Centres, centres, centres!! The Leafs need them and they continually fail to draft and develop their own. Since the beginning of this rebuild, which we’ll mark as the William Nylander draft in 2014, for arguments sake, the Leafs have had one of their own draft picks play at the centre position for 837 regular season NHL games. Auston Matthews accounts for 629 of those games, while Pontus Holmberg, who isn’t a full time centre, makes up for another 159. That leaves a paltry 49 regular season games played by centres that the Leafs chose in the NHL entry draft since 2014. Those 49 games are split between 4 more players and none have dressed for more than 19 games. Those 4 players, to scratch the itch that is your curiosity, listed from most to least amount of games played are Fraser Minten, Adam Brooks, Nick Abruzzese and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev.
11 total draft years + 79 total players drafted + 6 centres that dressed for the team + 2 centres that are still part of the NHL roster = 1 sad excuse for building your forward group from the middle out, which is the standard by which winning teams draw up their plans.
At any point in any draft you should take the best player available. However, if there’s any debate about which player is the better pick when the Leafs step up to the mic and one of them is a centre, they should absolutely draft in favour of the centre. On top of that, when you’re picking at #64, which is where I expect the Leafs to pick, there should always be a debate about which player should be at the top of your list. With that in mind, I’ll probably list more centres in this article than wingers, but I’ll try not to be too biased based on position.
Ethan Czata
Position: Centre
Age: 18
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 175lbs
Junior Team: Niagara IceDogs, OHL
Ethan Czata is an all around, two-way forward that could be a very strong 3C for a team down the road. He isn’t the biggest or strongest player, but he’s more than willing to engage in physical battles and outworks the opposition for pucks. When he wins those battles he uses his above average vision to make plays, but needs to work on his passing skills in order for those plays to connect more often. His shot is solid, as is his skating and shiftiness. He’s also a strong defensive forward who draws in on the penalty kill, as he has a knack for closing off passing lanes and shutting down the oppositions offense before it starts. He plays an emotional type of game, which some view as a negative as he can get into penalty trouble at times. If he can manage to stay disciplined, then having a player with an engine like his that wears his heart on his sleeve would be fantastic if he can make the NHL. I wonder, is the Brampton native a fan of the Blue and White? It’s possible that Czata slips to the late 3rd or even the 4th round, but if the Leafs want to secure his services they may reach for him in the late 2nd.
Luca Romano
Position: Centre, Right Wing
Age: Will turn 18 two days before the draft
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 177lbs
Junior Team: Kitchener Rangers
Romano is a boom or bust prospect in my opinion. His offensive skills are high, as he plays a fast and highly competitive game. He’s not just an offense first player though, as he is more than willing to backcheck and help out in the defensive zone. The real issue with Romano is his lack of strength and ability to fight through hard checking opponents to keep plays alive. He needs to work on his faceoffs as well, which could make him more of a winger at higher levels, but even as a winger he’ll need to get stronger along the walls. The ceiling for Romano if high, as he could be a strong, two-way 2C at the NHL level, but if he doesn’t hit his ceiling it’s possible that a lot of teams will view him as an inappropriate fit in a bottom 6 role. With his work ethic and compete level, I wouldn’t be the one to bet against the Toronto native from hitting his ceiling.
Conrad Fondrk
Position: Centre
Age: 18
Height: 6′
Weight: 195lbs
Junior Team: U.S. National U18 Team, NTDP
Conrad Fondrk is another player that has great work ethic and brings an energetic game to the ice. He’s also a leader on his teams and is an efficient 200 foot player. He plays a power forward type of game, where he uses his strength to protect the puck and push his way to the net, but if he wants to do that as he moves on to higher levels he’ll have to pack on weight and strength to his 6′ frame. He’s an all situations player, with coaches trusting him on the penalty kill and powerplay. His shot is hard, but he could work on his accuracy and playmaking. The real knock on Conrad is that no one thing he does stands out. He has a hard shot, but not an accurate one. He has good vision but isn’t an elite playmaker or passer. He plays a power forward game but will that translate to the NHL, considering his size? He skates well but isn’t the fastest player and he needs a little time to get to top speed. With a little work and if he finds a niche, there’s nothing stopping him from making the NHL.
Gustav Hillstrom
Position: Centre
Age: 18
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 176lbs
Junior Team: Brynas IF J20, J20 Nationelle; Brynas, SHL
Gustav Hillstrom would be very high on my list if I were the one making the pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 27th. His floor is high and his ceiling is also pretty far up. He produced 16 goals and 38 points in 43 games in Sweden’s J20 league this season, but he also dressed for 18 games in the SHL, where he scored 1 goal and 2pts. His point totals aren’t something that will fly off the page at you, but for a kid that only turned 18 in January to play in the SHL, it’s a very positive sign. Hillstrom’s floor is high due to his elite defensive game. He’s a strong faceoff man, a top end penalty killer, a willing back checker and the first player to cover for his defenders in the offensive zone. He plays the type of game that coaches trust and at the very least he should end up as a 4th line centre in the NHL that can be used extensively on the penalty kill and be a strong player in match up games. The downside here is that his offensive game needs to develop. He doesn’t shoot the puck enough, nor does he get it into the right position enough to let shots go. Despite his 6’2″ frame, he isn’t a physical player in terms of laying the body, so he’ll have to work on becoming more engaged that way. The positive is that, based on his defensive play alone, coaches will continue to trust him with a lot of minutes, so he’ll have plenty of time on ice to work on his shortcomings.
Hayden Paupanekis
Position: C/RW
Age: 18
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 200lbs
Junior Team: Spokane Chiefs before being traded to the Kelowna Rockets, WHL
Paupanekis is a prototypical power forward. He uses his size to protect pucks and push his way to the net and when he gets there his hands are soft enough to make small moves before burying the puck. He’s a defensively responsible player that skates well for his size, but he could still use to improve his first few steps. When he does get moving he’s very tough to contain, as he imposes his will on defending players through his strength and ability to drive the net. He does need to drive the net more often, as that’s where his offense is generally created. He’ll likely always score more goals than produce assists, as is evidenced by his 11 goals and 19pts in 32 games for Kelowna after the trade this year. Due to his physical brand of hockey, his net-front play and his defensive acumen, it’s easy to project Paupanekis as a 3C, penalty killing centre in the NHL, or as part of a defense-first energy line.
Tyler Hopkins
Position: Centre
Age: 18
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 180lbs
Junior Team: Kingston Frontenacs, OHL
Hopkins has been raising his draft stock all season long, as his offensive game exploded this year. With 20 goals and 51pts in 67 games, which counts as a 38pt jump from his rookie season in the OHL, Hopkins has been turning heads. His strong points are his defensive game, attention to detail, solid forechecking, work ethic, quick release and high hockey IQ. The criticisms include his lack of physical play considering his size and there are questions about his offensive upside at higher levels. While you never know how a players offensive game will develop, it’s never a bad idea to take a flyer on a responsible centre that is a solid forechecker.
Mason West
Position: Right Wing
Age: 18
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 215lbs
Junior Team: Edina High School followed by 10 games for Fargo Force, USHL
Mason West is a mix of skill and power and a player who, if he can bring it all together, will be extremely difficult for defenders to handle if he makes the NHL. He has good hands, is adept at making passing plays and knows how to use his size very well to protect pucks and ward off defenders. He’s aggressive on the forecheck, where he uses his reach, speed and size to close in on defenders quickly and create turnovers. He doesn’t throw his body around enough, but instead uses it to lean on the opposition and bully his way around the ice. West is a very raw prospect, so the team that drafts him should be prepared to wait a few years before expecting him to push for an NHL job, but the upside here is huge, as he could turn into a skilled, top 6 power forward if he hits his ceiling. Where he’ll go on draft day is a big question. Don’t be surprised if he is off the board long before the Leafs get a chance to pick, but some have him sliding to the 3rd round.
Nathan Behm
Position: Right Wing
Age: 18
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 200lbs
Junior Team: Kamloops Blazers
Nathan Behm would have been a 1st round pick if he had played the way he did at the start of the season throughout the year. He flew out of the gate with 22pts in 13 games, which would have been a 100pt pace over the 59 games he ended up playing. His final totals were 31 goals and 66pts in 59 games played however, which brought his intensity, consistency and work ethic into question. So far we’ve mostly covered players that have a high engine but lack top end skill, Behm represents the opposite side of that coin. With all the skill you could ever want, he seemingly can’t find a high enough effort level from night to night in order to take full advantage of it. At 6’2″ and 200lbs, Behm already has NHL size and strength and while he isn’t the fastest skater, you’d rank his overall skating as being above average as he displays good edges and elusiveness. He has the ability to protect the puck and is efficient in front of the net when he decides to go there. Lastly, he shows flashes of solid defensive play but once again, he doesn’t engage in the defensive zone enough to give teams the confidence to say that he’d be useful in a defensive role. If Behm reads the criticisms lobbied his way and decides to turn up the dial and leave it turned up, he’ll be a massive steal for whatever team takes him in this years draft.