2026 TLN Maple Leafs Prospect Rankings: Honourable mentions

The Toronto Maple Leafs emerged from the 2026 NHL draft with more excitement surrounding their prospect pipeline than there has been in several years. Of course, injecting a first overall pick and potential franchise player into the organization is going to have that effect, but the Leafs have received high grades for the rest of their haul as well. It is nearly impossible to win without the kind of high-end talent that is found most often at the top of the draft, but having depth at every position is just as important, and the Leafs improved the overall depth of their prospect pool in a significant way. In John Chayka’s first draft at the helm, the Leafs selected 10 players, including six in the first three rounds.

Suddenly, our list of the top 20 prospects in the Maple Leafs’ organization became much tougher to crack – both for newcomers, and for players that have been in the organization for the last few years. Before we get to the countdown of the Leafs’ top 20 prospects, here are a handful of players who received at least one top-20 vote from our team of writers, but failed to make the final list:

Hudson Malinoski

Malinoski landed the 19th spot on last summer’s list, but the combination of a down year and plenty of new blood in the organization has pushed him down the depth chart. Selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Malinoski has spent the last three years playing for Providence in the NCAA, and after taking a step forward as a sophomore with 23 points in 35 games, his production dipped to just 15 points in 36 games this past season. He has some intriguing tools as a centre, with his ability to make plays around the net and his vision as a passer, but he hasn’t been able to take that next step towards becoming a legitimate NHL prospect, and time is running out. Malinoski will return to Providence for his senior year, and he’ll need to show tremendous growth in order to entice a new regime into signing him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Timofei Obvintsev

Obvintsev may be the most interesting player on this list because of the unusual path he is taking after a couple of years in Russia where he simply didn’t play much. The Leafs picked the 6-foot-3 netminder in the fifth round of the 2024 draft after he posted a .921 SV% on Russia’s junior circuit, with the hope that he would continue to develop in CSKA Moskva system. Unfortunately, in the two years since he was drafted, Obvintsev has played a total of 11 games at the junior level, and just six in the VHL – never mind a sniff of KHL action. With Obvintsev eager for an opportunity, and the Leafs eager to see what they have in him before signing him to an entry-level contract, the two sides opted for an AHL deal that will see the young goaltender make the jump to North America for the 2026-27 season. Obvintsev is expected to begin the season in the ECHL, but with just Artur Akhtyamov and Samuel Hlavaj ahead of him on the Marlies’ depth chart as it stands today, he will likely see some time in the AHL as well. Needless to say, the 2026-27 season is a big one for Obvintsev.

Alexander Plesovskikh

Plesovskikh was also chosen by the Leafs in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, and though he has been productive in the MHL, opportunities beyond the junior level have been sparse. Over the last two seasons, he has played just four games in the VHL, and he got his first few shifts in the KHL late in the 2025-26 campaign. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Plesovskikh plays an energetic brand of hockey, and he has the puck skills and vision to drive offence, at least at the junior level. It is concerning, however, that he has yet to carve out a regular role in the VHL when many other prospects are pushing through to the KHL by this point. It will be interesting to see if the Leafs take Plesovskikh’s development into their own hands the way they did with Obvintsev, should his opportunities to progress through the ranks in Russia not materialize this coming season.

William Belle

Belle landed in the 15th spot on last year’s list, and with the benefit of hindsight, it is probably fair to say that was a little too optimistic for a fifth-round pick with underwhelming offensive numbers who was known more for his physical attributes than his raw skill. That said, those physical attributes could still help him carve out a solid career if he is able to continue building out the rest of his game. Make no mistake, Belle can be a menacing presence on the forecheck, and he never shies away from throwing his big body around, but even fourth-line checkers need to be able to chip in here and there. Belle registered just one goal and three assists in 34 games during his first season at Notre Dame, and he will be looking to improve upon those numbers in a significant way with more opportunity in his sophomore year.

Vincent Borgesi

The Leafs signed Borgesi out of Northeastern University as an undrafted free agent last spring, and he got his feet wet as a pro, suiting up for seven games with the Marlies to close out their regular season. As a 5-foot-8 defender, Borgesi is fighting an uphill battle, but he makes his presence known with his involvement all over the ice. He is a smooth skater who is always looking to jump into the rush, and though he can be overpowered in his own zone, he defends hard with an active stick and intelligent positioning. Borgesi will have to earn every minute on what looks to be a crowded Marlies’ blue line, but he offers a skill set that the organization doesn’t have in abundance. At 22 years of age, he won’t have the same kind of runway as some of the younger players in the organization, so he will need to take advantage of every opportunity in 2026-27.

Sam McCue

Another player who was bumped out of last year’s top 2o, McCue’s production declined this past season in the OHL. To be fair, McCue was playing on his fourth team in the past two years by the time he was dealt to the Ottawa 67’s midway through the season, but he finished with just 17 goals and 15 assists in 53 games after posting 36 goals and 19 assists in 55 games the prior season. With good size, a nose for the net, and a strong motor, there is still a path to the pros for the 2024 seventh rounder, and that path will now go through the University of Vermont, where he will begin his collegiate career in the fall. Set to turn 21 in October, McCue will need to hit the ground running if he is going to keep himself in consideration for an ELC down the road.

Yaroslav Fedoseyev

Of all the players on this list, Fedoseyev is probably the safest bet to force his way into next year’s top 20. Drafted in the sixth round this past June, Fedoseyev has already shown he can handle KHL minutes, suiting up for nine regular season games and three playoff contests for Traktor Chelyabinsk this past season as an 18-year-old. He has a pro-ready build at 6-foot-1 and nearly 190 pounds, and his defensive game is refined beyond his years. Fedoseyev makes good reads in transition, uses his wingspan to eliminate time and space, and there is a nasty side to his game. He might not have a top-pair ceiling, but Fedoseyev has a strong foundation to build off of. Look for him to spend most of the coming season in the VHL, but he could see plenty of action at Russia’s top level as well.

Brody Pepoy

Toronto’s final selection in the 2026 draft, Pepoy is a player who brings energy to every shift. His game is all about pace, whether it’s going hard after a puck on the forecheck, chasing down an opponent on the rush, or attacking the net with speed. Pepoy finished his draft year with 16 goals and 13 assists in 67 games for Saginaw in the OHL, and his production could reach another level if his hands and brain can catch up to his feet. With late-round picks, teams should always be hunting for players who have at least one defining trait, and Pepoy’s disruptive style of play could eventually translate to a bottom-six role if everything clicks. Pepoy will return to Saginaw for the upcoming season, and he is committed to Lindenwood in the NCAA for the following year.

Statistics from EliteProspects.com