Toronto already has at least three, potentially four 7th round picks in the 2020 draft. I wanted to see if I could complete the set to get all 31 picks in that round.
Rules:
1) The team had to be cap-compliant and reasonably competitive in the 2019-2020 season. Maybe not optimal, but adequate at a minimum.
2) Trades had to be at least at the same level of the Gordeev trade. Trading a weak asset not destined for the NHL with the Leafs was alright so long as they had some merit as a prospect or depth player. Would most teams do this sort of trade? Probably not, but I hope most of the assets traded away are at least plausibly worth a 2020 7th. No 7th rounder for Bobylev or another reserve list players who no team would have interest in.
3) No trading away higher-end prospects or gut the depth in 2019-2020 just to make it all work.
On the high end, that meant no trading Sandin, Liljegren, or Bracco just to get an extra 7th. It also meant lower-upside prospects close to the NHL like Marchment or Brooks couldn't be traded either. I also elected to avoid trading any players signed to their first NHL deal this year, because that's kinda a dick move to a new player who just bought into the organization. This did require giving up some decent Marlies players, namely Carcone, Timashov and Lindgren, though all three have pretty unlikely pathways to the NHL at this point in time. I also elected to trade Gauthier to make room for another 4C in Engvall, Petan, or Brooks, all of which I think have higher upside. To make up for this, I've signed a bunch of Growlers I think have some AHL value - the Marlies will be weaker, but not entirely decimated.
4) Trading down picks was allowed, as was exchanging picks to the next year (really couldn't be done without these moves). These sorts of trades happen regularly, though usually not this frequently. I could only trade 2019 picks, however. No pre-emptively trading down in 2020. This all had to be feasible during the 2019 draft itself.
5) We don't know the conditions on the Vesey trade with Edmonton, but I've assumed they're met even though I really, really doubt they will be.
The end result is a full 31-pick round all owned by the Leafs. The 2020 training camp will be a Battle Royale of players desperate to show their value among a massive crowd of generally mediocre prospects. The lone 6th round pick will strut around with a barely-deserved sense of superiority for being drafted just ahead of the rabble of 7th rounders, while being consumed by insecurity about the inevitability of at least one of them separating themselves from the pack and showing him up.
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