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Wednesday, June 20, 2001
Toronto Maple Leafs
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First-round picks: No. 17
2000-01 record: 37-29-11-5, 90 points (tied for 14th overall)
What they need
The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting old in a hurry. With that in mind, the club needs to focus on players at all positions in the upcoming draft. Top priority will be defense, followed by forward and netminding. The club is still in capable hands at all positions, but there is a sharp dropoff after the first six forwards and four defensemen. In addition, goaltender Curtis Joseph is 34 and his backup last season, Glenn Healy, will be 39 in August.
In the system
Center Brad Boyes, the 24th pick overall last year, has scored 30 or more goals in each of the past two seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League. Another OHL prospect the Leafs are counting on is fellow center Kris Vernarsky. The 51st pick last year is bigger (6-feet-3, 201 pounds) than Boyes, but doesn't have the same offensive flair. Rounding out the prospects at forward are centers Luca Cereda (24th overall in 1999) and former Boston College standout Jeff Farkas (57th overall in 1997). Cereda spend last season playing in Switzerland, while Farkas appeared in two games for the Maple Leafs. He'll get a longer look this season.
Another player who will get a long look this September is young rearguard Jonathan Zion (110th overall in '99). Zion has showed some offensive skills playing for Ottawa in the Ontario Hockey League. Another blueliner of note is Peter Reynolds (60th overall in '99). On the goaltending front, Jamie Hodson (69th overall in '98) has the best shot at making the club this fall. Hodson is a product of the Western Hockey League.
Recent draft history
Toronto's recent draft history has been spotty at best. Of the Leafs' last seven first rounders to play in the NHL, only Nikolai Antropov is still in the organization and only one other was playing in the NHL last season (goaltender Eric Fichaud).
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