The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won anything of substance in more than a decade so coming out on top in the 2016 NHL Draft Lottery was cause for celebration.
The Maple Leafs now have the right to select American centre Auston Matthews, the consensus top prospect in hockey, at the draft on June 24 and hockey fans reacted accordingly on Twitter.
The consensus No. 2 prospect in this draft class is Patrik Laine. If the Maple Leafs do in fact pick Matthews then the Winnipeg Jets will be able to select the Finnish winger. The Jets climbed from No. 6 to No. 2 making the biggest leap of any non-playoff team.
The Edmonton Oilers have held the No. 1 pick in four of the last six years, so there was little sympathy for that franchise when it was revealed they’ll pick fourth in 2016.