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.
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
POLL | ||
15 JUIN | 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 |