Maple Leafs' 7th-Round Pick Steal: The Hidden Gem Turning Heads in Toronto
Not too often do 7th-round picks make headlines but for the Maple Leafs' prospect Sam McCue, he's taken the OHL by storm and making Brad Treliving look like a genius.
In the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Sam McCue with the 216th overall pick. Not much noise was made around a late selection, although it is surely a moment that McCue will remember forever:
It was a pick that many overlooked, analysts and pundits included. There's no way that a player gone so late could possibly be that good, or produce like a Top 60 player. Well...Sam McCue says otherwise:
McCue is in the Top 10 in goals and is also tied with fellow Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan in points with 16. The comparison to a 1st-round pick is phenomenal and him being able to keep pace and unlock this offensive outburst makes Brad Treliving look clairvoyant.
He also fits the MO of being a big body, standing 6'2, and while he only weighs 187 pounds according to his Hockey Reference page, he's still only recently turned 19, and has more than enough time to add bulk to his frame and become an ever bigger threat.
Not to mention he has no problem showing some edge and grittiness on the ice, something Brad Treliving and Craig Berube appreciate and seek out in their roster construction.
There is no telling where exactly McCue is going to fit with the Maple Leafs once he does arrive, which won't be for a couple of years at least. If he can keep this pace and elevate his game even more then Toronto will have no choice but to take a look at what he can offer their team.
Toronto's future is looking bright, that's for sure. Toronto has quietly built a solid, if unspectacular farm system in recent years. Names like Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, McCue, Noah Chadwick, Jacob Quillan, Cade Webber, Topi Niemala, Ben Danford, Artur Akhtyamov, and many others are going to lead the Maple Leafs' next era of stars.
For now, the best thing for McCue is to keep impressing, and it's a good idea for Toronto to keep tabs on his progression as they may have found the shiniest diamond in the rough.
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