so nobody talk to me I'm extremely upset.

While he's not included in the top tier of defense prospects, Gustafsson is one of my favourites and I honestly think he should be up there with them.

The biggest pure upside defenseman in this year's draft, at worst he will likely be a high-level glass cannon offense generator and at best has good defense on top of it.

One of the prospects with the hugest leap in his draft rankings this year thanks to constant improvements and an incredible playoff run.

The main competitor to McKenna for first overall in this year's draft is a guy who would signal a different direction for the Leafs.

McKenna is inarguably the most skilled offensive force in this draft, but is he the best overall player and worthy of being taken first overall?

Tomorrow I start my annual tradition of writing way too many words on several prospects that will very likely not be drafted by the Leafs. Let the tea and stream of consciousness flow!

It's impossible to sort out who comes third in this year's draft.

Who they are, or at least, who they seem to be.

It's decision time for the Leafs.

Almost never happens, but not never happens.

Who does it, why and how often.