After nearly a decade as one of the NHL’s perennial contenders, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in a transitional period following a disastrous 2025-26 season. Auston Matthews and William Nylander are still in place for now, and if the Leafs are going to return to contention with the remnants of this core group, the organization will have to do a much better job of building around them with additional foundational pieces.

Arguably, the biggest failing of the previous regimes was the inability to integrate young, homegrown talent to supplement their core of star players. Year after year, draft picks and prospects were dealt away in an effort to bolster the roster in the short-term. Since 2020, the Leafs have made just two first-round picks, selecting Easton Cowan 28th overall in 2023 and Ben Danford with the 31st pick in 2024. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson are the only regular NHLers currently in the organization who were drafted outside the first round since the Leafs landed Matthews with the first overall pick in 2016.

Now, with an aging roster and Matthews under contract for just two more years, general manager John Chayka will be tasked with balancing the present and the future to a much greater degree than his predecessors. Winning the draft lottery and having the ability to add a franchise cornerstone who can contribute immediately is a good start, to say the least, and the Leafs will have three additional picks in the second and third rounds of the 2026 draft as well. Toronto’s prospect pool is going to look very different by the time the draft wraps up, so today, we’re going to take stock of the Leafs’ pipeline as it currently stands.

Calling Cowan a prospect feels a bit disingenuous after he spent practically the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL, amassing 29 points in 66 games, but he just turned 21 years old and finished the season in the AHL, playing a key role in the Marlies’ Calder Cup championship run. We haven’t seen the fully formed version of Cowan yet, but he showed real growth as the AHL playoffs wore on, leading all rookies in postseason scoring with eight goals and 10 assists in 22 games.

Cowan started using his speed more frequently, pushing the pace with the puck on his stick and creating offence in transition with more regularity. At the same time, he looked more comfortable slowing things down and manipulating defenders to open things up off the cycle. It wasn’t always perfect, and there were some tough moments along the way, but Cowan was able to bounce back each time. He was arguably the Marlies’ best player in the Calder Cup clinching game against Chicago, finishing with three assists as he added a new championship to his resumé for the third consecutive season.

Cowan won’t hold “prospect” status much longer. The young winger still needs to get stronger and add even more pace to his game while improving on the defensive side of the puck and eliminating some of the unnecessarily risky plays, but the offensive vision and competitive fire are real. Cowan has the potential to become an impact player for the Leafs in the years to come, and looks ready to be a legitimate contributor in their middle-six to start next season.

It was a whirlwind season for Ben Danford, starting with an extended stay at Leafs training camp last fall and ending with him hoisting the Calder Cup.

The way Danford played after stepping into the Marlies’ lineup as a rookie in the middle of a playoff run was impressive. He played most of his minutes alongside AHL veteran Marshall Rifai, and though he didn’t see much time on special teams, head coach John Gruden started to give him a look on the second power play unit in the Calder Cup Finals.

Danford’s mobility stood out above all else in his first stint with the Marlies. With his high-end skating ability, he was able to smother opposing breakouts and play tight gaps when defending the rush. He did a good job of forcing dump-ins, and more often than not, he was able to elude the forecheck or absorb contact on the retrieval before making a smart play to start the breakout. Despite having just three points in 16 games, Danford did a good job of using his feet to create offence, and there is the potential for a bit more production if he can improve his ability to execute plays under pressure.

Danford is going to be an NHLer, but starting next season in the AHL will allow him to play big minutes as he continues to adjust to the pro game. His skating and defensive ability give him a high floor as an NHL prospect, but continuing to develop his puck skills could make him a viable top-four option down the road.

The 2025-26 season was a strange one for Dennis Hildeby. With Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll both out of action, Hildeby took over the Leafs’ crease in November and played well in his first real extended run in the NHL, ultimately getting into 20 games and leading the club with a .914 SV%. His numbers weren’t quite as sparkling in the AHL, however, and he was overtaken by Artur Akhtyamov for the starter’s job in the postseason. Hildeby played in just three of the Marlies’ playoff games and posted an impressive .921 SV%, but it wasn’t enough to wrestle the net away from Akhtyamov.

Hildeby finds himself in an interesting spot. Unlike Akhtyamov, he will have to clear waivers in order to be assigned to the AHL next fall, but the Leafs won’t want to risk losing him for nothing when he has shown flashes of real NHL potential. On the other hand, he appears to have fallen behind Akhtyamov on the organizational depth chart through no great fault of his own, and there have been reports that the Leafs are still looking to shore up the goaltending position with another addition.

As it stands, Hildeby looks like the logical option to start the season as Stolarz’s backup. With his track record, the Leafs owe it to themselves to see if he can be part of the long-term solution in net, but there is still plenty to be decided before the puck drops in the fall.

There were a lot of great stories that emerged throughout the Marlies’ Calder Cup run, but none greater than Artur Akhtyamov‘s MVP performance.

In 22 postseason appearances, Akhtyamov went 15-7 with a 2.22 GAA and a .923 SV% to earn the Jack A. Butterfield trophy as the most valuable player during the Calder Cup playoffs. He doesn’t have the same physical tools as Hildeby, but Akhtyamov’s athleticism and ability to battle through traffic shone through night after night. He stole his fair share of games on the Marlies’ playoff run, and on the rare occasions that he wasn’t at his best, he was able to bounce back and shut the door almost every time.

Akhtyamov is still relatively new to North American pro hockey with just two AHL seasons under his belt, but he is set to turn 25 years old next fall and also has a wealth of experience in Russia to draw from. His waiver status could be the determining factor in where he begins next season, but there is no doubt that Ahktyamov has put himself squarely in the conversation as the potential goaltender of the future in Toronto.

Koblar was far from a well-known commodity when the Leafs took him 64th overall with their first pick of the 2025 draft, but he made a name for himself this past season. He stepped into the SHL as an 18-year-old, playing most of the season at centre in a middle-six role, and finished fifth in league scoring among U19 players. The only U19 players to produce more than him in the SHL were 2025 third overall pick Anton Frondell, fellow second-rounder Eddie Genborg, and two of the top prospects for the 2026 draft in Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bjorck.

It was an impressive season for a young player in one of the world’s best leagues, but Koblar’s real breakout came at the World Championships, where he helped lead Norway to a bronze medal – the nation’s first medal in the top division of international competition. Koblar led Team Norway in scoring with six goals and three assists in 10 games, finishing 13th in overall tournament scoring.

The Leafs signed Koblar to his entry-level contract in mid-June, but the plan is for him to be loaned back to the SHL, where he will join Rogle. A big body who can skate and put the puck in the net, the focus for Koblar this season will be improving his ability to string plays together offensively while rounding out his game on the defensive side of the puck. He could join the Marlies as early as next spring, and with the proper development, the potential is there for Koblar to step in as a third-line centre for the Leafs in the next couple of years.

Quillan was a driving force for the Marlies all season, piling up 36 points in 40 games, parlaying that into his first extended look at the NHL level. He got into 23 games for the Leafs, playing mostly as the fourth line centre, and tallied one goal to go along with a pair of assists. Quillan returned to the Marlies for their postseason run, and after missing the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals, he scored in each of the last two games to help clinch the title.

He isn’t likely to be a big offensive producer at the NHL level, but Quillan showed plenty of traits that are desired in NHL fourth liners. He has the speed and willingness to engage physically, he is a responsible two-way player, and he has enough finishing ability to chip in the odd goal here and there.

Quillan is a pending restricted free agent, and issuing him a qualifying offer should be a no-brainer for the Leafs. Depending on how the offseason shakes out, Quillan should compete for a depth role with the big club in the fall, and he will be one of their first recalls if he doesn’t make the team out of camp.

Haymes got off to a slow start in his first full season of professional hockey, but really rounded into form as the season wore on, eventually earning a four-game stint with the Leafs as they closed out a lost season. In 66 games with the Marlies during the regular season, he notched 17 goals and 16 assists, and he maintained that scoring pace in the postseason, scoring four times and adding eight helpers in 24 games on the way to a Calder Cup title.

Haymes plays a solid two-way game with a quality release and good puck skills in tight, but he also reads traffic well, spinning off checks and finding open areas in the offensive zone. Look for Haymes to be one of the forwards fighting for a depth role with the Leafs out of camp, but starting in the AHL once again could be the best thing for his development.

It was a long road to the NHL for Villeneuve, but after four full seasons with the Marlies, he finally made his Leafs debut at the end of the 2025-26 season, suiting up in three games before returning for the AHL playoffs. Villeneuve wasn’t quite as productive in the regular season as he was a year ago, but he exploded in the postseason, finishing second in AHL playoff scoring with two goals and a franchise record 21 assists.

Villeneuve’s offensive ability has been apparent since his days in junior, and he has worked hard to improve his skating and defensive game since turning pro. He is an effective puck mover who can quarterback a power play, and his shot is a threat from the point, but whether or not he can defend at the NHL level remains a question. Like Quillan, Villeneuve is a pending restricted free agent in need of a new contract, but his path to full-time NHL duty isn’t as clear.

Another long-time Marlie who finally got a look at the NHL level this past season, Tverberg is coming off his best season as a pro. He registered career highs in goals and points in the regular season, and chipped in 14 more points in 24 playoff games with the Marlies.

That production is nice, but if Tverberg is going to carve out a full-time NHL role, it will be because of the pace and energy he plays with night after night. He can be a menace on the forecheck, and he doesn’t shy away from the tough areas, routinely using his speed to drive the middle of the ice. Another player in need of a new contract, Tverberg is worth keeping around as a potential fourth-line option.

Chadwick put together a solid rookie season for the Marlies, potting five goals and 18 assists in 68 games, while looking more composed defensively as the season wore on. He got into 16 playoff games as well, registering a goal and four assists before giving way to Matt Benning for the end of the run.

Chadwick’s calling card is his offensive vision from the back end, and though there was growth this season, he will have to continue improving his mobility and processing on the defensive side of the puck. Using his 6-foot-4 frame to impose his will a bit more wouldn’t hurt, either. Chadwick should take on a bigger role with the Marlies next season, and there is third-pairing NHL upside there if everything clicks.

Holinka had an outstanding season as one of the top scorers in the WHL with 37 goals and 43 assists in 59 games before making his AHL debut at the end of the season, picking up an assist in his only game with the Marlies. He’ll begin his pro career full-time next fall and could add an offensive spark for the Marlies as the season progresses. Holinka should have enough skill and vision to produce at the pro level, and he isn’t inept defensively, but he will have to continue building out his B-game to carve out a path to the NHL in the coming years.

It was an up-and-down year for Toronto’s 2025 third-round pick, but Hopkins finished strong with 14 points in 10 games to close out the regular season. It took some time for him to adjust after a midseason trade to Guelph, and he dealt with injuries down the stretch, but he is poised for a big season as the Storm load up for a run as the Memorial Cup hosts. Hopkins probably isn’t going to be the guy who leads the offensive charge, but he can be trusted to play a responsible game down the middle, while using his speed and hockey IQ to drive possession. Hopkins is a long way from the NHL, but he has plenty of traits that could help him develop into a reliable bottom-six forward.

Johansson spent most of the season in Sweden’s second-tier pro league, the Allsvenskan, registering 10 points in 22 games. He also earned a gold medal with Sweden at the World Juniors, though he played very little during the tournament. Signed with Brynas of the SHL for the upcoming season, Johansson will have to continue adding strength to his wiry frame in order to play his hard-nosed style against bigger, more skilled players. He is still very raw, but Johansson possesses some NHL upside as a depth defender who can move the puck.

Moldenhauer rebounded in 2025-26 after a tough sophomore season at Michigan, tallying a career-high 31 points in 40 games for one of the best teams in college hockey. There was some thought that the 2022 third-rounder might turn pro, but he will return to the Wolverines for his senior year and another run at a national title. If and when Moldenhauer signs with the Leafs, he will need some time to develop in the AHL, but his contact balance and inside-driven style of play should translate well to the pro level.

A sixth-round pick of the Blues back in 2022, Sim signed an AHL deal with the Marlies after St. Louis opted not to tender him an entry-level contract. It took just 18 games in the ECHL and 13 games with the Marlies for Sim to turn that into an ELC with the Leafs, and it wasn’t because of his offensive production. Sim is an absolute gamer who knows how to get under the skin of opposing players, and he is more than willing to mix it up physically. His speed and violent style of play made him an important contributor as part of an energy line for the Marlies on their Calder Cup run, and though that type of role is probably his only path to the NHL, there’s a pretty good chance he forces his way there at some point.

Valis had a strong season as an undrafted rookie in the AHL, finishing with 15 goals and 10 assists in 60 regular season games before adding three assists in 10 postseason contests. Valis probably tops out as organizational depth, but there are some intriguing traits in his game. He has good size, can make plays off the wall, and he has a real nose for the net. If he can add a bit more pace to his game, Valis could be an option for spot duty in an NHL bottom-six eventually.