2025 TLN Maple Leafs Prospect Rankings: #17 Sam McCue

The TLN Maple Leafs prospect rankings were compiled by a panel of seven TLN writers, each ranking our top 20 prospects to form a consensus group ranking. 

Rather than hard and fast limits on age or NHL games played to determine “prospect” eligibility, our group decided on a more nuanced approach to include any reasonably young player who is either under contract with the Leafs or on the club’s reserve list, who has not yet established himself as a full-time NHLer.

Sam McCue was the second last Leafs pick of the Wes Clark draft era in Toronto, a seventh rounder (216th overall) taken just a few picks before fellow Leafs’ prospect and draft “Mr. Irrelevant” Nathan Mayes.

While McCue was a pick under Wes Clark’s scouting watch, the 2024 draft was one that saw Clark prioritizing Brad Treliving’s preferences for size over Kyle Dubas’ attempts to find skill throughout the draft. The hallmark of Clark’s attempts to find players that are smart, work hard, and seemingly are open to benefiting from the Leafs’ player development process was likely still a part of the consideration throughout the draft and as such McCue should be largely looked at as an interesting project player the Leafs are a year into working with.

McCue is a 19 year old, with what would be considered an early draft birthday (October 3rd). The age and development aspect matter a bit since being a 6’2 forward playing in the same league as undeveloped 16 year olds creates a pretty big advantage. That advantage didn’t show up significantly in his draft year, but a 23-goal effort coupled with his size certainly justifies the Leafs selecting him from a statistical standpoint. McCue’s post draft follow-up season saw his goal production jump to 36-goals in just 55 games and that is a big reason for how McCue has found his way into the top 2o prospect rankings for the first time.

Not surprising is that McCue’s size is how he finds success offensively in the OHL. He’s a tank. He rolls over opponents, he claims his space in front of the net, and he’s a battler. He’s capable of making space for his linemates and checks all the boxes of a budding power forward.

What is interesting is that so far, McCue’s offensive success hasn’t translated to playoff production and in his two OHL playoff visits, McCue has just one assist to show for his nine games played. (Sounds like a Leaf already.) It is especially interesting since McCue had four goals and two assists against Kitchener (McCue’s playoff opponent) in four games during the regular season.

McCue’s move from his initial role in Peterborough as a bottom six physical presence to his roles in Owen Sound, Flint, and his upcoming role in Brantford was the recognition that McCue’s physical presence adds a lot to top lines in the OHL, and while McCue might not have the shot of a finisher or a playmaker’s vision, he’s a strong complimentary piece when it comes to puck retrieval and a solid garbage man in front of the net, but lacks the skill of a true power forward.

Last season Steven Ellis wrote of McCue: “Compared to his rookie year, where he spent most of his time playing to the perimeter, McCue seemed to find himself in more scoring positions this past year. He’ll never be seen as someone capable of ripping clapbombs from just about everywhere, but McCue can and will fight to the death in front of the net to pot home a rebound or take space away. McCue loves when things get physical, and that might be where he succeeds the most because he’s willing to rough guys up just about anywhere.”

Ellis would go on to acknowledge that there is also work to be done on McCue’s skating and that while he doesn’t struggle to keep up in the OHL, his inability to stand out points to a need for improvement to keep up in the pro ranks.

The immediate future for Sam McCue won’t include pro hockey. He’s recently been traded from Flint to Brantford and will continue playing the role of muscle in the top six. As McCue gets older and adds more weight to his frame (Elite Prospects presently lists his weight at 190 lbs.) he’ll face less of a challenge in the OHL and making the jump to pro in 2026-27 or moving to the NCAA would be logical next steps. The Leafs have until June 1st of 2026 to get McCue under contract.

Given that McCue lacks some of the additional skills that you see in players like Matthew Knies or other skilled physical top six players, it is likely that McCue’s role in pro hockey will take on something closer to the role that he initially played in Peterborough, and that is a bottom six physical presence. The challenge for McCue will be that 6’2 and 190 lbs. means a lot less in the pro ranks and while a willingness to hit and to go to the tough areas of the ice is something the Leafs can work with, the questions of how much muscle can be added to McCue and how he’ll perform when opponents can push back need to be answered before getting too excited about McCue as a potential option for the Leafs.

Realistically the Leafs are over a year away from knowing what they have with McCue and that’s fine. Sam was always going to be a project player and the fact that McCue is achieving as much as he can in the situation he is in should be encouraging for the Maple Leafs.