5 ways Maple Leafs winning NHL Draft Lottery will save franchise
By Leah Smith
The Maple Leafs officially hold the number one pick, but will it turn the franchise around?
This season for the Toronto Maple Leafs has been all about rebuilding and landing the first overall pick is a massive step in the right direction.
After a horrible 2014-2015 season, the Leafs new front office led by President Brendan Shanahan, committed to a complete rebuild. Something that has never really been done in Toronto before.
Over the offseason, Shanahan brought in big names behind the bench and in the front office. The Leafs hired head coach Mike Babcock and General Manager Lou Lamoriello, but the talent on the ice remained largely unchanged.
But there was a plan in place, there would be pain this year and the payoff of a high draft pick.
Only there were new draft lottery rules that made finishing last less of a certainty to pick first. Given the Leafs’ luck, the fans were bracing for Toronto falling to fourth overall.
Instead, the Leafs win the lottery, and will most likely draft Auston Matthews. He will join a promising group of young prospects, and a front office that does what it is doing.
The “Shana-Plan” seems to be right on track and getting the first overall pick will only help save the Maple Leafs.
Next: 5. A true number one center