Latest news with #TylerHopkins
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.'
Edmonton Journal
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Tyler Hopkins heads to Maple Leafs' camp, feels selection by Toronto 'a big advantage'
Article content KINGSTON — On Monday, Tyler Hopkins packed his bags, pulled out of the driveway in Campbellville and started the one-hour drive to west-end Toronto to embark on the next leg of his hockey journey. Article content When next the Kingston Frontenacs' 18-year-old centre steps on the ice, he'll be skating for the first time as a professional. Article content True, Hopkins hasn't yet signed a NHL contract yet, but he is the property of the Toronto Maple Leafs, his favourite team growing up, and this week he'll be on the ice with the team's prospects at development camp. Article content Article content The Leafs selected Hopkins in the third round, 86th overall, of the NHL entry draft last Saturday. NHL Central Scouting had slotted him No. 52 among its North American skaters in its final set of rankings this spring, so his availability in the third round wasn't expected. Article content Article content 'I had my eye on where Toronto's pick was while I was waiting with my family,' he said. 'It still felt like an eternity waiting, but it was a dream come true when they called my name.' While Hopkins described Toronto's selection as a pinch-me moment, it didn't come as a major surprise. Article content 'The interview I had with the Leafs at the combine was one of my better ones, I thought,' he said. 'I had a good feeling come out of there. I thought they were interested.' How the scouts slotted Hopkins in his draft class matters not at all anymore — the key going forward will be Hopkins wedging himself into the Leafs organization chart and playing well enough this season with the Frontenacs to make Toronto's signing him to an entry-level contract a priority for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. Article content Article content That said, Hopkins has no illusions of cracking the big club's roster as an 18-year-old or even at 19. He's joining a queue of prospects at centre headed by Easton Cowan, the Leafs first-round draft pick in 2023, who's coming off a lead role on a Memorial Cup winner with the London Knights, two lights-out Ontario Hockey League seasons and a couple of turns with the Canadian team at the world juniors. Article content Other Toronto prospects down the middle competing for attention include Tinus-Luc Koblar, Toronto's selection with the last pick in the second round of the draft on the weekend, and Miroslav Holinka, a rangy 2024 fifth-rounder who played last season for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Article content Nonetheless, Hopkins believes this selection by Toronto couldn't better set him up for development and success in the pros. Article content 'Kingston is only two hours away and where I live I'm only an hour away, so it's 100 percent a big advantage when it comes to being in contact with the Leafs' development staff,' Hopkins said. 'I'll have a chance to be around (the players on the NHL roster) more than I would if I had been drafted elsewhere. And that's up to me to take advantage of that.'
Vancouver Sun
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Tyler Hopkins heads to Maple Leafs' camp, feels selection by Toronto 'a big advantage'
On Monday, Tyler Hopkins packed his bags, pulled out of the driveway in Campbellville and started the one-hour drive to west-end Toronto to embark on the next leg of his hockey journey. When next the Kingston Frontenacs' 18-year-old centre steps on the ice, he'll be skating for the first time as a professional. True, Hopkins hasn't yet signed a NHL contract yet, but he is the property of the Toronto Maple Leafs, his favourite team growing up, and this week he'll be on the ice with the team's prospects at development camp. The Leafs selected Hopkins in the third round, 86th overall, of the NHL entry draft last Saturday. NHL Central Scouting had slotted him No. 52 among its North American skaters in its final set of rankings this spring, so his availability in the third round wasn't expected. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I had my eye on where Toronto's pick was while I was waiting with my family,' he said. 'It still felt like an eternity waiting, but it was a dream come true when they called my name.' While Hopkins described Toronto's selection as a pinch-me moment, it didn't come as a major surprise. 'The interview I had with the Leafs at the combine was one of my better ones, I thought,' he said. 'I had a good feeling come out of there. I thought they were interested.' How the scouts slotted Hopkins in his draft class matters not at all anymore — the key going forward will be Hopkins wedging himself into the Leafs organization chart and playing well enough this season with the Frontenacs to make Toronto's signing him to an entry-level contract a priority for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. That said, Hopkins has no illusions of cracking the big club's roster as an 18-year-old or even at 19. He's joining a queue of prospects at centre headed by Easton Cowan, the Leafs first-round draft pick in 2023, who's coming off a lead role on a Memorial Cup winner with the London Knights, two lights-out Ontario Hockey League seasons and a couple of turns with the Canadian team at the world juniors. Other Toronto prospects down the middle competing for attention include Tinus-Luc Koblar, Toronto's selection with the last pick in the second round of the draft on the weekend, and Miroslav Holinka, a rangy 2024 fifth-rounder who played last season for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Nonetheless, Hopkins believes this selection by Toronto couldn't better set him up for development and success in the pros. 'Kingston is only two hours away and where I live I'm only an hour away, so it's 100 percent a big advantage when it comes to being in contact with the Leafs' development staff,' Hopkins said. 'I'll have a chance to be around (the players on the NHL roster) more than I would if I had been drafted elsewhere. And that's up to me to take advantage of that.' The advantages of Toronto's proximity also come with the burden of pressures of the hockey-obsessed market and Hopkins, a lifelong Leafs fan and an owner of three Auston Matthews sweaters, is acutely aware of them going in. No doubt he like every Leafs fan knows the city and the media can even sour the mood of an all-star, enough to alienate a hometown hero like Mitch Marner, who was signed and traded to the Vegas Golden Knights after nine seasons in Toronto. With a Stanley Cup drought coming up on six full decades, Toronto divides NHL fans — for Leafs-philes they are a passion, for the rest a punchline. On his drive on Monday, Hopkins was trying to look past the troubles and emphasizing the positive. 'I've been to a bunch of Leafs games over the years, the last being Game 7 against Florida (in May), which was obviously not the outcome that any fan was looking for,' Hopkins said. 'I've been around for good times too, like when they beat Tampa a while back and move on to the second round. To have a chance to be part of something like that is pretty cool.' gjoyce@
Toronto Sun
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Tyler Hopkins heads to Maple Leafs' camp, feels selection by Toronto 'a big advantage'
Published Jul 02, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 3 minute read Tyler Hopkins poses after being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 86th overall pick of the NHL draft at Peacock Theater on June 28, 2025 in Los Angeles. Photo by Bruce Bennett / Getty Images On Monday, Tyler Hopkins packed his bags, pulled out of the driveway in Campbellville and started the one-hour drive to west-end Toronto to embark on the next leg of his hockey journey. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account When next the Kingston Frontenacs' 18-year-old centre steps on the ice, he'll be skating for the first time as a professional. True, Hopkins hasn't yet signed a NHL contract yet, but he is the property of the Toronto Maple Leafs, his favourite team growing up, and this week he'll be on the ice with the team's prospects at development camp. The Leafs selected Hopkins in the third round, 86th overall, of the NHL entry draft last Saturday. NHL Central Scouting had slotted him No. 52 among its North American skaters in its final set of rankings this spring, so his availability in the third round wasn't expected. 'I had my eye on where Toronto's pick was while I was waiting with my family,' he said. 'It still felt like an eternity waiting, but it was a dream come true when they called my name.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While Hopkins described Toronto's selection as a pinch-me moment, it didn't come as a major surprise. 'The interview I had with the Leafs at the combine was one of my better ones, I thought,' he said. 'I had a good feeling come out of there. I thought they were interested.' How the scouts slotted Hopkins in his draft class matters not at all anymore — the key going forward will be Hopkins wedging himself into the Leafs organization chart and playing well enough this season with the Frontenacs to make Toronto's signing him to an entry-level contract a priority for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. That said, Hopkins has no illusions of cracking the big club's roster as an 18-year-old or even at 19. He's joining a queue of prospects at centre headed by Easton Cowan, the Leafs first-round draft pick in 2023, who's coming off a lead role on a Memorial Cup winner with the London Knights, two lights-out Ontario Hockey League seasons and a couple of turns with the Canadian team at the world juniors. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Other Toronto prospects down the middle competing for attention include Tinus-Luc Koblar, Toronto's selection with the last pick in the second round of the draft on the weekend, and Miroslav Holinka, a rangy 2024 fifth-rounder who played last season for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Nonetheless, Hopkins believes this selection by Toronto couldn't better set him up for development and success in the pros. 'Kingston is only two hours away and where I live I'm only an hour away, so it's 100 percent a big advantage when it comes to being in contact with the Leafs' development staff,' Hopkins said. 'I'll have a chance to be around (the players on the NHL roster) more than I would if I had been drafted elsewhere. And that's up to me to take advantage of that.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The advantages of Toronto's proximity also come with the burden of pressures of the hockey-obsessed market and Hopkins, a lifelong Leafs fan and an owner of three Auston Matthews sweaters, is acutely aware of them going in. No doubt he like every Leafs fan knows the city and the media can even sour the mood of an all-star, enough to alienate a hometown hero like Mitch Marner, who was signed and traded to the Vegas Golden Knights after nine seasons in Toronto. With a Stanley Cup drought coming up on six full decades, Toronto divides NHL fans — for Leafs-philes they are a passion, for the rest a punchline. On his drive on Monday, Hopkins was trying to look past the troubles and emphasizing the positive. 'I've been to a bunch of Leafs games over the years, the last being Game 7 against Florida (in May), which was obviously not the outcome that any fan was looking for,' Hopkins said. 'I've been around for good times too, like when they beat Tampa a while back and move on to the second round. To have a chance to be part of something like that is pretty cool.' gjoyce@ Sports Money News Toronto Maple Leafs MLB Editorial Cartoons
Ottawa Citizen
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Tyler Hopkins heads to Maple Leafs' camp, feels selection by Toronto 'a big advantage'
Article content On Monday, Tyler Hopkins packed his bags, pulled out of the driveway in Campbellville and started the one-hour drive to west-end Toronto to embark on the next leg of his hockey journey. Article content When next the Kingston Frontenacs' 18-year-old centre steps on the ice, he'll be skating for the first time as a professional. Article content True, Hopkins hasn't yet signed a NHL contract yet, but he is the property of the Toronto Maple Leafs, his favourite team growing up, and this week he'll be on the ice with the team's prospects at development camp. Article content Article content The Leafs selected Hopkins in the third round, 86th overall, of the NHL entry draft last Saturday. NHL Central Scouting had slotted him No. 52 among its North American skaters in its final set of rankings this spring, so his availability in the third round wasn't expected. Article content Article content 'I had my eye on where Toronto's pick was while I was waiting with my family,' he said. 'It still felt like an eternity waiting, but it was a dream come true when they called my name.' Article content While Hopkins described Toronto's selection as a pinch-me moment, it didn't come as a major surprise. Article content 'The interview I had with the Leafs at the combine was one of my better ones, I thought,' he said. 'I had a good feeling come out of there. I thought they were interested.' How the scouts slotted Hopkins in his draft class matters not at all anymore — the key going forward will be Hopkins wedging himself into the Leafs organization chart and playing well enough this season with the Frontenacs to make Toronto's signing him to an entry-level contract a priority for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving. Article content Article content That said, Hopkins has no illusions of cracking the big club's roster as an 18-year-old or even at 19. He's joining a queue of prospects at centre headed by Easton Cowan, the Leafs first-round draft pick in 2023, who's coming off a lead role on a Memorial Cup winner with the London Knights, two lights-out Ontario Hockey League seasons and a couple of turns with the Canadian team at the world juniors. Article content Other Toronto prospects down the middle competing for attention include Tinus-Luc Koblar, Toronto's selection with the last pick in the second round of the draft on the weekend, and Miroslav Holinka, a rangy 2024 fifth-rounder who played last season for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Article content Nonetheless, Hopkins believes this selection by Toronto couldn't better set him up for development and success in the pros. Article content 'Kingston is only two hours away and where I live I'm only an hour away, so it's 100 percent a big advantage when it comes to being in contact with the Leafs' development staff,' Hopkins said. 'I'll have a chance to be around (the players on the NHL roster) more than I would if I had been drafted elsewhere. And that's up to me to take advantage of that.'
