Leaf Prospect Pool Grading
For the past few years, many hockey people and media experts (a bit of sarcasm there!) have expressed the opinion that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ high end prospect cupboard is pretty much bare as they have traded away a large number of draft picks and a prospect or 2 such as Fraser Minten in hopes of capturing their first Stanley Cup since 1967. For the most part, this is correct; however, the Leafs do have some gems that will be Leafs sooner than later, and I have listed their top 10 in order of potential and timeline to play in the NHL:
(NOTE: as Easton Cowan played most of last season with the Leafs, we will consider him an NHLer and no longer a prospect)
The Top 10
1) Gavin McKenna (no brainer) – has high potential to possibly be considered elite over the next several years. A left winger whose game would more closely align with Kucherov and Marner, although McKenna is not as strong defensively as Marner. If McKenna can reach a Kucherov and/or Marner level, the Leafs have another elite forward in their mix.
2) Ben Danford – Solid OHL career finished off by playing exceptionally well with the Marlies on their Calder Cup run to the championship. More of a defence first stay at home right shot D-man with strong puck moving capabilities along with very good positioning and gap control. Strong shot blocker as well. Will definitely play in the NHL and projects as a bottom pairing, possibly number 4 defenceman as his ceiling.
3) AA (Arty) – Lower draft pick goalie several years ago and has progressively improved his game to the point where he is on every team’s radar after backstopping the Marlies to their Calder Cup win and was named playoff MVP. On his current trajectory, will play in the NHL regularly in the next 1-2 years. Projects to be a 1A or 1B in the NHL.
4) Tinus Luc Koblar – 2025 2nd round pick. Tall strong centreman who has a scoring touch and is not afraid to go into the dirty areas. Had a break through type season in the Swedish League and took his game to another level in the World Juniors as well as the World Championships playing with a few and against many good NHLers. Has a ceiling of a number 2 NHL centreman and a very good chance he plays in the NHL.
5) Alexander Bilecki – 2nd round pick in 2026 draft. Strong skating defenceman with high hockey IQ and a strong overall skill set including strong offensive instincts and puck moving capabilities. Needs to get bigger and stronger, but could be a 2nd round steal from this past draft. He has a higher ceiling than other Leaf prospects (other than McKenna, of course), and I project him to potentially be a top 3-4 D-man in the next 4-5 years.
6) William Villaneuve – A highly mobile strong skating offensive type Defenceman who can quarterback a power play. Drafted in the 4th round six years ago, it has taken William lots of time to hone his defensive game which was a glaring weakness a few years ago. However, he has improved his defensive game considerably and was an integral part of the Marlies championship team. I believe the Leafs see NHL potential there in the near future and that’s why they signed a 24 year old career AHLer, so far, to a 2 year contract extension.
7) Jacob Quillan – Signed as a US College free agent a couple of years ago, Quillan is knocking on the door to be what would clearly be a 4th line centre at best in the NHL. He has put up solid offensive numbers in the AHL, however we don’t project him as any type of NHL scorer, and has bottom six written all over him!
8) Ethan McKenzie – Was drafted in the 3rd round of 2026 draft and put up great numbers as a WHL defenceman in his last season. This elevated him to making and playing for Canada at the World Junior Championship last January. Possibly a bit of a stretch, however clearly a late bloomer who has strong upside as he is a strong skating, puck moving D-man. We project him as a bottom pairing NHLer who will play there in the next 3-4 years or sooner.
9) Luke Haymes – He signed out of US College a year ago and put up solid offensive numbers with the Marlies in his first full season/playoffs. Still only 22 and being a Centreman with great instincts and a nose for the net, he has a shot at being an NHLer in the next few years or sooner if he can significantly increase his AHL numbers.
10) Tyler Hopkins – a 3rd round pick in the 2025 draft, known for being a solid 200 foot Centreman with some offensive skillset, which may be his ticket to the NHL in 3-5 years as a bottom six forward at best.
Honourable Mention
Harry Nansi and Victor Johanson would be long shots at this stage of their careers, however they have the potential to elevate their game to genuine prospect status.
A Side Note on the Front Office
As I mentioned in a previous article, I believe the Leaf prospect pool will grow and elevate in higher potential prospects under John Chayka’s mandate. They will hold onto more prospects and draft picks, ultimately increasing and enhancing the Leafs prospect pool in the coming few years.
On a side note, I understand the reorganization/removal of a front end overloaded bunch of Leaf Executives, however, I don’t understand the firing of Mark Leach, whom I thought did a great job heading up the 2025 and 2026 drafts. The Leafs were identified as having one of the best drafts in 2026, under his watch. Leach has a very good resume with Dallas prior to joining the Leafs, and we’ve very quickly come to know the names of Wyatt Johnson, Thomas Harley and Stankoven. I would have to assume Chayka has another NHL executive in mind, or Assistant GM Judd Brackett assuming a more hands on day to day role in overseeing the Scouting Department. There is also the newer Stathletes, which, as I understand it, integrates analytics into prospect/player scouting reports, which may be utilized more across the League in the not too distant future.
