In 1989 The Leafs eyes were all focused on a single team: The Belleville Bulls.
Drafting is hard.
When you aren't constantly winning lotteries you need top scouts on the road all year long gathering information about draft eligible players from the moment they step into the junior leagues. The first round pick is the most important a team has; unless you're the Red Wings, when it's the 7th round pick. While the top rated prospects are taken with the first few selections, any first round pick will usually lead to a roster player down the line.