Toronto Maple Leafs Must Get A Top 5 Pick

By Jeff Zeffer

I’m the same as every hockey fan right now I cannot wait til the 2011/12 playoffs come next week. Though we still have a few great battles to watch in the Eastern and Western Conferences this week. Some of these battles include the Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks being able to hold their ground as 8th seeds. Or will the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche inch their way into the playoffs? We could also see the Los Angeles Kings fall out of the third seed they are currently in.

But as a Toronto Maple Leafs fan I am more-so looking forward to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. But with three games left for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, what I want to see happen is for the Maple Leafs to end with a top five pick in the draft.

Why I say a top five pick and not top seven or top eight pick. Is that there are three forwards that are will likely be drafted in the top 6 or 7 picks and having a top five pick will ensure the Maple Leafs selecting one of these three players. But who are these three players?

Mikhail Grigorenko, a Russian born player, standing at 6′ 3″ and 200lbs, who currently plays for the Quebec Remparts and is slated to be drafted in the top three pick in this year’s draft. Grigorenko is a scoring machine who is nicknamed “The Russian Factor.”

Filip Forsberg is the latest star on the rise in Sweden. At 17, Forsberg was allowed to play ten games for Leksands IF in the Hockey Allsvenskan and he even scored a goal during that time. A season later Forsberg collected 17 points in 43 games in the Leksands IF. Forsberg stands at 6′ 1″ and 175 lbs.

Alex Galchenyuk, 6″ 2″, 185lbs and born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Was selected first overall in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection Draft and ever since then his stats have been out of this world. Alex’s father was a veteran of the Russian Super League. Galchenyuk has been compared to the likes of Marian Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Why I featured three forwards is because I sincerely believe that Brian Burke will draft a forward with his 1st round draft pick, with certainty this year. Even though there are other positions Brian Burke still needs to address.

Rant Sports Toronto Maple Leafs Feature Writer
Look for my weekly blog “NHL Fantasy Hat-Trick” on Five Hole Dive
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