It felt like only a matter of time until Kyle Dubas was going to steal Wes Clark from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Pittsburgh Penguins GM has done a good job of reassembling a crew based on familiar faces from his time in Toronto. That didn’t exactly work the first time for him, so it’s a bold move. But Dubas likes having familiar faces around, and we know he and Clark – who served as the director of amateur scouting and director of player personnel for Toronto – are tight.
On the surface, it’s a difficult loss for the Leafs. He’s someone with a lot of respect in the industry. But let’s be clear: Clark’s staff is still with the Maple Leafs. And Toronto’s going to find their next Wes Clark.
It’s no secret that the Leafs have one of the worst prospect pools in the game. But that’s partly by design – this is a team that hasn’t been afraid to trade picks to get help for the playoffs. It’s not Clark’s fault that hasn’t really paid off for the club in any meaningful way; that’s not his job.
Clark’s job was to find quality talent with the resources they had. And for the most part, he hasn’t had much to work with. He had one pick in the top 100 this year, just three picks total last season, and no first-rounders in 2021 and 2022.
With Clark at the helm, the Leafs have had some wins on the draft floor. Fraser Minten was taken 38th overall after the team moved down to trade him in 2022. He’s not expected to be a top-six player, but the fact that he has already played four NHL games and has shown serious potential as a reliable bottom-six option is good. Dennis Hildeby has a chance to be an NHL goaltender after getting drafted as a double overager in the fourth round that same year, and Nikita Grebenkin was one of the best young players in the KHL after going 135th.
The 2023 draft might be the one that cements Clark’s legacy, though. He took a big swing on Easton Cowan, someone most didn’t expect to go until late in the second at best. But Clark was smug about the decision at the time, saying it was the guy they wanted. It was shocking at the time, but after Cowan took home OHL MVP honors this year, it’s already looking like a huge win. The same could be said for Noah Chadwick in the sixth round, someone many think is showing real NHL promise after a big year with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, earning him an entry-level contract early on.
By taking Ben Danford 31st overall this year – again, well above the expected range – it looks like Clark is trying to bank on potential again. Danford’s big OHL playoff run clearly got the Leafs excited, and they decided to choose him instead of another defender with a bit more two-way upside. Early reviews from him during development camp were positive, even if there’s not much you can truly take away from an early July practice slate. Beyond that, the Leafs picked a handful of players that didn’t seem to be on many team’s radars, but taking chances outside of the first round is what can really pay for your franchise, just like Pierre Engvall in the seventh round in 2014 or Leo Komarov in the sixth in 2006. That’s how scouts earn their reputations.
And around the league, people know Clark was willing to make risky picks in hopes of finding legitimate value. Just from 2022 and 2023 alone, it feels like he’s done an excellent job with that.
Will the Leafs miss Clark? Absolutely. But if he had any impact on his team, and they decide to promote from within, they’ll be fine. As an average fan, this isn’t something to worry about, especially in July. Go outside, have some fun, spend time with friends and family. Toronto will be just fine.
Sure, on the surface, Toronto has a weak pipeline. But so does any other team that’s looking to compete each year – Boston, Vegas, Edmonton, Florida, you name it. But when your picks keep getting traded away, there’s only so much you can do. And for the most part, it was easy to appreciate Clark’s bold moves. If even a few payoff, that’s big.
Clark never cared about the consensus. He went after who he, and his team, believed in the most. You can’t knock a guy for that.
