Maple Leafs out of the race? Don't forget about top-five pick

Breadcrumb Trail Links

With five Maple Leafs games remaining, we have some thoughts on Peter DeBoer and a potential top-five pick as the season nears an end.

Get the latest from Terry Koshan straight to your inbox Sign Up

Published Apr 06, 2026 • 3 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll, right, is scored on during Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. AP PhotoArticle content

A handful of games remain for the Maple Leafs and then they can get on with their early summer plans.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors

Article content

Following two days of inactivity in the wake of their return from their four-game western trip, the Leafs will return to the ice on Tuesday morning for practice at the Ford Performance Centre.

Article content

Next is a visit from Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Wednesday for their only game in Scotiabank Arena in 2025-26. And, possibly, Ovechkin’s last game in Toronto as his National Hockey League future beyond this season remains unclear.

A couple of Leafs thoughts heading into the week:

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play VideoPETER DEBOER’S DEBUT

The off-season hasn’t started and the Leafs potentially could be lamenting the one that got away.

It seems fitting that in this lost year for Toronto that Peter DeBoer will make his debut behind the New York Islanders bench when the Leafs visit Long Island on Thursday night.

Your Midday Sun

Thanks for signing up!

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Had DeBoer remained in search of a job into May, he undoubtedly would been at the top of the list for any club in need of a new head coach, and that should have included the Leafs, no matter who will be the next general manager.

Instead, in a move that took the NHL off guard, the Islanders on Sunday fired Patrick Roy and snapped up DeBoer. On Monday, DeBoer told media in New York that he and Isles GM Mathieu Darche didn’t really have talks about the job until Sunday morning.

For now, we can only make the assumption that the Leafs and Craig Berube will part ways at some point in the coming weeks. If the Leafs are going to make that move, would it have made sense to do it when Brad Treliving was fired as GM last week and have, perhaps, assistant coach Derek Lalonde run the bench for the final few games?

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said last week that Berube’s future will be determined by the person that replaces Treliving. Still, if Berube figures the writing is on the wall regarding his future, we wonder if he would ask the Leafs to expedite the process, not unlike what Treliving did last week when he became aware he was going to be let go.

With the removal of DeBoer from the list of coaching candidates, the remaining group includes — but isn’t limited to — Bruce Cassidy, Roy, Jay Woodcroft, Gerard Gallant and David Carle.

WHAT ABOUT THE LEAFS’ DRAFT PICK?

The Leafs remain in a race all right and all that really matters now is whether they fall into the bottom five in the NHL standings and retain the 2026 first-round conditional pick that was sent to the Boston Bruins in the Brandon Carlo trade a year ago.

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

The condition, of course, is that the pick is top-five protected. Knowing these Leafs, they’ll play with the general emotion of the fan base until the regular season’s last night before we know whether the Leafs can maintain the pick.

Marlies sign Maple Leafs prospects Tyler Hopkins, Harry Nansi to amateur tryouts

Leafs lose to Kings, new name emerges in Toronto’s GM search

Before games on Monday, the Leafs were in 26th place in the overall NHL standings with 78 points, one up on 27th-place Florida and three ahead of the Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers.

If two of those teams pass the Leafs and none of the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets (78 points each) or San Jose Sharks (79 points) fall below Toronto, the Leafs will have a decision to make with the top-five pick. That’s provided the draft lottery doesn’t throw a monkey wrench into the situation. A team can drop a maximum of two spots in the draft lottery, which will be held on May 5.

Advertisement 6

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Presuming they’ll have no shot at Gavin McKenna, do the Leafs use the pick to select a defenceman — say Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid or Carson Carels? Or a forward such as Viggo Bjorck or Ivar Stenberg?

Or does the new GM think that the pick should be used in a trade to acquire a top-flight defenceman who can make an impact immediately in 2026-27?

If the Leafs do retain their pick, the new GM’s first decision regarding players will help set the team’s course one way or another. It won’t be an easy choice.

If the Leafs stay out of the bottom five, the Bruins will have another avenue for burrowing deep into the psyche of Leafs Nation.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

Article content

Share this article in your social network

Maple Leafs out of the race? Don’t forget about top-five pick

Tags: