Overview
- The Maple Leafs, who had 8.5% odds, won Tuesday’s lottery to jump from fifth to first and secure the top pick.
- GM John Chayka called the result a monumental opportunity and said scouting meetings will guide whether projected No. 1 Gavin McKenna is the pick.
- Most mock drafts point to Penn State winger McKenna, though Ivar Stenberg of Sweden and top defense prospect options remain under review.
- The outcome reopens Toronto’s offseason map, with scenarios ranging from drafting and retooling the blue line to considering blockbuster trades of core pieces or even the pick itself.
- The club must navigate reported uncertainty around Auston Matthews’ future and an open dispute over its 2027 first-round pick as the first round convenes June 26 in Buffalo.