Maple Leafs announce 2025 Development Camp roster

In addition to the drafted Maple Leaf prospects and those signed to NHL or AHL deals, the Maple Leafs have invited 23 free agents to take a look at, most notably at the goaltending position. The Maple Leafs press release notes that all of the 2024 and 2025 draft picks will be present at the camp, as well as Nick Moldenhauer from the 2022 draft, and Easton Cowan, Hudson Malinoski, and Noah Chadwick from the 2023 draft.

The Development Camp is notably different from the Rookie Camp in September in that NCAA players are eligible to attend this camp, and since there aren’t any conflicts with the European season, there is a greater number of European prospects present as well. This allows for a good opportunity to gauge where players like Hudson Malinoski, Nick Moldenhauer, and Victor Johansson are compared to some of their CHL/AHL counterparts.

In addition to the eyes that will be on top prospects like Easton Cowan and Ben Danford, this will be the first look at the other new higher picks, Tinus Luc Koblar and Tyler Hopkins. Koblar will also factor into the upcoming Canadian Hockey League imports draft, if he or the Maple Leafs have the desire to see him play in North America. How he fares at the Development Camp might influences some decisions in that regard.

The free agents at the camp will be playing for an invite to the rookie camp as well and potentially entry level contracts. In the past the Leafs have used these tournaments to determine who they look at for AHL deals, overaged draft picks, etc.

While all eyes might be on free agency, the Leafs Player Development department will have their hands full setting the direction for the current crop of prospects.