In the span of just one summer, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost the exclusive rights to three of their former draft picks, including Matthew Hlacar, Nathan Mayes, and more recently, Joe Miller.
Hlacar and Mayes were seventh-round picks in the 2024 draft. In fact, Mayes was taken with the last pick in the draft. In NFL circles, that pick would be dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant.”
Meanwhile, Joe Miller finished his college career without signing an NHL contract with Toronto and later joined the Cincinnati Cyclones, the Maple Leafs' ECHL affiliate.
The rule that lets NHL teams hold some prospects indefinitely
In order to explain these decisions by the Toronto Maple Leafs, you must first understand some of the NHL rules surrounding exclusive rights.
NHL draft rights do not expire on one universal timeline. Many CHL players face a June 1 deadline after their signing window, while European players can have different retention periods depending on where and when they were drafted. Players in leagues without an NHL transfer agreement, such as the KHL, can have their rights retained much longer. NCAA players follow another process entirely, with Aug. 15 serving as the earliest free-agent date for certain players after their fourth college season.
This creates a strategic problem for some general managers. When it comes to late-round picks, GMs consider how long they will have to sign a player. Overall, Russian and Swiss players have an advantage thanks to the leeway they are given. Meanwhile, NCAA and CHL guys such as Mayes, Miller, and Hlacar, put teams like the Leafs under time constraints.
Why Toronto let all three walk on purpose
Mayes and Hlacar both re-entered the 2026 draft pool, but they arrived there differently. Mayes reached the end of his signing window after being drafted in 2024, while Hlacar's rights expired after Toronto did not issue the bona fide offer required to retain him.
In the NHL, there is a 50-contract limit. As it stands, the Leafs are at 49 contracts, which puts them right up against that limit. Had the team signed Miller, they would have reached their limit. Given the fact that Miller was destined for the ECHL, it didn't make sense to sign a deal.
The 50-contract limit is part of the asset-management equation, but Toronto has never publicly said it drove all three decisions. The bigger takeaway is that late-round picks eventually force teams to choose whether a prospect has shown enough development to justify using an NHL contract or extending control for another season.
Do you believe John Chayka made the right decision with these Toronto Maple Leafs prospects?
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