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2018 NHL Draft: Toronto Maple Leafs full seven-round mock draft

By Jeremy Lambert

ST CATHARINES, ON - NOVEMBER 25: Ryan McLeod #91 of the Mississauga Steelheads skates during an OHL game against the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre on November 25, 2017 in St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
ST CATHARINES, ON - NOVEMBER 25: Ryan McLeod #91 of the Mississauga Steelheads skates during an OHL game against the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre on November 25, 2017 in St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 04: Ottawa 67’s Defenceman Kevin Bahl (88) follows the play during Ontario Hockey League action between the London Knights and Ottawa 67’s on March 4, 2018, at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 04: Ottawa 67’s Defenceman Kevin Bahl (88) follows the play during Ontario Hockey League action between the London Knights and Ottawa 67’s on March 4, 2018, at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Second Round – No. 52: Kevin Bahl (D)

The Leafs will pick five spots higher thanks to the Roman Polak trade. Assuming the Leafs get their center in the first round, they’ll likely be looking for a defenseman in the second round. This draft is full of players at both positions.

Bahl is a towering six-foot-six and 231 pounds. He finished with 18 points in 58 games in the OHL last season. He’s never going to be an offensive-minded defenseman, so his point total won’t mean much. What he does well is get the puck out of the zone and keeps things simple. Simple plays are often the best players and Bahl will rarely get in trouble for making things more difficult with the puck.

Defensive is where Bahl shines. He’s an excellent skater with a long reach, making it tough for forwards to get by him. He’s fundamentally sound and rarely caught out of position on the defensive end. He’s not going to lay monster hits on opponents, but he will rough them up in front of the net and along the boards.

He’ll take some time to adjust to the NHL level, but that’s common for young defenders. Once he gets used to the speed and size of NHL players, he has the potential to be a shutdown defender. He already has the height and reach that sets him apart from other blueliners in the draft. Throw in his skating and teams will forgive his offensive shortcomings for his defensive prowess.

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