> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Wednesday FTB: Can you make a competitive lineup solely out of the Leafs’ draft picks? - URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-making-a-competitive-lineup-using-only-draft-picks/ - Published: 2019-07-31T09:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2019-07-31T09:00:00.000Z - Description: It’s still the deadest part of the off-season in July let’s have some fun. - Author: Brian Stewart - Tags: From The Branches, #chorus, #Import 2023-04-05 10:50 Stealing this idea that I saw or heard recently — maybe Twitter? Radio? Can’t remember, but I’m shamelessly stealing it anyways so I don’t have to talk about Mitch fucking Marner again. Can you make a competitive Leafs’ lineup ONLY using players the Leafs have drafted? That means no trades, no free agent signings, not even college or European free agent signings. For the record, I am looking at [Hockey DB’s page for the Leafs](http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00008490.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) that shows draft picks by season. You can mix your lines or pairings how you want, I was mostly putting together the best from the top down. I’m also going to TRY and only use players active in the NHL, but we’ll see how that goes. ### The Forwards: Andreas Johnsson — Auston Matthews — William Nylander Alex Steen — Nazem Kadri — Mitch Marner Josh Leivo — Greg McKegg — Connor Brown Leo Komarov — Frederk Gauthier — Carl Grundstrom Honourable mentions: Brooks, Bracco, Engvall, Korshkov, Gauthier. Starts off alright, doesn’t it? They still have some pretty incredible young talent at the top of the lineup with the big three and Kadri. After that... there’s a bit of a drop off. There are some meh-quality guys like Brown and Leivo, some older faces in Alex Steen and Leo Komarov, and then some younger guys who are just starting to break into the NHL in Grundstrom... and then Gauthier. The center depth is a biiiiiiiiiig problem. McKegg has more NHL experience than Gauthier and is also better, but you could convince me to try Engvall or hell maybe even Brooks there instead. I’d have to break my “NHL active” rule, which Grundstrom narrowly beats out having been called up to the NHL to end last season. ### The Defense: Morgan Rielly — Anton Stralman Travis Dermott — Greg Pateryn Carl Gunnarsson — Timothy Liljegren Honourable mentions: Sandin, Lindgren, Schenn, Holzer Weird how the defense looks to be in much better shape than the forwards, given the reverse problem the Leafs have in reality. Rielly and Dermott are still around as our top two left-shot defensemen. Then we have the one that got away in Stralman, who might be getting up there but still something to offer. Then there’s our old reliable Swedish mule in Gunnarsson and a lesser “one that got away” in Greg Pateryn. There isn’t much in the way of experienced NHLers after that. I take one look at Holzer or Schenn and make the executive decision to break my “only NHL active” rule to go with Liljegren as at least a prospect on the cup. I’m calling it like the proximity rule in baseball. ### The Goalies: Tuukka Rask James Reimer Honourable mentions: Sparks, Woll, Scott That’s much better! Rask showed in the playoffs that he can still carry a team through the playoffs. Reimer is an NHL capable backup. Sparks is there if he isn’t, with the two Leafs’ current goalie prospects waiting in the wings. If I missed anyone or if you would swap in some guys, let me know in the comments! ### How competitive would a Leafs-draft-picks-only team be? | Cup contender | 39 | | ------------------------------------------ | --- | | Win a playoff round or two | 261 | | Just make the playoffs as a wild card team | 329 | | Miss the playoffs | 119 | ## ONTO THE LINKS! [Top 25 under 25: Frederik Gauthier returns to the list at #24](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-top-25-under-25-frederik-gauthier-maple-leafs-roster-maple-leafs-centres/) | by elseldo Nick Robertson has earned his way to Team USA’s top line in the WJSS, and he’s showing off some bulldog mentality but also some sliiiiiick moves. > Here's some Nick Robertson PK action from the first (#14 white) [pic.twitter.com/XHSAiQN7qI](https://t.co/XHSAiQN7qI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/KPapetti/status/1156321606056239104?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Tyson Barrie is currently leading the league in the most important metric of all... Corgi per 60\. [pic.twitter.com/pxYWLK4rvP](https://t.co/pxYWLK4rvP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Alyssa (@alyssastweeting) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/alyssastweeting/status/1156031746577555458?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sigh... guess we’ll touch on some Marner related stuff. > The following NHL RFA's are still unsigned: > > Patrik Laine > Zach Werenski > Kyle Connor > Matthew Tkachuk > Mitch Marner > Ivan Provorov > Mikko Rantanen > Kevin Fiala > Charlie McAvoy > Travis Konecny > Brock Boeser > Brayden Point > > Certainly never seen anything like this before heading into August > > — Dan Silver (@dsilver88) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/dsilver88/status/1156225575540973568?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## AROUND THE NHL There was some big news around the league. First, the Sens and Lightning swung a trade: > Ryan Callahan was traded to the Senators with a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Lightning on Tuesday for goalie Mike Condon and a sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft [https://t.co/YAKRoVbIst](https://t.co/YAKRoVbIst?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/NHLdotcom/status/1156230266907742209?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Then, Wild GM Paul Fenton was fired after barely more than one season. > In a nutshell, here’s why Paul Fenton was fired as [#mnwild](https://twitter.com/hashtag/mnwild?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) GM [pic.twitter.com/SIcHuu1lgO](https://t.co/SIcHuu1lgO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/RussoHockey/status/1156306406703865856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Have to think there will be more than one contender, but word is MIN has already reached out for permission to speak to Ron Hextall for newly vacant GM position. > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1156279926317862917?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Lesser news: > Forward Chris Kunitz announced his retirement following 15 seasons in the [@NHL](https://twitter.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Congrats on an incredible playing career Kuni! > > Kunitz now joins the Blackhawks hockey ops department as Player Development Adviser, assisting Chicago's coaching staff as well as the [@goicehogs](https://twitter.com/goicehogs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) staff! [pic.twitter.com/PyypVzb469](https://t.co/PyypVzb469?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1156172580182745088?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yeah, cause the IsLOLeanders are so deep on skilled forwards... > Very much after the fact, of course... my understanding is [#Isles](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) were in the mix for Gusev but weren't so hot on the contract ask. > > — Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) [July 30, 2019](https://twitter.com/StapeAthletic/status/1156299827048853506?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Rozner: Whatever happened to Peggy Kusinski?](https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20190729/rozner-whatever-happened-to-peggy-kusinski?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | by Daily Herald