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Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup: Holinka starring in WHL playoffs, Danford suspended
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis
Nick Richard
Apr 2, 2026, 12:30 EDTUpdated: Apr 2, 2026, 12:14 EDT
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It has been a tumultuous time in Leaf Land, with the firing of general manager Brad Treliving ushering in a new era – or at least a new phase – for this iteration of the team. There are plenty of missteps to point to when assessing how the Leafs have gotten to where they are today, but one of the biggest issues year over year has been their inability to unearth real NHL help through the draft, particularly in the later rounds, to supplement their core of star talent.
Sure, late-round picks amount to little more than lottery tickets for NHL teams, but it has been a long time since the Leafs have hit on one – netminder Dennis Hildeby notwithstanding.
2024 fifth-round pick Miroslav Holinka is aiming to change that, and he is putting the finishing touches on a stellar junior season while hoping to lead the Edmonton Oil Kings on a deep playoff run before he turns pro. Holinka finished 15th in WHL scoring during the regular season, notching 37 goals and 43 assists in just 59 games, and he has picked up right where he left off to begin the postseason.
Holinka was held off the scoresheet in game one as Saskatoon got out to an early series lead with a 3-2 victory, but he has been lights out in the three games since then. In game two, he fired nine shots on goal, finishing with a goal and two assists, including the primary assist on Ethan MacKenzie’s overtime winner to help even up the series at a game apiece.
He scored again in game three as the Oil Kings came up just short in taking the series lead, but Holinka ensured game four would have a different outcome. Edmonton came out victorious to tie the series once again, and it was on the strength of a hat-trick from Holinka in a game where he launched eight more shots on goal.
Holinka was a non-factor in last year’s WHL playoffs, going without a single point as Edmonton was eliminated in seven games, but he already has five goals and a pair of assists through four games this time around. The Oil Kings are still in tough, but Holinka will undoubtedly be a key figure if they’re going to advance and go on a deep run.
Whenever that run does come to an end, Holinka is expected to join the Marlies to begin his professional career, but he might have to wait until the beginning of next season to see how he really stacks up against AHL competition. Nobody should expect him to jump in and be an offensive star as he has been in the WHL, but it’s clear that there is real upside with the young Czech centre. What separates Holinka from some other late-round picks who light up the junior ranks is that he has a B-game that can still make him impactful when he isn’t lighting up the scoreboard. He isn’t an overly physical player, but he understands his defensive responsibilities, and he plays with enough pace to help drive possession for his team on a consistent basis.
None of this is to say the Holinka is a surefire NHLer, but he has shown tremendous growth since being drafted, and there is little left for him to prove at the junior level. It will take some time in the AHL before he is knocking on the door to the NHL, but he has a legitimate chance to grow into a versatile bottom-six forward for the Leafs. That isn’t going to completely alter the outlook for the organization, but the Leafs have not done a good job of winning around the margins of their roster, and injecting young, homegrown talent like Holinka could help turn that trend around.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

  • With his rookie season in the NHL winding down, Easton Cowan has all but graduated from “prospect” status to full-time NHLer. He has had his ups and downs over the course of the season, but is looking to finish on a high note, and he has been given the opportunity to do so. Playing out the stretch on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander, Cowan has registered the first two multi-point games of his career over the last couple of weeks, and even though he is the youngest player on the roster, he has shown a willingness to get involved physically and stick up for his teammates. Cowan is likely to join the Marlies for their playoff run, but he has already proven that he can be a big part of helping the Leafs turn things around next season.
  • Ben Danford notched an assist as Brantford beat Sudbury 6-2 in game one of their first-round playoff series, but he put his team in a tough spot with a bad hit in game two. The Bulldogs still managed to emerge victorious, but Danford was ejected from the game and subsequently handed a two-game suspension by the OHL, forcing him to miss games three and four of the series. Brantford is looking for the sweep heading into Thursday night’s contest, so Danford could have to wait a bit longer to get back into game action if they are able to pull it off.
  • It took a while, but Jacob Quillan is finally on the board with his first NHL point. He has averaged less than 10 minutes of ice time in his 17 games with the Leafs this season, but he played a career high 16:07 against the Blues on Saturday, picking up a secondary assist on Toronto’s only goal of the night. Quillan has looked more and more comfortable at the NHL level with each passing game, and he should have the inside track on a depth role to begin next season.
  • With Leksands eliminated from the SHL playoffs, Tinus Luc Koblar was sent back to the U20 ranks, and he has certainly made his mark in short order. He scored twice and added an assist in game two against Mora, and added another assist while being assessed 22 minutes in penalties during game three.
  • It has been a huge bounce-back season for Nick Moldenhauer, and he has been a big part of helping the Michigan Wolverines advance to the NCAA’s Frozen Four. He scored his 15th goal of the season in a 5-1 win over Bentley University on Friday, and tallied an assist in a 4-3 win over Minnesota-Duluth in the regional final. Michigan is now set to face Denver in the national semifinal next week. There has been no indication one way or the other, but Moldenhauer could be playing in the final games of his collegiate career if the Leafs come to him with an entry-level contract after the tournament.
  • One of last year’s college free agent signings, John Prokop, scored his first professional goal last Wednesday as the Marlies beat Manitoba by a score of 4-1. Prokop has rotated in and out of the Marlies’ lineup during his rookie year, and now has three points in 24 games.
  • Another college free agent signing, Brandon Buhr also notched a pretty assist against Rochester on Friday, working a nifty give-and-go with Landon Sim for his second point in his first four games at the AHL level. Sim isn’t currently on an NHL contract, but he is a player to monitor heading into next season.
  • The Leafs added another undrafted college free agent this past week, signing defenceman Hayes Hundley out of St. Thomas University. Hundley just turned 21, so he is definitely on the younger side when it comes to college free agents, and he is an imposing presence at 6’3″ and nearly 210 pounds. Hundley registered six goals and six assists in 38 games during his only season of college hockey, but his calling card at the pro level will be his physicality and shutdown ability.
Statistics from EliteProspects.com & NHL.com

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