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Mission Accomplished? Leafs grab best 2016 NHL Draft lottery odds

Lou Lamoriello

Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, left, and Lou Lamoriello smile at a news conference to announce Lamoriello has been named the new general manager of the Maple Leafs NHL hockey team in Toronto, Thursday, July 23, 2015. (Galit Rodan/The Canadian Press via AP)

AP

The “Shanaplan” continues to come together for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After getting pummeled in their season finale to the New Jersey Devils, the Maple Leafs “locked down” the final standings spot in the NHL for 2015-16.

This gives them the best odds at getting the top pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, whether that means that the Leafs would grab Auston Matthews or a different high-end prospect.

The Globe & Mail’s James Mirtle spells out what it all means in more detail:

Expect more on draft lottery odds later on, but the bottom line is that the Maple Leafs continue their rebuild in an impressive way (albeit with the cognitive dissonance that comes with absorbing some humbling defeats).

Even Mike Babcock acknowledged the writing on the wall.