The Gavin McKenna draft has finally arrived.
McKenna, the latest can’t-miss kid, is pegged to be the first player chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs when this year’s NHL draft begins Friday in Buffalo.
McKenna has been tagged as the top pick for years, and for good reason. The Canadian product of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, starred as a forward for Penn State, and is a dynamic point-producing left winger. He would fit in nicely for a Maple Leafs team that has been in transition and failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.
He’s not running from that pressure, the spotlight, or the bull’s-eye that comes with it.
“I want to be a villain wherever I go,” McKenna said Thursday in Buffalo, the same site where Toronto drafted Auston Matthews with the No. 1 pick 10 years ago.
The first round of the two-day draft will be Friday, with the subsequent six rounds on Saturday.
While McKenna’s coronation is as much of a sure thing as you can find, the rest of the draft has plenty of storylines.
Most likely, Ivar Stenberg will be chosen second overall, a pick owned by the up-and-coming San Jose Sharks. The Sharks could always use more offensive talent — and Stenberg, who plays left wing, has plenty of it — but it remains possible the second overall pick of the draft is traded. The Sharks, who also own two other first-round selections (ninth and 27th), have been listening to offers that could provide more immediate help.
But it could also come from Stenberg. He comes from Sweden’s best league, where he tallied 33 points in 43 games. Stenberg said he welcomes a chance to play for the Sharks.
“For sure. They have something good going on. It would be a dream,” he said.
The bulk of the rest of the top 10 of the draft is expected to include a strapping center in Caleb Malhotra and a litany of defensemen, with Chase Reid, Alberts Smits, Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff and Daxon Rudolph all potential picks to be tabbed.
Adding a wildcard to the mix is another center, Viggo Bjorck of Sweden. There are no questions about Bjorck’s skill or competitive fire, but his size — 5-foot-9, 180-pounds — leaves him on the small side for a truly impact center.
It would not be a huge leap of faith for any team in the top eight to select Bjorck instead of one of those aforementioned defensemen with top-pairing potential. The intrigue will be which team chooses to veer in that direction.
Just as fascinating as how the draft portion of the days play out will be the wheeling and dealing.
More than one-third of the first-round picks have already been traded and several teams have multiple picks to use for building their long-term roster or as currency for more immediate help.
For example, the Sabres acquired the fourth overall pick from the Chicago Blackhawks and could certainly use it (and/or the 20th pick they own) to add either a standout forward or top-tier goaltender to build on their breakout season.
As well, the St. Louis Blues own four picks in the opening round (No. 11, 15, 16 and 29).
Along with Buffalo, five other teams have multiple first-round selections.
With the salary cap rising to $104 million this coming season, an $8.5-million increase, and a thin crop of free agents in play, plenty of clubs with legitimate Stanley Cup championship hopes — or even a legitimate push to be a playoff team — will be looking at ways to find immediate help. Expect plenty of trades amidst the draft.
–Field Level Media
