The NHL trade deadline is right around the corner, and eyes are on the Toronto Maple Leafs to see if they’re going to commit to a playoff push or hold on to their picks. Regardless of what they should do, it’s important to scope out potential targets for their third-round-and-later picks in this year’s draft. Past their first-round pick, the Maple Leafs have the New York Islanders’ third-rounder, their own fourth-round pick, and three fifth-rounders. They have three picks across the last two rounds as well, but the likelihood of meaningful players slipping down to the sixth and seventh rounds is slim to none, though there is always someone who does.
Carson Wetsch
Carson Wetsch has the potential to be the exact type of player that the Maple Leafs have sought after for years but haven’t quite gotten the right one — a skilled, gritty forward who has the potential to be a solid middle-six contributor down the line. He’s got a big, 6-foot-2 frame and has already filled out a tad at 187 pounds. In a couple of years, that frame will only be more filled out, and he’ll only be stronger on and away from the puck. He’s currently fifth on his WHL team — the Calgary Hitmen — in points, with 40 in 55 games.
As a power forward, Wetsch is unafraid to partake in the physical aspect of hockey, constantly lowering his shoulder and bracing for impact when he’s cycling on offense. He’s a solid net-front presence and has good hands in-tight to the crease. His shot is above average, his playmaking is underrated, and he’s got a sort of incessant motor that he doesn’t shut off. He struggles on the back end, as many of these later-round forwards do, and has some struggles with discipline, but he can be taught both of those things in time. He’s worth a flier in the third round.
Harrison Brunicke
My favorite stories on draft day usually include someone who was having an impressive year but fell in the draft because of some sort of injury. Many times in these situations, the player’s development is completely unaffected by their injuries or conditions, and the team that drafted them always looks like a genius for doing so. Harrison Brunicke has the potential to be one of those stories. He’s been ranked as highly as a late first-rounder and as lowly as a late third-rounder, even without the injury that will potentially keep him out for the rest of the WHL season. After the injury, he will likely be a third-round selection at the earliest and has the potential to slip down significantly.
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Brunicke, the Johannesburg, South Africa native, is a rangy two-way defenseman who can skate well and has been developing an offensive game to pair with his already sturdy defensive play. Don’t get me wrong, his production in the WHL is abysmal — he’s only put up 21 points in 49 games, which, at this level and for his draft projection, is horrid — but he certainly has the tools that make the uninspiring production a bit head-scratching. A right-shot defenseman is always a coveted prospect, and Brunicke has the makings of a raw but good one. With some shaping up, the potential fourth-or-fifth-rounder could be a gem of a pick.
Mac Swanson
As is the story with many undersized players, I have a feeling that Mac Swanson will drop down much further than his late-third-round, early-fourth-round projection. His production in the USHL is off the charts, having put up 17 goals and 51 total points in 38 games for the Fargo Force, which is good for fifth across the entire league. Among skaters with at least 30 USHL games played, Swanson is fourth in points per game. For those who value the stat, he’s first among all forwards at plus-31. He was on the USHL’s All-Rookie First Team last season and has taken strides this year to improve his game across the board.
Swanson’s best attributes are his patience and vision. At 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, he has to compensate for his tiny frame, and he does so admirably by being aware of everyone and their positions on the ice. He uses his head to make space for himself or his teammates, drawing in defenders out of position with a good power move or fake before dishing them the puck. His shot is average, he doesn’t have blistering straight-line speed or edgework, and he doesn’t care much for using his body on either side of the ice. The lack of physicality tends to lead to weaker defensive impact in a game, but he does have a top-notch brain, and you simply can’t teach hockey IQ. Keep an eye on him in rounds four through six — as I said, he’s likely going to fall past his third-round projection as a byproduct of being small.
Maple Leafs Should Probably Trade Some Picks
With the playoffs inbound in less than 30 games, it’s probably the smarter route for the Maple Leafs to bypass looking at these prospects and trade some of their draft picks — the third and fourth-rounders do still hold decent value — for NHL talent that can help them in their Stanley Cup push. They’ve got their issues as a team for sure, but this is the last year of cap “normality” for the team, with Auston Matthews‘ and William Nylander’s massive raises kicking in next year. There’s going to be a significant cap crunch for Toronto, so it is important that they recognize that this might be the last year to compete while the Core Four is under contract. Trading their picks is a good way of bolstering their depth.
