Maple Leafs prospect Cade Webber has been passed by Toronto's changing defence pipeline

Toronto spent a 2026 sixth-round pick on Cade Webber in 2024. At 25, he now has 10 points in 93 AHL games and a shrinking path to the NHL.

This past offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs' front office, led by John Chayka, made offensive-defensemen a priority. They got Darren Raddysh, all while drafting intriguing prospects like Ethan MacKenze and Alexander Belicki.

These moves have left guys like Cade Webber in limbo. He has been with the Toronto Marlies for two seasons now, and it's hard to imagine him making the Leafs.

Toronto didn't inherit Webber as a throw-in. The Leafs specifically traded a 2026 sixth-round pick for his rights before signing him, so his slide down the depth chart represents an actual development bet that has yet to pay off at the NHL level.

Toronto changed the type of defenceman it values while Webber was developing

Webber was once viewed as a legitimate NHL-depth option because of his size, reach, and defensive profile. However, the Leafs organizational structure has changed, and his place within the franchise has deteriorated.

Under Chayka, Toronto has made quicker puck movement and cleaner exits an explicit priority on defence. That's an uncomfortable shift for a player whose value comes primarily from reach, physicality, and defending. In 93 AHL games, Webber has just 10 points, making him the opposite of what the Leafs want right now. As a result, new prospects like MacKenzie and Belicki are higher on the totem pole.

Webber is still improving as a player; however, his value has gone down because other prospects are simply developing faster. The Leafs' pipeline is growing, and it's stronger than ever.

All of this has narrowed the path for Webber, and in training camp, he will have to show that he is still on track for the NHL.

At 25, Webber is approaching the line between prospect and organizational depth

25 years old is still young. However, there will come a time when Webber is no longer a prospect and is simply organizational depth. The 18-year-olds coming in this year have a long runway to develop. Webber doesn't have that luxury anymore.

In the past, his goal in training camp was to show progress. This time around, he has to prove that he can help the Leafs win right now.

During camp, the Leafs will need to see some reliable defensive minutes, penalty-kill prowess, lots of physicality, and mistake-free hockey.

Webber is no longer fighting to become one of Toronto's better prospects. Instead, he is fighting to prove he still has NHL potential and isn't someone the Leafs should move on from.

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