The Toronto Maple Leafs' season took a nosedive before the Olympic break, and their return didn't help matters, as they dropped eight straight games with a 0-6-2 record. It's been a rough ride from start to finish, but if you're looking for a silver lining, there's still a chance they could retain their protected first-round pick.
This pick, currently held by the Boston Bruins due to the Brandon Carlo, Fraser Minten trade, is critical. However, recent wins have made it tougher to hold onto.
The Leafs can't afford to miss out on a top prospect, especially to a divisional rival like the Bruins. Their prospect pool is in dire need of reinforcement.
Sure, Easton Cowan has shown promise, and Ben Danford looks like a future top-four defenseman, but beyond that, the cupboard is pretty bare. Players like Tinus Luc Koblar, Miroslav Holinka, and Tyler Hopkins have potential, but there are still questions.
If the Leafs can keep their first-round pick, they'd benefit from adding top talents like Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels, Chase Reid, or Caleb Malhotra. McKenna's playmaking would be a perfect fit alongside Auston Matthews, while Stenberg brings a pro-ready mindset.
Speed and offensive firepower from the blue line are also needed, making Verhoeff and Reid attractive options. Carels is a versatile defender, and Malhotra offers speed, vision, and a solid two-way game.
Looking back, the Leafs have been burned by the Bruins before. In 2008-09, they finished 24th in the league and picked Nazem Kadri seventh overall.
But a trade for Phil Kessel saw them lose future picks, allowing the Bruins to snag Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton. Those were missed opportunities to bolster a thin prospect pool.
Fast forward to today, and the Leafs find themselves in a similar bind with the Carlo trade. While Carlo was supposed to be a shutdown defenseman, he hasn't quite lived up to those expectations.
The Leafs' 2026 first-round pick is top-five protected, unlike the past picks, but retaining it is still uncertain. GM Brad Treliving tried to negotiate better terms but fell short, leaving the team in a precarious position.
No one expected the Leafs to struggle this much, and now they're hoping for a top-five pick as a consolation. With nine games left, their fate hangs in the balance.
They need losses to improve their lottery odds, with a tight race involving the Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, and Chicago Blackhawks.
The Leafs can't afford to let history repeat itself with the Bruins. Handing them a top prospect would be a significant setback.
Whether it's McKenna, Stenberg, or others, the Leafs need to secure one of these talents to avoid repeating past mistakes. If it were a top-10 pick, players like Tynan Lawrence, Daxon Rudolph, Ethan Belchetz, or Alberts Smits could also be in play.
Losing out on these prospects to the Bruins would be a costly error, especially given the lack of return from Carlo.