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New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Prospect Tyler Hopkins' familiar comparable is a great sign for Maple Leafs' future
Tyler Hopkins's freckled cheeks perk up as he grins. The Toronto Maple Leafs' 2025 third-round pick is growing accustomed to hearing a certain comparison, and the more he hears it, the happier he becomes. Born in Campbellville, Ontario, the Kingston Frontenacs centre is a Leafs fan and watched Fraser Minten this season. Through 15 games, Minten looked at home in his second NHL call-up, scoring two goals and providing a reliable presence at both ends of the ice. Advertisement The more Hopkins watched Minten, the more the 18-year-old saw his own IQ-driven, 200-foot game reflected in Minten's play. He sees shades of himself in Minten because of a trait that could be the key to both of their NHL futures: 'You can trust him in all situations.' And the more the comparison emerges, the more sense Hopkins makes as a Leafs draft pick. The Leafs sent Minten, now on the cusp of becoming a full-time NHL centre, to the Boston Bruins at last season's trade deadline. The trade left Toronto lacking reliable, young centre prospects. Enter Hopkins. The intelligent 6-foot-1 centre impressed during development camp this month —'He stood out because of his hockey sense,' Leafs assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser said — and continued to show glimpses of replacing Minten as one of the Leafs' centres of the future. Tyler Hopkins was taken No. 4 overall in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. But his first year as an OHL player in 2023-24 years presented hurdles. In a limited role on an aging Frontenacs team, Hopkins scored just six goals in 59 games. Plus/minus is a divisive stat, but his team-worst -20 still stuck out. The pace of play in the OHL was difficult for Hopkins to handle. 'Like a lot of 16-year-olds coming into the league, he didn't really appreciate how good the league was,' Frontenacs assistant coach Chris Longo said. Was Hopkins in over his head? Would he become one of the countless teenagers who could not adapt to the next level of hockey? The opposite, actually. Hopkins' self-awareness illuminated the hockey smarts that could propel him even further. Despite being a point producer before heading into the OHL, Hopkins discovered he would have to become something different. It's a learning experience players sometimes don't have until they're flirting with the NHL. Advertisement In Hopkins' case, learning to be a defensively-responsible centre put him ahead of the curve. 'I was thrown into that bottom-six role where you've got to play defence. That's what you're there to do, that's what I needed to do for the team to be successful, so I took that role,' Hopkins said. Paul Ludwinski, an all-effort and detail-oriented centre three years his senior, took the first-year OHL player under his wing and taught Hopkins how to be responsible on the ice. Sensing that a role was there for the taking the following season, Hopkins seized the opportunity. He began acting like a professional in the way not every teenager in the OHL will. He craved video explanations from his coaches on how to improve. Hopkins saw the benefit of patience in his game with the puck. He watched clips of Ludwinski at both the OHL and the AHL level. He saw how a detail-oriented game, whether that's proper stick positioning or how to support players and the puck, could help him be effective in the OHL and make the jump to professional hockey. Hopkins' efforts were reminiscent of Minten's NHL work at an early age. Hopkins showed he could be trusted by coaches early in his second OHL season, just as he might be able to be trusted at the pro level. That trust led to increased ice time and special-teams opportunities. '(Hopkins) is real coachable in terms of where you want him on the ice. He was arguably our best breakout centreman,' Frontenacs head coach Troy Mann said. Mann, it's worth noting, has nine years of head coaching experience at the AHL level. Like the rest of the Frontenacs coaching staff, Mann sees pro traits in Hopkins already. 'Monday is usually our off day in Kingston and (Hopkins) is a kid who, after school, will come in and put extra work in,' Mann said. 'He's motivated that way.' Advertisement 'I think he's a leader right now with how he supports the puck,' Longo said. 'Whether he's defending and he's a second layer, a third layer, or when we do have possession, he is in the middle of the ice, under the blue paint, always becoming an option. (Hopkins) doesn't cheat or blow the zone. He has really evolved in that portion of the game.' The way Hopkins' coaches describe him makes him sound less like a player early in his second OHL season and more like a player in their second season of the NHL. Hopkins' intelligence allowed him to develop a professional demeanor. '(Hopkins) is willing to ask questions and wants to learn. If he realizes that, 'OK, I'm not scoring,' he asks out loud, 'OK, well, why is that?' He's going to come into the office and say 'Let's look at it on video' because he can feel in his game (improving that way),' Longo said. 'I'm not going to hound him. When he's ready for video, he's very mature about it. For a 17-, 18-year-old, he could take constructive criticism very well.' Hopkins turned that constructive criticism into an impressive draft season. His ice time nearly doubled. Hopkins' quick and powerful stride allowed him to break pucks out and command the neutral zone. On the other side of the puck, he continued to show pro-ready habits. The Leafs scouts could have easily taken Hopkins in the second round and shook hands afterward with a job well done. Hopkins was ranked across multiple public draft boards as a possible second-round pick, and drafting a centre filled a positional need for the Leafs. But Hopkins being selected in the third round should not be seen as an indictment on his NHL future. What he established this season not only gives him a chance to play NHL games, it makes him the top centre in the Leafs prospect pool: wheels that can generate chances on the rush, trust from the coaching staff because of his ability to improve and defensive ability that can keep the opposition off the scoreboard. Those are tools the Leafs will always need, especially a few years down the road if Hopkins continues to develop. 'I had a couple scouts tell me Hopkins was one of the best defensive centres in the whole draft,' Mann said. Mann will almost certainly rely even more heavily on Hopkins next season. He'll log minutes on the first line and top power-play unit, likely alongside touted Calgary Flames prospect and goal scorer Jacob Battaglia. Not unlike Minten, the next stage of Hopkins' game will have to emerge in the tail end of his junior career: turning his smarts and playmaking ability into more production. Advertisement Right now, his defensive know-how and responsible on-ice traits could see him possibly progress to a fourth-line NHL centre role. To push into middle-six territory, Hopkins will need to become more dangerous in new areas of the ice. The Frontenacs coaching staff want him to start transporting the puck towards the blue paint more and become more creative with the puck in the offensive zone and, especially behind the goal. Throughout development camp, Hopkins' playmaking and speed stood out. Now, he'll have to translate those elements of his game to the OHL and beyond. Hopkins likely has two more years of junior hockey left. After scoring 20 goals and 51 points in 67 games, adding offensive tools and pushing point-per-game production could bolster Hopkins' NHL chances that much more. 'He does not necessarily have to be daring out there with the puck, but he doesn't always have to make the safe play, right? Maybe it's finding the guy in the slot, or trusting his speed and getting to the inside a little bit,' Mann said. 'There's kids that are timid who won't go to the blue paint. He's not.' That attitude could help him through a possible professional career. The Leafs continue to need centres down the road. They'll also need players who have the interest in playing in Toronto and the maturity to handle the expectations that come with being a Leaf. Having grown up a Leafs fan and wanting to play in Toronto, those expectations don't seem to faze Hopkins one bit. In fact, they're part of what's driving him forward as a possible Leafs centre to watch in the future. 'I know I have the ability,' Hopkins said, 'I just need to go out there and prove that.'
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Draft guide: Picks, best fits and analysis
The Toronto Maple Leafs have six picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: Nos. 64, 86, 137, 153, 185, 217. Here's what to expect. Toronto hasn't had many high picks recently, so the system is thin, but especially after trading Fraser Minten, the Maple Leafs' thinnest position is up the middle with no real NHL prospect on the way at center. In recent mock drafts, Corey Pronman has projected the following picks: 63. Peyton Kettles, D 86. Lasse Boelius, D 137. David Rozsival, RW 153. Emile Guite, LW 185. Josh McGregor, D 217. Dawson Gerwing, LW Despite not having a high pick, the Leafs believe new director of amateur scouting Mark Leach's 28 seasons scouting for the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars provided him with the know-how to unearth gems outside of the first round. Advertisement '(Leach's) feeling is that there are players to be found in every round,' Leafs GM Brad Treliving said at his end-0f-season availability. 'His history has shown that.' The Leafs will hope to hit with their late second-round pick just as they did in 2021 with Matthew Knies (57th overall). How Leach approaches this draft could mark the beginning of a new era for the Leafs at the draft table. What do Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan and Ben Danford have in common? All were projected to go lower than where the Leafs picked them with their first selections in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 drafts. And all project to have NHL careers, too. Former director of amateur scouting Wes Clark's picks might have been considered way off the board by some, but they all showed his preference to draft based on prospects' drive and determination. Now, Leach isn't low on competitiveness by any means. He simply prioritizes skill and hockey IQ and isn't afraid to let players take their time developing to see that skill (possibly) play out at the NHL level. What does that mean for the Leafs at the 2025 draft? If there is skill and size to be found when the Leafs make their first pick, they might not overthink their pick that much. Here's a look at some players who might be available — and on the Leafs' radar — when they announce their first pick (assuming it remains No. 64 at the end of the second round). — Joshua Kloke (Photo of Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
National Post
19-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Depth in picks won't necessarily turn into draft gold for Maple Leafs
Dig into that draft depth, Maple Leafs. Article content Currently with no selection in the 2025 National Hockey League draft until the last pick of the second round, Leafs amateur scouting director Mark Leach and his staff will have to bide their time next weekend. Article content Article content Barring trades by general manager Brad Treliving, the Leafs are about to embark on a run of three consecutive drafts without a first-round choice. Consider that since 2011, there have been only three drafts that the Leafs didn't announce the name of a prospect in the first round. Article content Article content In 2022, Toronto picked Fraser Minten with their first selection at No. 38; in 2021, Matthew Knies was snagged at No. 57 and, in 2019, Nick Robertson was taken at No. 53. Article content There might be a good prospect available when the Leafs make their first choice at No. 64. Whether they get it right, we're not going to know for several years. Article content Article content As for organizational needs, they're not really applicable without a first-round pick. Taking the best player available (as deemed by you and your staff) would be the most prudent route. Article content With this in mind, we take a look forward and a glance back to see where the Leafs stand heading into the draft. Article content The final order of the draft was set once the Stanley Cup final between the victorious Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers finished on Tuesday night. The Leafs will have six picks: Nos. 64, 86 (third round), 137 and 153 (fifth round), 185 (sixth round) and 217 (seventh round). Article content The Leafs have known for a while they weren't going to have a first-round pick this year, going back to the Kyle Dubas era. Article content In February 2023, in the trade with the Chicago Blackhawks in which defenceman Jake McCabe was the centrepiece coming to Toronto, a conditional first-round pick in 2025 was sent to the Blackhawks. The pick was top-10 protected and when the Leafs qualified for the playoffs early in April, it became Chicago's selection. It's going to be the 25th pick overall. Article content Article content The choice at 64th came via the Panthers in a swap of picks between the teams last June. Article content Originally, the Leafs would have had the 57th pick. Now owned by Seattle, the pick has changed teams several times since the Leafs traded a conditional pick to Arizona in February 2022 in a deal that brought defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin to Toronto. The Coyotes had a choice between the Leafs' third-round pick in 2023 or the second-round pick in '25 and went with the latter before trading it (now in Utah) to Tampa Bay. Article content The 86th pick was acquired in the trade last October that sent defenceman Timothy Liljegren to San Jose. The Leafs would have had the 89th pick, but traded it to Anaheim (which then sent it to the New York Rangers in the Chris Kreider trade last week) in a February 2024 swap for forward Kirill Slepets.
National Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Maple Leafs need to keep Easton Cowan and give him a legitimate shot
If Brad Treliving feels the urge to include Easton Cowan in a trade this summer, the Maple Leafs general manager should resist it. Article content Article content Strongly. The Leafs have to have some sort of hope for the future in regard to their prospects at forward, don't they? Article content The cold reality is that Cowan, fresh off being named the most valuable player in the 2025 Memorial Cup after the London Knights beat the Medicine Hat Tigers in the final in Rimouski, Que., on Sunday night, stands alone in Toronto's prospect pool. Article content The date of March 7 was pivotal for the Leafs as it related to its group of youngsters who could one day play in the National Hockey League. Article content At the trade deadline, Treliving included centre Fraser Minten in a swap with the Boston Bruins to get defenceman Brandon Carlo and, when he acquired forward Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, winger Nikita Grebenkin was part of the package that went to Philly. Article content Article content With Minten and Grebenkin gone, there's quite a drop from Cowan to the next forwards who the Leafs might look to one day to make an impact. Article content But as for the group that includes Jacob Quillan, Miroslav Holinka, Nick Moldenhauer, Joe Miller and Roni Hirvonen, it might be a stretch to assume that any of them will one day become full-time Leafs. It's too early to say what Luke Haymes and Ryan Kirwan, both signed out of college this past year, could eventually provide. Article content Cowan easily is the best of the bunch. What kind of NHL player the 20-year-old eventually develops into is to be determined, yet how can there not be a solid foundation of optimism for someone who has been dominant in the past two Ontario Hockey League seasons? Article content Article content At his end-of-season media availability last week, Treliving made the comment that 'champions have the ability to be calm and at their very best when it matters the most.' Article content Article content It was in reference to the Florida Panthers and Treliving acknowledged that the Leafs have to find improvement in that regard (no kidding). Article content The gap between major junior hockey to the NHL undoubtedly is significant. Still, the fact that Cowan, with the Knights, fits Treliving's champion thoughts to a T has to be a source of encouragement for the organization as a whole. Article content This year, Cowan led the OHL in playoff scoring, leading London to a five-game win against the Oshawa Generals in the final, and led the Memorial Cup in scoring on the way to being named tournament MVP.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Flyers Rejected Big Maple Leafs Trade for Rasmus Ristolainen
According to a new report, the Philadelphia Flyers received a massive trade offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs for veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. GM Danny Briere and Co. didn't budge. Instead, Ristolainen, 30, remained with the Flyers past the March 7 NHL trade deadline, playing in only three more games before suffering a season-ending triceps injury for the second year in a row during a matchup with the Ottawa Senators on March 11. A league source told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, 'The Leafs offered the moon and couldn't get him out of there.' What "the moon" entails is, ultimately, unclear. It should be noted that, at the NHL trade deadline, the Maple Leafs traded top center prospect Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick (incidentally acquired from the Flyers in the Scott Laughton trade) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo, whose $3.25 million cap hit after 15% salary retention was much less than Ristolainen's $5.1 million cap hit. Because the Flyers already retained salary in the Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Kevin Hayes trades, they could not do so again for the Maple Leafs with Ristolainen; they used all their available slots. Flyers Offseason: Odds Mitch Marner Trades the Maple Leafs for Philadelphia Are High Fans hoping the Philadelphia Flyers swing big for Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner might see their wish come true this summer. At least, that's what the oddsmakers are thinking. We know the Flyers already pried a 2027 first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin from the Maple Leafs, so it's plausible that the Minten package was on the table in some capacity. We know the Flyers want and need young centers. Aside from Minten, the Maple Leafs have former first-rounders like Easton Cowan, a forward who plays with Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk on the OHL London Knights, and Ben Danford, a 2024-first round pick who could eventually become Ristolainen's replacement as a 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman. That's all speculation, of course, but the Flyers' decision to hold onto the Finnish rearguard is looking increasingly curious after a second consecutive season-ending injury, and he's only getting older.
