Maple Leafs have a chance to draft the next Adam Fox at #23 overall
Photo credit: STEVEN ELLIS/DAILY FACEOFF
Aron Kiviharju is expected to be available when the Maple Leafs pick at number 23 overall, and some are already comparing him to New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox.
Funny enough, Fox was drafted in the third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by Brad Treliving and the Calgary Flames. While he refused to sign with the club, since entering the NHL, Fox has become one of the most dynamic offensive defensemen in the league, winning the Norris Trophy in 2021. Scouts have compared Kiviharju to Fox for his slighter frame at 5'11 and as Daily FaceOff's Steve Ellis noted, Fox is who Kiviharju models his game after.
The left-shot blueliner is not exactly what the Leafs need, and with hard-nosed and hulking right-hander EJ Emery possibly available it would be hard to not fill the need of a right-handed shot. However, as Ellis noted in his piece sometimes taking the best player is the right thing to do.
"In hockey, you're chasing best player available in the draft. When you use a first-round pick drafting for need, that's when you make mistakes that can hurt your long-term future. With Kiviharju, you'd be getting a prospect that likely would have remained in the top 10 conversation had he stayed healthy."
With building a blueline the priority for Brad Treliving and the Leafs, it won't be surprising to see them draft a defenseman in the first round, it's just a matter of which one will they choose.
Source: The Leafs Nation
Why Aron Kiviharju is the right pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2024 NHL Draft
Why Aron Kiviharju is the right pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2024 NHL Draft
| POLL | ||
JUIN 15 | 165 ANSWERS Maple Leafs have a chance to draft the next Adam Fox at #23 overall Who would you prefer the Leafs draft? | ||
| EJ Emery | 56 | 33.9 % |
| Aron Kiviharju | 26 | 15.8 % |
| Stian Solberg | 46 | 27.9 % |
| Other | 37 | 22.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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