Bruce Bennett
The Toronto Maple Leafs cut down on the wheeling and dealing on the second day of the NHL entry draft, choosing instead to stock their cupboard with teenaged prospects.
Thanks to Friday's trade, which saw general manager Brian Burke trade his 30th and 39th picks overall to move up to 22nd in order to draft hard-nosed forward Tyler Biggs, the Leafs did not have a second-round pick. Burke's first pick on Saturday was in the third round, 86th overall, when he took left winger Josh Leivo, who was born in Innisfil, Ont., just north of Toronto.
Next to go was Swedish defenceman Tom Nilsson in the fourth round, 100th overall, followed by centre Tony Cameranesi, who hails from Maple Grove, Minn., at 130th; forward David Broll, who grew up in Mississauga, Ont., at 152nd, and defenceman Dennis Robertson from Brown University went 173rd overall. In the seventh and final round, Burke took goaltender Garret Sparks of the OHL's Guelph Storm and then finished up with defenceman Max Everson, who hails from Burke's hometown of Edina, Minn.
None of these players are expected to be anywhere ready to make the Leafs at training camp this fall.
Burke's only deal of the day was a minor one: he sent the Leafs' sixth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for their sixth-round pick in 2012.
Broll plays for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League and acknowledged his family is made up of diehard Leafs fans, since they live in Mississauga. But Broll hinted he may not have been the keenest Leaf fan of the bunch.
"I guess [the Leafs]are my favourite team right now," he said.
Burke declared the two-day draft a success. He was able to hire former Atlanta Thrashers GM Rick Dudley and trade for Colorado Avalanche defenceman John-Michael Liles just before the draft started on Friday and then finished with nine draft picks.
"I think it was a good day but all 29 other teams will tell you the same thing," he said.
Burke said he still expects to be active at the July 1 deadline for free agents, since he has still not landed the No. 1 centre the Leafs need. He will be taking an interest in the auction for centre Brad Richards and will be exploring trades as well.