Miroslav Holinka: Why this 5th-round gem is shifting the Maple Leafs' prospect hierarchy

The 20-year-old ranks in the top-10 in goals with 35 and points with 76 in 53 games, having been one of the WHL's top performing players this season, while having advanced his-all around game as he matures.

A jump from 19 goals and 45 points last season, Holinka has been a leader for the Oil Kings, both on offense and defense, and has been a two-way impact center in the WHL, something the Leafs can use in the coming years.

Having been drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, 151st overall, Holinka is beginning to separate himself as one of the Toronto Maple Leafs key prospects.

Miroslav Holinka quietly went under the radar in his draft year, scoring what is for a draft prospect a respectable three points in 16 games in his draft year in the Czech Extraliga, the top men's league in the country, along with 41 points in 29 games at the U20 level.

Having avoided a common challenge with some Europeans stepping onto smaller North American ice, Holinka was able to adapt quickly and continued to improve on the defensive end and provide a physical edge to go alongside his offensive prowess.

Holinka is capable of playing as a goalscorer and playmaker, having added a much stronger shot to his arsenal to go with a reliable puck-moving game and decent skating ability.

It is easy to see a projectable game out of Holinka as someone who steps into a Swiss Army knife type of role-in an NHL bottom-six, but a lack of higher end tools limit his upside as a top-six forward.

There is a lot to like in Holinka's game as a high effort, two-way forward who could stick at center, but it's that Holinka's upside is lacking that struggles to separate him from the other Leafs prospects who project as possible bottom-six centers such as Tinus Luc Koblar, Tyler Hopkins, Jacob Quillan, & Harry Nansi.

A more NHL ready player like Quillan blocks a potential immediate role, while Hopkins has a higher upside. Nansi & Koblar have longer pro pathways, but like Hopkins have a higher ceiling than Holinka, but it's Holinka who has arguably the safest floor.

Likely to be playing in the AHL next season, Miroslav Holinka has a prime chance to add more to his game and prove his translatability at the pro level, but as he's shown since being drafted, growing as a player comes easy to the Leafs prospect.

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