It鈥檚 been a long time since the Maple Leafs had a bona fide No. 1 centre.
But Auston Matthews 鈥 the hockey prodigy from Arizona 鈥 would appear to be on his way thanks to the drop of four numbered ping pong balls in Saturday鈥檚 NHL draft lottery.
Ironically, it was No. 13 鈥 the number of Mats Sundin, the team鈥檚 last No. 1 centre 鈥 that dropped to give the Leafs the pick, following 6, 5 and 8 out of the chute to give the team鈥檚 rebuilding plan the boost it so desperately needed.
Matthews, who grew up a Coyotes fan, has been the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2016 draft for more than two seasons, a star with the U.S. development program and this year playing with men in the Swiss Elite league.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a player that has played a lead role his whole life . . . he has good size, he plays centre,鈥 said Leafs president Brendan Shanahan. 鈥淚 feel like he can score from the perimeter but also has a knack for going for the net and banging in some garbage goals as well.鈥
No one is saying officially the Leafs will take Matthews and that won鈥檛 be confirmed until the June 24 draft in Buffalo.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited,鈥 said Matthews, fighting sleep in Helsinki where he was in training for the world championships. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a ways away. There鈥檚 a lot of work to do. The opportunity to be drafted and make an NHL team in the fall is really exciting.鈥
Shanahan certainly hinted at it.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to pick the player we think is best,鈥 said Shanahan. 鈥淲e have a good idea who that player is. We鈥檒l discuss it as a group, confirm some of the things we think. I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any need to reveal it now. I鈥檒l just say our scouts were very pleased.鈥
Winning the lottery may be the franchise鈥檚 single biggest victory since its 1967 Stanley Cup, an opportunity to get a franchise player without 鈥 as it has done many times before 鈥 having to trade for him.
Matthews, if selected, would rocket to the top of the Maple Leafs鈥 prospects chart, joining William Nylander, who proved his NHL worth and remains a top player with the Marlies, and Mitch Marner, last year鈥檚 fourth overall pick who is dominating the OHL playoffs with the London Knights.
Matthews will also evoke memories of Wendel Clark. The future captain was taken first overall in 1985 鈥 the only other No. 1 overall pick in the team鈥檚 history since the introduction of the universal draft.
Star Poll: Leafs win first pick
Shanahan moved quickly to say whoever the Leafs choose would be only one piece of the puzzle and not the franchise鈥檚 saviour.
鈥淭his is a team game, we play a team style,鈥 said Shanahan. 鈥淭he more players you can get of a high caliber, that鈥檚 a good thing. We also recognize at this stage whoever is coming in is going to be a young person, a rookie, and not going to have the weight of the world thrust on his shoulders, this is not going to be a saviour. That鈥檚 not the way the game is played.鈥
Shanahan sweated out the results that saw Winnipeg win the No. 2 pick and Columbus third. He brought no lucky charms with him as he did last year, when he failed to move from fourth overall.
鈥淚 had a few things last year, I was all decked out,鈥 said Shanahan. 鈥淚 just made the decision to throw on some clothes and come to the lottery.鈥
When the dust settled, the Oilers dropped from second to fourth; the Canucks moved from third to fifth; the Flames slid from fifth to sixth.
This was the first year a lottery was used to determine the first three picks. Last year, the Edmonton Oilers moved from the third overall position to first overall, passing Buffalo and Arizona for the right to choose Connor McDavid.
Since the lottery was introduced in 1995 鈥 and it has taken different forms 鈥 only five first overall picks went on to earn rookie of the year honours, and only four have won the Stanley Cup.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation