One year removed from an NHL Entry Draft where they focused on smaller, highly skilled players, the Toronto Maple Leafs just put the finishing flourishes on as wildly disparate a draft from 2015's as possible.

Making all 11 selections they had entering Friday’s first round, the Maple Leafs favoured prospects with astonishing size and physicality to join their stable of developing skill players.

In the 2015 draft, headlined by Mitch Marner’s selection at No. 4, six of the first seven choices came in at under six-feet tall. In 2016, nine of the 11 players are 6’0” or larger, with notable power behind their game. But Mark Hunter, Toronto’s director of player personnel, emphasized the point wasn’t necessarily to get bigger, just better.

“You never know what’s going to happen on draft day, and that’s kind of (general manager) Lou (Lamoriello)’s department and I just make sure I get the players we want drafted ready to go,” he said. “Every NHL team talks about how good they drafted, but we feel good about it. But we know we’ve got to develop these young men and give them time to spread their wings. We feel good, got a little more size today with (Yegor) Korschkov and (James) Greenaway, and these kids are big, strong kids and we’ve got to give them time to be hockey players.”

The Leafs also elected to take four over-age players, in forwards Korschkov, Vladimir Bobylev, Adam Brooks and Jack Walker. While most teams are prone to picking the younger, burgeoning players, Hunter says the older contributors are not to be overlooked.

“You see a kid like Brooks and Walker...when you go see (their team in) Regina play, they dominated,” he said. “I think everybody is making decisions now...where they’re stepping up and taking the best players (on a team).”

Hoping to bring all their new prospects to development camps that open July 3, Hunter said individual decisions will be made based on what tryouts players may have for teams they’ll play on next year overseas. But overall, he was pleased with the Leafs haul.

“It’s a good day for the organization when you can make that many picks and hopefully we can get some players.”

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Toronto’s 2016 NHL draft class

No. 1 - Auston Matthews, centre, ZSC Lions

No. 31 - Yegor Korschkov, winger, Lokomotiv Yaroslav

A big power forward (6’4”, 180 pounds) who wasn’t drafted last year, Korschkov stood out at the World Junior tournament in Helsinki last winter, leading Russian skaters with eight points in seven games (they finished with a silver medal). At the time, Korschkov said a number of NHL scouts had expressed interest in him, which could explain why Toronto took him off the board earlier than some projections had him going. But he could also end up being a contributor for the Leafs sooner than later. Korschkov recorded 12 points in 41 KHL games last season before going to their farm team in the MHL on a championship run, during which he was the playoffs’ leading scorer (19 points in 15 games). He’ll remain in the KHL next season.

“I saw him in the World Juniors; big strong guy, good skills,” Hunter said. “Evgeny Nesterkov, who does some scouting for the Leafs, coached him all year. He’s the one who pushed for (Nikita) Shoshnikov. To me it was a no-brainer (to draft him) but we’ll see. He’s got to get better of course, got to get stronger. Think he has a good upside.”

No. 57 - Carl Grundstrom, winger, MODO (Sweden)

Grundstrom put up 16 points in 46 regular season games, the top 18-year-old scorer on his Swedish Hockey League team. He suited up for Sweden at the World Junior Championship, contributing one goal in seven games, and for the Swedish U-20 team. Grundstrom stands at 6’0” and uses size to his advantage on the forecheck. His decision-making skills with the puck need improvement, but he’s a hardworking team player with strong skating ability.

“To me he’s like a (Brendan) Gallagher - He’s spunky, plays a hard two-way game, he’s tough,” Hunter said. “Two games I’ve seen of his (in Sweden), the first one I got there and first shift he gets kicked out. He hit somebody from behind. I’m like, ah, darn, that’s not great to (travel) all this way and (see that). But he’s a gritty player, a smart player. I think he’s a (Leo) Komorov kind of player.”

No. 62 - Joseph Woll, goalie, U.S. National Development Team Program

Committed to play at Boston College next season, the man known as “Brick Woll” is a quality prospect for the Leafs to develop. His natural athleticism has made him an intriguing prospect out of the USNTP. Against USHL teams last season, he had below-average numbers (2.60 goals-against average, .898 save percentage in 12 contests) compared to his play on the U-18 team (2.14 goals-against, .918 save percentage over 33 games). Time in the college system will help him and his game mature.

“Brian Daccord, who has been doing some scouting for us on the goaltending side, really loved this kid,” said Hunter. “(We) really believe he’s on an upward swing. He’s big, 6’3”, he’s going to a good program to play in Boston. We like him, he’s athletic and he’s mentally very strong.”

No. 72 - James Greenway defenseman, U.S. National Development Team Program

With the same aggressive spirit as his brother Jordan, who was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the 2015 NHL draft, he’s an athletic defender with a major upside given the totality of his abilities. The more he can harness his 6’5” size, the better he’ll be.

“The Greenway boy is a big boy, the Mattinen kid is a big boy, but we believe they’ve got some skill,” Hunter said. “They’ll need some time of course, but we’ll put them away and hopefully they develop as hockey players.”

No. 92 - Adam Brooks, center, WHL’s Regina Pats

Another of the over-age draftees, Brooks, 20, was undrafted in 2014 after posting just 11 points all season and again in 2015 when he improved to 62 points with 30 goals. Brooks turned around and notched 120 points (78 at even strength) with the Pats last season to lead the league in scoring. Despite his age, Hunter said where Brooks goes from here depends on what’s best for his development.

“We talk about these (players born in 1996) and you try to stay away from them (because), of course, everyone wants to draft a (player born in 1998), (but) he brought it every night,” Hunter said. “Very competitive player, very intelligent. Somebody who willed his team into winning hockey games. His team went to seven games against Red Deer and he was one of the main reasons. They had a very young team and he was one of the older guys who led the way.”

No. 101 - Keaton Middleton, defenceman, OHL’s Saginaw Spirit

Standing at 6’5”, Middleton is hard to miss on the ice. But he uses his big body to his advantage, especially with net-front presence. His reputation as a hard-nosed-type player adds an intimidation factor, but he’s only accumulated 16 points in 127 games with the Spirit.

“(Middleton) defends very well, he’s a big strong kid, one of the tougher kids we believe in the draft,” Hunter said. “Of course, he’s got to make quicker puck decisions. If he can do that, there’s good upside here.”

No. 122 - Vladimir Bobylev, winger, WHL’s Victoria Royals

The second of Toronto’s over-age Russian selections, Bobylev, 19, put up 67 points in 72 regular season games with the Royals last season. He’s a big player (6’2”) whose size doesn’t aggressively hamper his speed. As his numbers have gone up in North America (this past season was his second in the WHL), so, too, have his puck-handling and playmaking, which bodes well for his future development.

No. 152 - Jonathan (Jack) Walker, winger, WHL’s Victoria Royals

An over-ager at 19, Walker tallied 84 points in his fourth WHL campaign last season, nearly 30 more than the previous year. His skating is what jumps out in terms of improvement, having blossomed since he switched from defenseman to forward a year and a half ago.

“Walker is very fast, (he) can shoot, we already believe his speed is exceptional,” Hunter said. “(He) has more upside with his offensive ability.”

No. 179 - Nicolas Mattinen, defenceman, OHL’s London Knights

A big-bodied defender with a crushing shot, Mattinen appeared in 39 regular season games and five in the playoffs, posting one goal, for the eventual Memorial Cup champions. Not known as an offensive contributor, it’s Mattinen’s shot and size (he’s 6’4”) that could make him a steal from this draft.

“He got hidden in the Memorial Cup (run) by a good team,” Hunter said. “I drafted him (to London) and I feel good about his upside. He’s a big, strong kid that just needs a little bit of time of course. He’ll get ice time next year to show how good he is.”

No. 182 - Nikolai Chebykin, forward, Russian Junior Hockey League

The final selection by Toronto in the seventh round, it’s no stretch to call Chebykin a project. His stride as a 6’4” winger is impressive and there are makings of a solid player there eventually.

“(Chebykin) is a big strong kid, our scouts liked him,” Hunter said. “He’s at KHL camp right now. He’s a young man that we think has a good upside.”