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Dubas, Maple Leafs need to turn slim draft pickings into value

Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas will no doubt be busy at the 2022 NHL Draft as he seeks to add value to the Leafs roster, despite only have three total picks, as he did in 2021.

Video Transcript

- Well, as far as the Leafs goes, our pick totals this year is a lucky number three. So there's not much to pay attention to, you know. And again, usually, Dubas does this thing of trading down to get more selections. But I think when it comes down to this organization, I think we need to add more next ones, you know, after, like, Matthews, which is obviously a can't miss, the first overall generational player.

But, like, I think what I've noticed, what I've been noticing specifically is that when it comes down to teams and their willingness to make deals at the deadline-- and again, that's why I'm so, like, admiring what Colorado has done and teams like Tampa as well, is that they don't hesitate to trade picks and picks and stuff because they have next up and coming prospects they can just throw into the system and they immediately become contributing players, Ross Colton just recently.

So I think what I'm looking forward to for the Leafs is whether one of the prospects that they've already drafted, whether they can kind of, you know, improve to that and what they can add in this year. And, you know, Dubas has actually done a pretty good job in adding some, like, you know, admirable prospects outside of the first round. So I think that's what I'll be interested to see, what he can do with that third round pick if that seventh round pick doesn't turn into anything, or if he ends up trading down to maybe get into the second round because, yeah, I think, like, a lot of us are like--

Well, what the big conversation is ahead of this draft is that it kind of is a lot more magic beans than usual, where you might be able to find some, like, good players kind of here and out, not necessarily in the first round. So I just want to see who they add because either one, they can end up being contributors for the team when you need some nice entry-level players to fill out parts of the roster.

Or if, you know, the trade deadline comes around 2023 and you need to make-- you need to make a deal, maybe you can get some enticing players to kind of package in a trade or something. So yeah. So it will be a very long day two [LAUGHS] for at least fans, assuming-- depending on how things go.