Maple Leafs Legend's Son Officially Drafted in OHL First Round, Fans React to the Big Moment

Sam Roberts, the son of longtime former NHLer Gary Roberts, was drafted in the first round of the 2025 OHL Priority Selection by the Oshawa Generals.

Roberts, like his father in the NHL, plays as a hard-working power forward who has a strong physical game but is able to generate offense and move the puck. At 6'0 and 180lbs, Roberts is also a smooth skater who is big for his age at just 15-years-old.

Sam is not the only player with Leafs bloodlines drafted to the OHL in round one.

Brock Chitaroni, the third overall pick in the draft taken by the Ottawa 67's, is the son of former Leafs Draft pick Terry Chitaroni.

Aleks Kulemin, the son of former Leaf forward Nikolai Kulemin, went ninth overall to the Kingston Frontenacs.

The first overall pick was Ottawa Valley Titans centre Kaden McGregor to the Peterborough Petes.

The Greater Toronto Hockey League was well represented in the draft, with the league having 11 of the 23 picks in roind one, led by Brenner Lammens to Sarnia at fourth overall.

Multiple teammates of Sam Roberts in the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, the OHL Cup champions, had been taken in the first round, with tournament MVP Camryn Warren to North Bay at 6th, along with Noah Laus to the Soo Greyhounds at 7th, and Keaton Ardagh a spot before Roberts at 15th to Brampton.

Fans were ecstatic to see the son of a former Leafs star be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League, with a lot of positivity for Sam.

An OHL alum of the Ottawa 67's, Gary Roberts played in 21 NHL seasons, spending his first decade in the league with the Calgary Flames.

Roberts won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with Calgary, and had a 53 goal, 90 point season in 1991-92 with the Flames.

In 1996, Roberts had retired from the NHL due to injury issues with his neck, but returned with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing four strong seasons in Toronto, before ending his career with the Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins, & the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After his retirement, Roberts began fitness training for hockey players, fostering future first overall picks Steven Stamkos & Connor McDavid.

Like his father, Sam is a highly athletic and mature player who's game has flashes of his highly talented dad, now headed to the Oshawa Generals with a strong offense in Beckett Sennecke, Calum Ritchie, & Colby Barlow, the later of whom has worked alongside Gary in the offseason.

Roberts has a major advantage of the athleticism and hockey bloodlines, and will look to use his natural skill to take him the rest of the way.