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Development Camp invitees Leafs could revisit at the 2026 NHL Draft
Photo credit: Steven Ellis/The Nation Network
By Jon Steitzer
Jun 21, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 21, 2026, 10:00 EDT
There are a few overagers in the 2026 NHL Draft that the Maple Leafs put in some extra work on. The 2025 Development Camp and Rookie Camps have led to some players having worked out with the Maple Leafs Player Development Department and would have warranted some additional scouting trips over the past season to see how they’ve progressed. Things have changed. John Chayka might not share Brad Treliving’s interest in these players. Judd Brackett might not see the value in them the same way Mark Leach did. The Leafs might have lost interest in these players as a result of the additional exposure they received.
Nevertheless, here are a few of the 2025 Development Camp invitees that the Maple Leafs might revisit later in the draft this year.
Alex Kostov
Kostov is 20 years old, and his results in junior might reflect that not only is he bigger than most of his competition, but he’s older too. At 6’4, it’s easy to see what drew Brad Treliving to the Flint Firebirds winger, and with 55 points in 47 games, he had his best statistical season, as you’d expect.
Of the players on this list, Kostov is the only one who has received some draft ranking love, as Steven Ellis has ranked him 97th, and so has McKeens. NHL Central Scouting has him as their 73rd ranked North American Skater.
His skating is an issue, but it seems someone, if not the Maple Leafs, will overlook that next week.
‘Is Kostov good because he’s big, or good because he’s actually good? That’s what scouts have been wondering all year long. The 19-year-old is very intriguing because he plays with a ton of pace for a guy with a 6-foot-4 frame. He’s not flashy, but he makes up for it by doing a solid job of chasing after opponents and forcing traffic. Kostov’s shot is pretty good, too. The biggest flaw at this point is his complete disappearance in the defensive zone, though. But as a re-entry option, I could see him making the NHL sooner rather than later. Is he dynamic enough to stick around for the long run? I’m not too sure yet.”
Sebastian Gatto
It never hurts to be deep on goaltending prospects, and the London Knights have been a consistent supplier of NHL goaltending options.
Like Kostov, Gatto is 6’4, and has the frame of a future NHLer. In his first OHL season, Gatto played 38 games and put up a .916 save percentage, a step up from his BCHL numbers, and a return to his OJHL success.
McKeen’s has him ranked 298th, but goaltenders are frequently taken from off the draft boards, and if Curtis McElihenney is a fan of what he saw last summer, Gatto would be a smart use of a late pick.
“I was really surprised to see Gatto left off of NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings. He was revelation for London this year given Medvedev’s struggles. He’s got size, quickness, and he tracks the play well. The Dartmouth commit could be a very interesting add to an NHL organization in the later rounds this year based off of his improvements this year.”
Both Kostov and Gatto might be long shots to end up on the Maple Leafs, but both seem like names to at least have on your radar.
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