Maple Leafs Prospect Roundup: Midseason prospect pool update

Ben Danford

Danford started the campaign with an impressive showing at Leafs camp, lasting into the final days before being sent back to Oshawa in the OHL. With the Generals in line for a retool, they dealt Danford to the Brantford Bulldogs after just eight games, and he jumped right into a prominent role with his new club. Known more for his defensive game and physical play, Danford registered a goal and 11 assists in 15 games with the Bulldogs before suiting up with Canada at the World Juniors. It was another disappointing tournament for Team Canada, and Danford’s performance was up and down throughout, but he remained one of the team’s most trusted defenders on the way to earning a bronze medal. Danford could push for NHL minutes as early as next season, but he is also one of very few assets the Leafs have to potentially upgrade their roster before the trade deadline.

Dennis Hildeby

Like Cowan, Hildeby is nearing the end of his time being classified as a prospect. Now 24 years of age, he has spent most of the season in the NHL, and he has played a big part in keeping the Leafs afloat through the first half. Hildeby has played in 16 games for the big club this season, including some tough starts in back-to-back situations and a handful of difficult relief appearances. His best performance of the season came in relief of Joseph Woll against the Winnipeg Jets on New Year’s Day, backstopping the Leafs to a huge comeback victory after being down 4-1 in the early part of the game. He followed that up with a 2-1 OT victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, bringing him to a 2.75 GAA to go along with a .916 SV% for the season. Hildeby has established himself as an NHL-calibre goaltender this season, and he has given the Leafs another potential asset to use ahead of the trade deadline. Given his age, physical tools, and the way he has performed, the Leafs will be hesitant to move on from Hildeby, but he has made a position of strength even stronger.

Jacob Quillan

Quillan has been the best player for the Marlies all season, and he’s earned a handful of games in the NHL as a result. He’s been held off the scoresheet in three games with the Leafs, but he has been a consistent producer at the AHL level with eight goals and 19 assists in 28 games for the Marlies, including a hat trick against Belleville last week. He has been used in all situations and has been a reliable defensive presence on top of his offensive output, looking more and more like an NHL player as the season has progressed. The Leafs are as deep up front as they have been in years, so opportunities at the NHL level have been tough to come by, but no one should be surprised if he gets another opportunity and runs with it.

Tinus Luc Koblar

Koblar was a bit of an off-the-board selection when the Leafs picked him at the end of the second round this past summer, but he has made a name for himself so far this season. He only turned 18 in July, but he has played a regular role for Leksands in Sweden’s top professional league, and he has been productive in the process. Over his last seven games, Koblar has scored twice and added three assists, bringing him up to five goals and five assists while playing a middle-six role over the course of 30 games. That ranks him fourth among all U19 skaters in the SHL, and he also registered 10 points in five games to help Norway win the second-tier World Juniors tournament and earn promotion to the main group next season. At this point, Koblar is likely still more valuable to the Leafs than he would be in a trade, but his progression this season could draw attention from rival clubs.

Miroslav Holinka

Holinka has been one of the biggest stories in the Leafs’ prospect pool this season. He had a strong first year in the WHL a season ago, but he has taken his game to another level in 2025-26. Through 37 games, the 2024 fifth-rounder is tied for third in league scoring with 26 goals and 34 assists for one of the WHL’s top teams in the Edmonton Oil Kings. But Holinka brings more to the table than just raw offensive skill; he’s an intelligent three-zone player who can be trusted to line up against the best the opposition has to offer night after night, and he has won those minutes more often than not. Already signed to an entry-level contract, Holinka appears ready to hit the ground running with the Marlies next fall.

Tyler Hopkins

Hopkins hasn’t exploded offensively this year the way the Leafs’ front office may have hoped, but he still looks like a projectable player at the pro level. His skating, vision, and defensive responsibility made him a sought-after commodity in the OHL, and he was dealt from Kingston to Guelph for a significant haul over the holidays. Hopkins had 12 goals and 13 assists in 29 games with the Frontenacs before the trade, and he is still trying to find his footing with his new club, registering four points through his first seven games with the Storm. He hasn’t exactly boosted his stock so far this season, but I still believe the Leafs have a potential NHL piece in Hopkins because of his intelligence and skating ability.

Artur Akhtyamov

Akhtyamov‘s overall numbers don’t jump off the page by any means, but he has shown real growth this season, coming up huge for the Marlies on several occasions. He and the organization would surely like more consistency, but the AHL can be a particularly difficult league for goaltenders, and he has stepped up in the absence of Hildeby to steal more than his fair share of points for the Marlies so far this season. Akhtyamov has played 21 games in the AHL, sporting a record of 13-7-2 to go along with a 2.98 GAA and .898 SV%, and he made his NHL debut in relief of Hildeby back in mid-December, stopping all five shots he faced against the Edmonton Oilers. Drafted way back in 2020, Akhtyamov is actually a couple of months younger than Hildeby, and he has flashed real NHL potential this year as well. Toronto’s goaltending depth is in a good spot.

William Villeneuve

Villeneuve broke out at the AHL level a season ago, leading the Marlies’ blueline with 40 points in 55 games – fourth most among U24 defenders behind Luca Cagnoni, Tristan Luneau, and Jeremie Poirier. He was the only one of those players to finish with a positive +/- rating at +17 as well, but things haven’t gone as smoothly for him this season. Villeneuve missed nearly a month due to injury, returning to the Marlies’ lineup just before Christmas, and he has registered just two points in 11 games since then. The Marlies haven’t been winning his minutes to the same degree this season, either, and Villeneuve will be looking to get back on track in the second half to put himself back into the conversation as a potential call-up option down the road.

Noah Chadwick

The transition from junior hockey to the pros has been a bit bumpy for Chadwick, but he has shown flashes of the skillset that made him such a productive blueliner in the WHL. Mobility has never been Chadwick’s biggest strength, and he has struggled to adjust to the speed of the AHL, but he has looked more comfortable as the season has progressed. He is learning to use his large frame to take away space in the defensive zone, and he has looked more confident picking his spots to jump up offensively. Chadwick had one of the most productive games of his young career last week, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 6-1 win over Belleville to bring him up to two goals and six assists in 36 games with the Marlies so far this season.