Maple Leafs select winger Sam McCue with 216th overall pick of 2024 NHL Draft
By Alex Hobson
2 days agoThe Toronto Maple Leafs have selected forward Sam McCue from the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL with the 216th pick of the 2024 NHL Draft.
It was their second of three picks in the seventh round of the draft, selecting defenceman Matt Lahey from the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers at 200th overall and defenceman Nathan Mayes from the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs with the last pick of the draft.
McCue is the younger brother of Max McCue, a prospect for the San Jose Sharks who plays for the OHL’s London Knights. Sam, meanwhile, split this season between the Peterborough Petes and the Owen Sound Attack, tallying 23 goals and 37 points in 68 games.
The Sudbury native has been described as a “glue guy” by the Sportsnet panel, and a very similar player to his brother, Max. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, he’s physical in all three zones and saw a massive improvement from an offensive standpoint this season, not scoring a single goal the year before. Here’s what EliteProspects’ draft guide has to say about him.
McCue doesn’t stop. He skates hard after every puck, collides with every opponent, and battles for every inch of ice. After passing, he skates his routes, sets picks, and pushes back to the defence to create space for his teammates. Though skill flashes are infrequent, McCue has off-the-pass shooting skill and vision to slip pucks inside from the boards. He shows more advanced rush patterns if given space, too.
McCue’s motor and energy are something that Maple Leafs’ brass certainly picked up on in their scouting ventures, and given how much fans of the Leafs love their blue-collar, hardworking players, he has potential to be a fan favourite down the line if his development goes smoothly. That said, there’s a long road to even sniff the NHL to get there, so it’ll be one step at a time. Not a bad gamble whatsoever to take in the seventh round, though.
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