Toronto Maple Leafs Have Their Eye On This Talented Center Ahead Of The NHL Draft

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S. Harper
June 8, 2023 (7:59)

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Brad Treliving, the new General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, undoubtedly has a full plate. Since taking up his role with the Leafs, he's been working on negotiating deals with key players, as well as head coach Sheldon Keefe. Adding to this workload, the NHL Draft is quickly approaching.

Leafs Looking To Add More Talent To Prospect Pool

While the Leafs already have a strong center lineup, with top prospect Matthew Knies soon to join the ranks, they seem to be setting their sights on another top center, Riley Heidt, from the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars.

Riley Heidt Scouting Report:

"Riley Heidt is an 18-year-old Canadian centerman, currently with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. Standing at 5'11 and weighing 179 pounds, Heidt is slightly below the league average in size.

His biggest asset is his playmaking abilities, a skill set that helped him get drafted just one spot behind Connor Bedard in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. Heidt is a versatile player who can score in multiple ways, particularly excelling on the power play, where he recorded 45% of his points this past season. An agile puck-carrier, Heidt is adept at seizing transitional opportunities, creating space for playmaking. He also brings a scrappy element to his game, unafraid to ramp up physicality and often found at the heart of scrums."

- CentralScouting

NHL Draft Is Unpredictable

The unpredictability of the draft means that Heidt could potentially be picked earlier than his #28 ranking, or another player could drop down, prompting the Leafs to select them instead. However, should Treliving opt to draft Heidt, it seems like he would be a valuable addition to the team.

Source:The Leafs Nation