We’re going to be dropping by with quick hits of news all day leading up to tonight’s draft to keep you (and ourselves) up to speed, and why not get things starting with what sounds like important info regarding the fourth overall pick?

It’s been speculated for a while now that the Coyotes are truly locked in on Dylan Strome at third, and if they decide to hold on to that pick (which is actually far from a certainty), the Leafs will make a huge decision between Marner and Hanifin.

Does this report from Strickland indicate their leaning toward the NCAA product? Read into it however you want.

Circling back to the Coyotes’ pick, if Don Maloney decides to make a deal there, it could take Hanifin out of the equation entirely for the Leafs. As Bob McKenzie noted this morning, most teams targeting Arizona’s selection are doing so with Hanifin in mind. 

That would certainly make it an easy decision for the Leafs to bring Marner on board, so basically they’re at the mercy of the Coyotes or one of the billion teams they might trade their pick to. This is going to be a wild day.