Full Analysis of the Maple Leafs' 2025 NHL Draft Class
Photo credit: Rasmus Nasman
The Toronto Maple Leafs dedicated size and effort level in the 2025 NHL Draft, forgoing the skill they've been craving under Kyle Dubas, who focused more on production, which often led to the team considering smaller, undersized players and not worrying about going big.
This year's draft, size was a must-have. Last year, the Leafs focused heavily on size as well in drafting only players over 6'0, and this year only drafted players 6'1 or taller.
With that being said, who were the lucky ones selected to represent the blue and white in 2025?
Round 2 - Pick 64: Tinus Luc Koblar - C
The Toronto Maple Leafs picking Tinus Luc Koblar 64th overall came out of nowhere. He was ranked in some rankings such as from DobberProspects who actually ranked Koblar 64th.
The 6'3 Norwegian center had eight goals and 21 points this season in 43 games for Swedish club Leksands in the U20 Nationell.
Koblar is an incredibly raw player who shows flashes of being an upside player, having a strong compete level and defensive awareness.
The hope is that Koblar will be able to develop his game and take meaningful steps in the next few years to grow out his game and become a potential NHL prospect.
Round 3 - Pick 86: Tyler Hopkins - C
The Toronto Maple Leafs got good value here in Hopkins, a highly reliable center with good maturity and composure on the ice and a defensively responsible player.
Hopkins projects as a potential bottom-six NHL center who needs to showcase his offense a bit more, with his defensive game likely to be what propels him to the majors.
In the OHL, Hopkins had 20 goals and 51 points in 67 games for the Kingston Frontenacs. Hopkins has played for Canada internationally at the U17's, the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and the U18's.
There is a good chance of Hopkins making the NHL thanks to his two-way game and ability to be a leader on the ice.
Round 5 - Pick 137: Will Belle - W
Will Belle is a bulldog. A physical menace who is one of the meanest players in the draft. Belle played the fourth-line grinder role perfectly at the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) and has great size at 6'4 and 225lbs.
Far from an unfinished product, Belle still has ways to go in adding more polish to his game and being more offensively creative. His play with the puck is quite simple and lacks advanced details but can improve with enough time and development.
His physical skills are a standout trait and something that looks projectable in a fourth-line role, although he'll need to create more with the puck to improve his stock.
Belle is committed to the University of Notre Dame, and should arrive there for next season.
Round 5 - Pick 153: Harry Nansi - C
Many scouts and public viewers I spoke to are big fans of Harry Nansi, and believe there is a lot more growth in his game, and even as of now untapped potential that should've been realized.
Nansi was forced into bottom-six minutes for the OHL Owen Sound Attack, and despite some promising moments struggled to move on the depth chart and get ice-time, largely relegated to 5-on-5.
Another big forward with a high effort level, Nansi looks like a player who could actually grow on offense with more time as the system he was under didn't reward him with much opportunity to advance his point totals.
Nansi is a Sept. 7 birthday, only days eligible from the 2026 NHL Draft, and has shown signs of a potential growth both as a playmaker and scorer. He once scored six goals in a single game before his OHL career, but looks like more of a future secondary piece.
Round 6 - Pick 185: Rylan Fellinger - RHD
Rylan Fellinger was at his prom when he was drafted, and seemed a bit surprised he was selected. It was a bit of a surprise as Fellinger is a low-offense player who could grow into a serviceable OHL defenseman, but the pick still came as a bit out of left field.
Fellinger had just seven points in 64 games this season for the Flint Firebirds. Fellinger is aggressive and plays incredibly hard against the boards, but doesn't have much in terms of offense and his skating.
He wasn't drafted for his offense, but it's always been my view that a player who can't get offense at the Junior circuit is a concern as they should be able to have a skill advantage over their opponents that shows they're above the competition in their level.
If Toronto wanted a RHD out of the OHL my guess would have been Carson Cameron, who has a bit more offensive upside while still having some of the same aggressiveness as Fellinger.
Fellinger is an interesting project option, but hard to see him become an NHLer, although he plays the way you'd want in a pro.
Round 7 - Pick 217: Matthew Hlacar - LW
If the Toronto Maple Leafs draft seemed to lack skill and upside, this pick was the cherry on top.
All Matt Hlacar does is play physical, and is incredibly aggressive all over the ice. Hlacar spent last season in Junior B hockey in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League as a member of the St. Catharines Falcons, where he had 16 goals and 38 points in 48 games in what was his draft year.
Hlacar moved up to the OHL for his D+1 this year, joining the Kitchener Rangers.
On the surface, his numbers aren't great with just seven goals and eight points in 43 games played. Not very draftable numbers for an overager, which is a massive question over whether he should have been drafted, but it's understandable as to why.
There is somewhat of a comparable between Hlacar and New Jersey Devils forward Kurtis MacDermid.
Like Hlacar, MacDermid played his draft year in the GOJHL before coming up to the OHL and having just eight points in his D+1, later going signed by the Devils at the end of his OHL career.
Hlacar does have a bit of a shot and can go after shots from distance with decent accuracy.
What makes Hlacar interesting is his undoubtable compete level. Hlacar went from Jr. B to the OHL and has managed to carve out a role.
He's mostly played on the fourth-line, and will likely to continue to be that player in the future, but he has heart to burn.
MacDermid has gone on to play 288 career NHL games in nine seasons, managing to carve out a role in the league despite a lack of offense by being one of the most aggressive and physically imposing players in the NHL, although MacDermid was pointless this season in 23 games and often scratched.
It's a confusing pick, but one that could result in an NHLer who surprises in making the lineup based on just how much he wants it.
Closing Thoughts On The 2025 NHL Draft
There was a very obvious theme in the Toronto Maple Leafs draft, and that was getting bigger and meaner.
The Leafs got guys that could impact the end of their roster, but left potential higher upside players who could progress above that. They took guys that come a dime a dozen in free agency, for better or worse.
Players like Tinus Luc Koblar and Harry Nansi have clear areas in which they could grow and improve in time, while Tyler Hopkins and Will Belle have solid pro foundations despite being more bottom-six but Rylan Fellinger and Matthew Hlacar being late gambles is a tad perplexing.
You would want for there to be more ambition in the Toronto Maple Leafs scouting department. Just drafting undersized skill forwards like Kyle Dubas didn't work out, but drafting big and brawny didn't work out under Mark Hunter either.
Players like Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann have represented a sweet spot what the Toronto Maple Leafs should want, both having optimal size and skill, they're big but can provide offense to the team. Tyler Hopkins represents this best, and why he has been viewed as the top player Toronto drafted by many.
For the second straight year, Toronto has shown themselves a team that cares about heart and size, but with these players who need a lot of developing, it may take a very long time to decide how well this strategy has worked out.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 29 | 565 ANSWERS Full Analysis of the Maple Leafs' 2025 NHL Draft Class Did the Toronto Maple Leafs have a good 2025 NHL Draft? | ||
| Yes | 188 | 33.3 % |
| No | 189 | 33.5 % |
| Unsure/Too Soon | 188 | 33.3 % |
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