After a franchise-altering draft lottery win, John Chayka and Mats Sundin discussed the meaning of drafting first overall, prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, and how this might change the franchise’s direction going forward.
What was your initial reaction when you saw the result?
Chayka: Just very excited for the organization and fan base. It is a meaningful step. Just elated.
How would you sum up what it means to the team?
Chayka: Well, you need some luck. We got it tonight. It is a long road ahead, of course. There is a lot of work to do still. But when you get a first-overall pick, it is a monumental type of opportunity.
I think it is a really good draft with a lot of good players. It is an honour to pick #1 overall.
This is very new, but how does it change your plan, if anything? What does it do to change the trajectory?
Chayka: You don’t know what is going to occur in these types of situations, but you know you need some luck. And it happened.
I don’t think it changes the vision or strategy, but certainly, when these things happen, it can change course and timelines, etc.
It is not something that will change how we think about things. It is a fortuitous bounce.
Gavin McKenna could be a franchise-altering player. What do you know about him and the potential of what McKenna could bring to the organization, if you go that route?
Chayka: Exciting player. I’ve tracked him for a number of years now. The skill level, the creativity, the puck abilities, and the shot and release are all pretty special. It is a good package. It will be good to get with the scouts and talk through it all, but I know there is a lot of passion for a lot of the players, including Gavin.
Is there a lot of homework to be done on the top few guys, or do you walk out of here having a fairly good idea of what you’ll do on June 26?
Chayka: The nice part is that I can answer honestly. We haven’t had scouting meetings yet. It is the second day on the job. We’ll get together and go through everything, as we should, and be super diligent and make sure we know everything.
There is always a lot of diligence when you are drafting first overall to make sure you nail it.
It is not necessarily about first-overall, but when it comes to your draft strategy, do you believe in best player available? Do you stress hockey sense? Do you like to trade up or down? How do you approach each pick?
Chayka: Good question. Different situations call for different things. We all want the smartest, fastest, most skilled, best scorer you can get. But when you are trading things off, I certainly prefer to value hockey sense and competitiveness. When you are this high in the draft, the skill level will be strong across the board and always highly valued.
In terms of trading up or down, my history shows I’ve done both. I think it just matters how things fall, how you value the players, what the opportunities are, and what teams are willing to offer, candidly.
I am always open to everything, but I think, when you get a chance to draft first overall, it is obviously a special opportunity, too.
Mats, there has been a lot of talk about Gavin McKenna in these parts over the last year. Another kid who seems to be really well thought of is someone who played not far from you in Sweden, Ivar Stenberg. What do you know about him? What has impressed you about his play this year?
Sundin: I think it is a strong draft. The first round is very strong.
Ivar has had a strong season, including the World Junior championships. It is going to be really great to follow them, including probably in the World Championships this year, in a week’s time.
Yeah, it is a strong draft. It will be interesting to look at these players now, knowing it is a first-overall pick. A lot of work ahead for us.
Mats, you know what the pressure is like from having played in the organization. Some might look at the first-overall pick as some kind of saviour. How will you help the kid manage the expectations he’ll have for himself, what the team will have for him, and what the fan base will expect?
Sundin: The Toronto Maple Leafs, in my opinion, are the greatest hockey franchise in the world. It is definitely the greatest fan base with support not only in Ontario and Toronto but across North America. It is a great opportunity for whoever is going to be first overall to come in and represent the Toronto Maple Leafs. Whoever it is going to be is going to enjoy it.
