Leafs GM Chastised as Crazy 2013-07-14 TORONTO- Maple Leafs General Manager Ron Dubin managed to turn 7 draft picks into 10 at the 2013 MRFHL Entry Draft, but went against the team needs and still drafted 6 more defencemen. The team is now loaded on the back end, led by Griffin Reinhart, Joe Morrow and newly drafted Nikita Zadorov, though they did draft winger Valeri Nichuskin at 6th overall. The Leafs also drafted blueliners Madison Bowey, Kevin Gravel, Nikita Nesterov, Brenden Kichton and Mattias Backman. The team has a glaring lack of depth up front, with Nichuskin being the only elite talent. They did however deepen down the middle by drafting Michael Sgarbossa and Jacob De La Rose, as well as goaltender Laurent Brossoit. Conventional wisdom tells us that they came up short in this draft by not addressing organizational needs, but Dubin thinks otherwise. "We had a plan, and we executed this plan. I am happy with this draft as it does address depth, as well as the future of the Leafs." Dubin said shortly after the draft had concluded. He was the busiest GM at the draft, swinging four trades today, most involving draft picks, but also adding winger Craig Cunningham and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. "Everyone expected us to go balls deep in forwards, but when our picks came up, my scouts and myself agreed that the defenceman was the best choice." Though an elite forward prospect does help, the leafs need to augment the forward corps somehow. Stay tuned as this unfolds.
