The Toronto Maple Leafs’ pipeline received a massive boost with the addition of Gavin McKenna, providing them with a true franchise cornerstone. Tinus Luc Koblar brings a quality middle-of-the-lineup center to the mix. While the overall depth may not be the best in the league, having an elite talent like McKenna instantly elevates the organization’s prospect pool.
2025 ranking: 26
2026 NHL Draft grade: A+
Player Ranking1. Gavin McKenna, LW
Dec. 20, 2007 | 5-foot-11 | 170 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 1 in 2026
Tier: Top of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: High-end
Hockey sense: High-end
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: McKenna possesses off-the-charts puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity. He’s a strong skater who can generate a ton of chances with pace. He’s a pass-first player who projects to run a power play at a high level due to his elite playmaking ability. He’s not overly physical and can be pushed to the outside too much, but despite his frustrating tendencies, coaches still tend to play him a ton at every level. He projects as a top-line winger who can run a PP1.
2. Tinus Luc Koblar, C
July 21, 2007 | 6-foot-4 | 189 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 64 in 2025
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Koblar had a great season. His numbers were fine in the SHL, but he was a top player at the World Championships for Norway as a teenager. He’s a big center with good hands who can create offense at the net-front. Koblar plays hard and uses his big body to win a lot of pucks and is physical on the forecheck. His skating has taken notable strides from a year ago, and versus pros he showed he can create with pace. His overall offensive touch and instincts are average, but there’s enough to his game to be a potential third-line forward, maybe even as a center.
3. Måns Gudmundsson, D
June 9, 2008 | 6-foot-2 | 186 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 76 in 2026
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Gudmunsson is a strong skating defenseman with size who can make a reliable first pass and has shown some power-play skill in junior. He’s also quite hard to play against and can land some crushing hits. He can be a bit wild at both ends of the rink, but the tools are highly intriguing with a clear path to the NHL with some consistency. The way he plays will endear him to coaches.
4. Easton Cowan, RW
May 20, 2005 | 6-foot-0 | 190 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 28 in 2023
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Cowan was solid as an NHL rookie, and when he went down to the AHL in the spring for the playoffs, he was excellent. He is a tenacious player who is always around the puck and plays with a high energy level. Cowan is a strong-skating winger who is also very skilled, sees the ice well and has perimeter offense. Whether his offense in the NHL will be special is a question, as he’s not the most dynamic forward and his compete level isn’t off-the-charts elite. He projects as a middle-six winger.
5. Patriks Plūminš, G
Jan. 7, 2008 | 6-foot-4 | 214 pounds | Catches left
Drafted: No. 114 in 2026
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Analysis: Plūminš played well in Latvia’s pro league, and his season ended on a high note as one of the best players at U18 worlds. He’s 6-foot-4 and not overly quick so the athletic profile isn’t that exciting. His hockey sense is excellent, though. Plūminš doesn’t have much extra movement, and he’s very good at both tracking the puck and anticipating the attack. He projects as a tandem goalie.
6. Ethan MacKenzie, D
Sept. 2, 2006 | 6-foot-1 | 188 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 69 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: MacKenzie was a significant riser as a third-year draft-eligible, turning into a legit NHL prospect who made Team Canada at the World Juniors. He was one of the best skaters in the 2026 draft class, with the quick-twitch first few steps and top gear of a clear NHL defenseman. He’s highly competitive and physical, showing all the traits to make stops as a pro. His puck play will be the only question. It’s been a major hindrance in his junior career. He showed more offense last season, but whether it’s sustainable is up for debate. He projects as a third-pair defenseman.
7. Alexander Plesovskikh, LW
Aug. 1, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 174 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 152 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Plesovskikh is an intriguing pro prospect. He has good size and skates well. He’s quite physical, and he’s been a big part of winning junior teams the last two years. The debate on his game will come down to offense. He scored more this year, albeit as a 19-year-old in the MHL. When I watched Spartak, I could buy that there’s just enough touch and feel in his game to potentially be a bottom-six winger one day.
8. Miroslav Holinka, C
Nov. 10, 2005 | 6-foot-2 | 188 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 151 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Holinka was a top forward in the WHL last season as a center with intriguing tools. He’s a good skater with strong puck skills who can beat defenders one-on-one with pace. I don’t think he’s a great playmaker or finisher, but he’s strong enough in both areas. His compete level is decent. Coaches trust him, and he can play both ways, but he’s not overly physical. He checks a lot of boxes even if he doesn’t stand out at anything, but he could be a bottom-six forward in the NHL.
9. Cooper Williams, C
Feb. 18, 2008 | 6-foot-0 | 164 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 158 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Williams is a highly skilled center. He has the soft touch and high-end offensive creativity to make a lot of difficult plays. When he’s competing and playing with pace, he can be a difference-maker. Williams will play on the inside, but he’s not too hard to play against. His scoring dried up a bit last season, too, compared to his great 16-year-old season, leaving questions on exactly what his projection is even if the talent remains intriguing.
10. Tyler Hopkins, C
Jan. 23, 2007 | 6-foot-1 | 184 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 86 in 2025
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Hopkins is a decent-sized center who skates quite well. He has the quickness to get by NHL defenders and enough puck skills to generate a lot of controlled entries. I’d like to see him get to the inside more to create chances, but he has a strong compete level off the puck and can kill penalties. The question on Hopkins will mainly be whether he’s smart enough and creates enough offense. He’s a bit of a tweener currently, but there’s enough to his game to have a chance to play NHL games.
11. Alexander Bilecki, D
May 9, 2008 | 6-foot-1 | 180 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 60 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Bilecki is a toolsy defenseman with the mobility and skill to create chances versus pros. On his best shifts and games, he can make an impact with the plays he can make at pace. He’s an inconsistent player, though, and despite his length and feet, he’s not a great defender.
12. Ben Danford, D
Feb. 6, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 191 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 31 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Danford is a strong defenseman who makes a lot of stops. He skates quite well. He closes on pucks quickly, competes hard to win battles and is a tenacious competitor in his own end. Offensively, he displays some flashes of strong puck play and playmaking, but that aspect of his game is inconsistent. He can transport pucks up ice all right, though. At his size, the defense is going to need to be elite to be trusted with his so-so skill level, and I’m not so sure it’s at that level yet.
13. Noah Chadwick, D
May 10, 2005 | 6-foot-4 | 207 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 185 in 2023
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: Poor
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Chadwick is a big defenseman who plays well at both ends of the ice. He makes a reliable pass and has good enough hands and creativity to show flashes of tough playmaking. He works hard, makes stops with his body and stick and is a strong lower-level defender. Chadwick is a heavy skater, though, which leaves some doubt on whether he can handle the NHL pace, but there’s a path for him to play.
14. Zach Olsen, RW
March 16, 2008 | 6-foot-1 | 202 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 73 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Olsen is a good skater with solid hands and hockey sense. His pure talent level won’t get on many highlight reels, but it’s good enough to ultimately get some points in the pros. He’s a hard worker who plays the body and gives a reliable effort. Nothing about his game truly stands out, and while he checks some boxes, it’s unclear what his role would be in the NHL.
15. Juuso Ainasto, G
March 17, 2008 | 6-foot-4 | 198 pounds | Catches left
Drafted: No. 85 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Analysis: Ainasto is a good-sized goalie with strong technical skills and hockey sense. He’s not the quickest goalie in net, but he gets to a lot of tough pucks and seems to make the game look easy with his efficiency. He has a chance to play games.
16. Yaroslav Fedoseyev, D
Nov. 5, 2007 | 6-foot-1 | 187 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 161 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Fedoseyev is a quality two-way defenseman who has played well in junior in Russia and has gotten time against pros. He plays hard and makes a lot of good defensive plays due to his compete and reach. Fedoseyev also has good offensive skills as a handler and passer, and a hard point shot. His skating is fine. It’s not an asset, but he’s quick enough. He won’t stand out at anything in the NHL, but he’s good enough at everything to get games.
Player eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2026, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.