"Ten years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were in the midst of the Great Tank. The Shanaplan was just underway, and, well, the goal was to land the first-overall pick. Everything went according to plan, with the Leafs getting the top pick. It had been the first time since 1985 that Toronto had the number-one selection. Leading up to the draft, there was some talk about the Maple Leafs picking a Finnish prospect over the consensus number-one pick, Auston Matthews."
"A decade later, and that debate has long since been settled. Matthews became a superstar, while Laine has had a tough time staying productive. He's in the final year of his current contract and potentially looking at a trade deadline deal. That situation behooves the question: Should the Maple Leafs look into joining the first two picks of the 2016 NHL Draft? Yes, Laine comes with a substantial cap hit. But the Leafs could get some relief with Chris Tanev and Dakota Joshua hitting LTIR."
Ten years ago the Toronto Maple Leafs executed a rebuild aimed at securing the first-overall pick, ultimately selecting Auston Matthews. The Winnipeg Jets selected Patrik Laine second, sparking debate about relative upside. Matthews became a superstar while Laine struggled to maintain productivity. Laine is in the final year of his contract and could be traded at the deadline. The Leafs could pursue Laine despite his significant cap hit because LTIR relief from Chris Tanev and Dakota Joshua might provide flexibility. Laine offers potential bottom-six scoring and power-play value if healthy, and at low cost could be a reasonable gamble.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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