Should the Leafs trade down in the 2025 NHL Draft?

Accruing draft capital in the modern NHL is often a non-linear exercise and for contending teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the future doesn’t matter in a win-now window, all that matters is the present. This philosophy afforded the Maple Leafs to take calculated risks at the past three trade deadlines, where they mortgaged parts of the future for players that contribute at the NHL level. It hasn’t resulted in a Stanley Cup victory, so it could be viewed as a flawed approach, as the Maple Leafs will have to wait until the last pick of the second round (No. 64, via Florida) to make their first selection of the 2025 NHL Draft.

There is real value to be found in the second round of this year’s draft, where the Maple Leafs could target a defenceman like USA Hockey National Development Team Program (USNTDP) blueliners Carter Amico or Charlie Trethewey, or a future power play quarterback in Chicoutimi Sagueneens defender Alex Huang or Carlos Handel of the Halifax Mooseheads. And perhaps with limited draft capital, the Maple Leafs should be encouraged to trade down, taking on a dartboard approach best exemplified by some of the premier NFL teams.

While it’s alluring for the Maple Leafs to potentially trade up to select a first-round talent that slipped into the second round, that meets the characteristics and traits director of amateur scouting Mark Leach and general manager Brad Treliving are looking for, it may be better to maximize the ‘lottery ticket’ approach. Toronto holds the No. 64, 86, 137, 153, 185 and 217 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft and rather than be married to the No. 64 spot, it could trade down for two picks within the top 100, during a year where consensus erodes after the No. 25 pick.