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Why the Maple Leafs should pursue Egor Barabanov with 3rd-round pick
Photo credit: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
Jun 25, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 25, 2026, 00:57 EDT
The 2026 NHL Draft is just around the corner, and while the first overall selection is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ most important pick, the six picks that follow can be the difference between a good draft class and a great one.
While the first overall pick is likely going to be used to select Gavin McKenna, the two picks that follow at 60th and 69th overall could be the key to a successful draft overall. Toronto should consider Saginaw Spirit forward Egor Barabanov with the No. 69 selection. Barabanov will be entering the draft for the second time in his professional career and brings an upside to his game that really flourished during his first season in the Ontario Hockey League after spending the previous two seasons in the United States Hockey League, playing with both the Sioux Falls Stampede and the Madison Capitols.
Barabanov recorded 28 goals and a team-leading 63 assists, placing him second among all Spirit skaters with 91 points last season. After helping the Spirit claim the final postseason spot in the OHL’s Western Conference, Barabanov posted four points in four losses against the eventual Memorial Cup-winning Kitchener Rangers, while also leading the club with a plus-two rating.
Here’s what Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis wrote about Barabanov during his Final Top 120 June draft rankings:
One of the more notable re-entry prospects, Barabanov was an absolute delight to watch in Saginaw this year. Barabanov plays with a boatload of skill. He has quick hands and is always scanning for passing lanes, but he knows when he needs to shoot the puck himself, too. Barabanov does a solid job of exploiting open space, and he’s getting better defensively, too. He has always had talent, but the results are finally starting to follow – and it’s hard not to adore the nastiness in his game, either.
The 20-year-old has shown progression in each of his past three seasons. Barabanov saw his point totals rise from 17 to 39 to 91, showing that this is a player who has continued to improve as he has gained more experience at the junior hockey level. Listed at 6-foot-0, 177 pounds, Barabanov is set to join the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA’s Hockey East Conference. Last year, Massachusetts finished second in the conference and will be a good test for Barabanov as he makes the jump to the higher level of his hockey career.
With strong depth along the wing in the Maple Leafs’ roster, adding another center in the third round who has flashed scoring ability with some bite to his game could be a nice pick for John Chayka in his first draft running the Maple Leafs.
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