Jets & Leafs: Tanking for Top Prospects

0:00It's March 19th for the NHL. Let's get into it. Follow and subscribe for more team news every day. Last year, the Winnipeg Jets led the entire National Hockey League standings, while the Toronto Maple Leafs owned the Atlantic Division, fast-forward to now, and both squads are stumbling badly. Toronto ranks 14th in the East, and Winnipeg sits 12th in the West, far from playoff contention. A decade ago, these same teams hit rock bottom and landed prime draft spots that changed everything. The Leafs grabbed Austin Matthews' first overall in the 2016 draft, sparking years of postseason runs. Winnipeg took Patrick Lane's second, fueling a conference final appearance before trades netted steady contributors like Gabriel Velardi. Fans and experts are pushing both clubs to lean into the slump and tank for top prospects. Recent points from a three-game stretch actually hurt their lottery chances. Teams like the Boston Bruins did just that last season, trading vets to drop low, snagging

1:01a high pick, and now they're back in the mix. Meanwhile, the Leafs face extra pressure with their first rounder O to Boston, unless it falls in the top five. Their eight points clear of third-last, leaving little margin for more wins. The Jets trailed by five points in their chase for the bottom. Losing losses now could land talents like Gavin McKenna and rebuild for the long haul, much like that pivotal draft class did before. Quick thanks to today's sponsor, see the description for more. A pillow that plays your podcasts, music, or white noise privately, no earbuds required, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.