A+<\/a><\/p>\nPlayer Ranking1. Gavin McKenna, LW<\/p>\n
Dec. 20, 2007 | 5-foot-11 | 170 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 1 in 2026
Tier: Top of the lineup player<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: High-end
Hockey sense: High-end
Compete: NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: McKenna possesses off-the-charts puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity. He\u2019s a strong skater who can generate a ton of chances with pace. He\u2019s a pass-first player who projects to run a power play at a high level due to his elite playmaking ability. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
2. Tinus Luc Koblar, C<\/p>\n
July 21, 2007 | 6-foot-4 | 189 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 64 in 2025
Tier: Middle of the lineup player<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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\u2019s enough to his game to be a potential third-line forward, maybe even as a center.<\/p>\n
3. M\u00e5ns Gudmundsson, D<\/p>\n
June 9, 2008 | 6-foot-2 | 186 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 76 in 2026
Tier: Middle of the lineup player<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
4. Easton Cowan, RW<\/p>\n
May 20, 2005 | 6-foot-0 | 190 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 28 in 2023
Tier: Middle of the lineup player<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s not the most dynamic forward and his compete level isn\u2019t off-the-charts elite. He projects as a middle-six winger.<\/p>\n
5. Patriks Pl\u016bmin\u0161, G<\/p>\n
Jan. 7, 2008 | 6-foot-4 | 214 pounds | Catches left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 114 in 2026
Tier: Middle of the lineup player<\/p>\n
Skating: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: Pl\u016bmin\u0161 played well in Latvia\u2019s pro league, and his season ended on a high note as one of the best players at U18 worlds. He\u2019s 6-foot-4 and not overly quick so the athletic profile isn\u2019t that exciting. His hockey sense is excellent, though. Pl\u016bmin\u0161 doesn\u2019t have much extra movement, and he\u2019s very good at both tracking the puck and anticipating the attack. He projects as a tandem goalie.<\/p>\n
6. Ethan MacKenzie, D<\/p>\n
Sept. 2, 2006 | 6-foot-1 | 188 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 69 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s highly competitive and physical, showing all the traits to make stops as a pro. His puck play will be the only question. It\u2019s been a major hindrance in his junior career. He showed more offense last season, but whether it\u2019s sustainable is up for debate. He projects as a third-pair defenseman.<\/p>\n
7. Alexander Plesovskikh, LW<\/p>\n
Aug. 1, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 174 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 152 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: Plesovskikh is an intriguing pro prospect. He has good size and skates well. He\u2019s quite physical, and he\u2019s 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\u2019s just enough touch and feel in his game to potentially be a bottom-six winger one day.<\/p>\n
8. Miroslav Holinka, C<\/p>\n
Nov. 10, 2005 | 6-foot-2 | 188 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 151 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: Holinka was a top forward in the WHL last season as a center with intriguing tools. He\u2019s a good skater with strong puck skills who can beat defenders one-on-one with pace. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s a great playmaker or finisher, but he\u2019s strong enough in both areas. His compete level is decent. Coaches trust him, and he can play both ways, but he\u2019s not overly physical. He checks a lot of boxes even if he doesn\u2019t stand out at anything, but he could be a bottom-six forward in the NHL.<\/p>\n
9. Cooper Williams, C<\/p>\n
Feb. 18, 2008 | 6-foot-0 | 164 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 158 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s competing and playing with pace, he can be a difference-maker. Williams will play on the inside, but he\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
10. Tyler Hopkins, C<\/p>\n
Jan. 23, 2007 | 6-foot-1 | 184 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 86 in 2025
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019d 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\u2019s smart enough and creates enough offense. He\u2019s a bit of a tweener currently, but there\u2019s enough to his game to have a chance to play NHL games.<\/p>\n
11. Alexander Bilecki, D<\/p>\n
May 9, 2008 | 6-foot-1 | 180 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 60 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s an inconsistent player, though, and despite his length and feet, he\u2019s not a great defender.<\/p>\n
12. Ben Danford, D<\/p>\n
Feb. 6, 2006 | 6-foot-2 | 191 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 31 in 2024
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019m not so sure it\u2019s at that level yet.<\/p>\n
13. Noah Chadwick, D<\/p>\n
May 10, 2005 | 6-foot-4 | 207 pounds | Shoots left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 185 in 2023
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: Poor
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s a path for him to play.<\/p>\n
14. Zach Olsen, RW<\/p>\n
March 16, 2008 | 6-foot-1 | 202 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 73 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: Olsen is a good skater with solid hands and hockey sense. His pure talent level won\u2019t get on many highlight reels, but it\u2019s good enough to ultimately get some points in the pros. He\u2019s 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\u2019s unclear what his role would be in the NHL.<\/p>\n
15. Juuso Ainasto, G<\/p>\n
March 17, 2008 | 6-foot-4 | 198 pounds | Catches left<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 85 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average<\/p>\n
Analysis: Ainasto is a good-sized goalie with strong technical skills and hockey sense. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
16. Yaroslav Fedoseyev, D<\/p>\n
Nov. 5, 2007 | 6-foot-1 | 187 pounds | Shoots right<\/p>\n
Drafted: No. 161 in 2026
Tier: NHL prospect<\/p>\n
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average<\/p>\n
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\u2019s not an asset, but he\u2019s quick enough. He won\u2019t stand out at anything in the NHL, but he\u2019s good enough at everything to get games.<\/p>\n
Player eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2026, regardless of how many NHL games they\u2019ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.<\/p>\n
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). \u201cAverage\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
Tier definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Toronto Maple Leafs\u2019 pipeline received a massive boost with the addition of Gavin McKenna, providing them with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":172282,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[48,954],"class_list":["post-172281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-toronto","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-maple-leafs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172281\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}