We’re into the dog days of summer, which naturally lends itself to daydreaming about the future. And for the first in recent memory, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect pool is a source of genuine optimism and excitement. Of course, this comes with the territory when a player of Gavin McKenna’s calibre lands in the franchise’s lap, but this notion extends beyond the promise the 18-year-old carries. As the Maple Leafs navigate two timelines, one where the team needs to win immediately, and another one that offers more patience centred around McKenna and Matthew Knies, it’s incumbent upon the team’s player development staff to graduate a few more players on entry-level deals.

McKenna’s presence alone propels the Maple Leafs’ pool back to the league median, but Toronto’s once-barren system is being replenished. Alexander Bilecki was lauded as a clever pick for Toronto with the No. 60 selection. In my initial viewings of Bilecki, he projected as an Alec Martinez-type with a greater propensity for secondary offence. Mans Gudmundsson and Zach Olsen were considered some of the steals of the draft, while Patriks Plumins boasts the size and upside to become an NHL goalie down the line. Toronto’s 2026 haul won universal praise from analysts across the league, and general manager John Chayka is now armed with several building blocks that the previous regime weren’t privy to.

Brad Treliving’s tenure with the Maple Leafs won’t be viewed fondly, but in conjunction with former director of amateur scouting Mark Leach, he may have left the club with a few gifts. Tyler Hopkins was invited to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase, an event that serves as a precursor to the larger selection camp for this winter’s World Juniors team. Hopkins is a third-round pick from the 2025 NHL Draft, selected 86th overall by the Maple Leafs, and could project as a ready-made third-liner down the line. He was a prolific scorer at the youth level, and now Hopkins is one of the best two-way forwards in the OHL. One year removed from the draft, Hopkins’ selection already appears to be returning some value for the organization.

Harry Nansi was Toronto’s most improved skater at development camp, with improved acceleration. Nansi earned a spot on the scrimmage’s top line alongside McKenna and Tinus Luc Koblar (yet another prospect with real NHL potential, following a standout performance at this spring’s IIHF World Championship with Norway) where his ability to drive the net stood out. Koblar has already signed his entry-level contract, and it seems that the Maple Leafs could have three future pros down the line from the 2025 class. For a team that largely failed to augment a win-now roster with young, cost-effective players through the pipeline, Toronto may be better positioned to support Auston Matthews, William Nylander, McKenna and Knies in the near-future.

There’s still plenty of work to be done. Montreal’s prospect pool is the envy of the NHL, while Boston, Detroit and Buffalo all sport superior under-25 cohorts. It’s too early to start pretending that the Leafs are at the finish line. And yet, for the first time in recent memory, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the Leafs’ prospect pool, without mentioning the success of the Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies. A once-murky future is beginning to seem a lot brighter, through the final week of July.