Maple Leafs mock draft: 3 players the Leafs may target at 23rd overall
With the 2024 NHL Entry Draft just over 5 weeks away, here are some potential targets for the Maple Leafs at #23 overall.
After having hit a homerun in last year's draft when they had the 28th overall selection, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to add to their pipeline that is currently headlined by Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten.
They won't be in line to draft some of the more prominent names like Macklin Celebrini, Cayden Lindstrom, or Tij Iginla, but even in the later parts of the first round, they will have the opportunity to potentially draft players like Jett Luchanko, Henry Mews, or Emil Hemming.
Luchanko stands in at 5'11 and 185 lbs, plays the centre position for the Guelph Storm, and is coming off a season where he scored 20 goals and 74 points in 68 games. Representing Team Canada at the the U18 WJC, he scored 2 goals and 7 points in 7 games. He's not known to be the flashiest player or the most skilled, however he plays in all situations, always makes the right play, and his hockey IQ is revered.
If the Leafs want to draft a defenseman then they could go for Mews, who stands in at 6'0 and 185 lbs and plays the all-important right side. For the Ottawa 67's, Mews scored 15 goals and 61 points in 65 games before tallying 7 points in 7 games at U18 WJC and another 7 points in 5 games for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is an aggressive, puck moving, offensive-minded defenseman who would give the Leafs another right-hand shot option.
The Leafs could also go the European route and draft the 6'2, 200 pound, Emil Hemming, should he still be available. Playing in the Finnish Liiga, he scored 7 goals and 11 points in 40 games, which aren't jaw dropping numbers but he was playing alongside grown competition. Nevertheless when he was slotted into the junior circuits he scored 11 goals and 18 points in 13 games for TPS U20, 9 points in 5 games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 6 points in 5 games at the U18 WJC, and 2 points in 7 games at the World Junior Championships.
The fact of the matter is that at #23, the Leafs are going to get a quality prospect no matter which way they go. However, Wes Clark's penchant for going against the mainstream prospect rankings makes it very hard to zero in on whom the Leafs may target.
| POLL | ||
MAI 20 | 264 ANSWERS Maple Leafs mock draft: 3 players the Leafs may target at 23rd overall Who would you want the Maple Leafs draft if they hold onto the 23rd overall pick? | ||
| Jett Luchanko | 60 | 22.7 % |
| Henry Mews | 67 | 25.4 % |
| Emil Hemming | 53 | 20.1 % |
| Other | 84 | 31.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
