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Maple Leafs select Zach Olsen with 73rd pick in 2026 NHL Draft
Photo credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff
Jun 27, 2026, 12:53 EDTUpdated: Jun 27, 2026, 12:52 EDT
With the 73rd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Zach Olsen from the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League.
Olsen recorded 18 goals and 34 points in 57 games with the Blades last season.
Here’s what Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis wrote immediately, following the selection:
Olsen was one of my favorite WHLers this year, and opponents cited him as one of the toughest players to go up against in the WHL. He’s smart, nimble and has a powerful wrister he loves to show often. Olsen is a hard-working forward who has really impressed scouts over the past few months with his attention to detail and improved hockey sense.
Olsen makes smart decisions with the puck while playing at speed, and he’s a great skater, too. I could see a team molding him into an energy forward who can adapt to various roles.
Olsen will join Gavin McKenna and Alexander Bilecki as part of the Maple Leafs’ 2026 NHL Draft class. It could represent excellent return on value, as Daily Faceoff placed Olsen as the 50th overall pick in their mock draft. Toronto is trying to replenish a barren prospect pool this summer, with general manager John Chayka determined to drastically overhaul the roster.
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound centre carries some of the size that Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach is often looking for. Prior to the draft, Chayka spoke about the variables he considers in the second round.
“We’re not trying to put one above the rest, other than we really want smart, competitive players,” Chayka said on Thursday. “We think we can stack that round after round, pick after pick. We’ll end up in a pretty good spot.”
Toronto traded Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues in order to secure the No. 73 overall pick (used on Olsen) and the No. 76 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
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