With just two games remaining in what once appeared a promising season, there is a strong possibility that the Maple Leafs could play themselves out of the NHL draft lottery.
If the season ended today, the Leafs would finish as the fifth worst team but would still have a shot at the first overall pick as the lottery winner can move up a maximum of four slots.
Here is a look at the draft order as of April 4th-via TSN
RANK TEAM POINTS
1 Columbus Blue Jackets (48.2%) 61
2 Edmonton Oilers (18.8%) 73
3 Montreal Canadiens (14.2%) 75
4 New York Islanders (10.7%) 77
5 Toronto Maple Leafs (8.1%) 78
6 Anaheim Ducks 78
7 Minnesota Wild 79
8 Carolina Hurricanes 80
9 Tampa Bay Lightning 81
10 Winnipeg Jets 83
In typical Maple Leaf fashion, the team gained three out of four points (when the games do not matter) in a home and home series with their divisional rival the Buffalo Sabres.
Had they dropped both games, they would have been tied with the Montreal Canadians and would have just about guaranteed the organization the future star that they desperately lack.
The Leafs will finish with two more meaningless (meaningful) games against Tampa and Montreal. It is imperative that they lose both. If they win both games, then they could pick as low as ninth overall this June.
This season will mark the seventh straight season without playoff hockey. The fans have suffered enough and will undergo further heartache if the organization falls out of the bottom five.
Prediction: Leafs split their final two games and select seventh overall on June 22.
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