Maple Leafs warned about Alex Ovechkin-level NHL Draft mistake
The 2004 draft could be instructive here.
Maple Leafs warned about Alex Ovechkin-level NHL Draft mistake originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Not all draft classes are created equal, which is worth noting before discussing the 2026 NHL Draft choice that the Toronto Maple Leafs have after winning the No.
1 overall pick in the lottery. But one example that could prove instructive is 2004. That's the year the Washington Capitals took Alex Ovechkin with the No.
1 overall pick. The Pittsburgh Penguins got Evgeni Malkin with the second pick. And then the Chicago Blackhawks took Cam Barker, a defenseman who ended up being quite underwhelming.
Some Maple Leafs accounts on social media are pointing out that Toronto certainly needs defensive help, but that reaching on a defenseman could prove costly: "But they need a dman, they should pass on the highly skilled franchise altering winger" Imagine if the Caps did in 2004 what some of y'all want the Leafs to do in 2026 pic. twitter. com/G4ESA6Isdx ā #McKennaMafia (@leafsplswin) May 10, 2026 MORE: The Mitch Marner irony of Auston Matthews' future with the Maple Leafs As that account's name suggest, most Maple Leafs fans want Gavin McKenna.