Toronto's draft stock improves thanks to Chicago win

Maple Leafs fans did have a rooting interest in these playoffs -- they had to hope the Blackhawks would beat the Predators in order to improve Toronto's standing in this year's draft. Although the first half of the NHL draft order was determined on April 18, the remaining spots are determined by how the playoff teams do in the postseason.

Toronto acquired a first-round draft pick from Nashville in a Feb. 15 trade with the Predators. Because Nashville lost in the first round of the playoffs, their draft pick will fall somewhere in the high teens or low 20s instead of later in the draft's first round.

As Kenneth Lam of The Hockey Writers pointed out, this makes some highly touted prospects more accessible to the Leafs.

"Looking at the pool of highly-talented prospects that are available in the upcoming 2015 draft, the Maple Leafs, if they wish to stockpile centres (seeing that the team badly needs elite-level prospects in this key position), would now potentially be able to target the likes of Travis Konecny and/or Joel Eriksson Ek with their second 1st-round selection that is acquired from Nashville earlier, an improbable scenario if the club were to select in the late 20s," Lam wrote.

The 18-year-old Konecny had 68 points in 60 games this season with the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67s. Joel Eriksson Ek, a Swedish prospect, was ranked fourth overall among European skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Service.

(h/t The Hockey Writers)

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