In 2023, the Leafs drafted three times: in rounds one, five, and six. The Leafs entered this weekend with just three picks in 2025 (in rounds five, six, and seven). That is simply not going to cut it if they want to sustain a winning program (to say nothing of expending all of those picks and winning exactly nothing for it so far).
When the 23rd pick rolled around and attractive prospects like Stian Solberg and Cole Beaudoin were still on the board, it sucked to trade down, but the reality of the situation is that the Leafs needed to be prudent.