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Maple Leafs select Tyler Hopkins with No. 86 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

Originally posted on TheLeafsnation | By Arun Srinivasan | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 2:37 PM ET

With the No. 86 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Tyler Hopkins from the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.

Hopkins posted 20 goals and 31 points in 67 games with Kingston during the 2024-25 season.

Here’s what Daily Faceoff and The Leafs Nation’s prospect expert Steven Ellis wrote about Hopkins. Hopkins was projected to be selected by the Maple Leafs with the No. 64 pick in Ellis’ and The Leafs Nation editor Alex Hobson’s mock drafts.

The Leafs traded away Fraser Minten at the trade deadline, so Hopkins could be a decent – albeit lesser – replacement. In Kingston, he’s a smart, two-way center whom you can rely on in the D-zone. Hopkins will only really be a support player in the NHL but his two-way game makes him very useful. I want to see him evolve more as a dynamic playmaker, but I like where his game is right now.

Toronto gets Tyler Hopkins – a good fit.

He’s a smart, two-way center whom you can rely on in the D-zone. Hopkins will only really be a support player in the NHL but his two-way game makes him very useful. I want to see him evolve more as a dynamic playmaker, but I like where…

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) June 28, 2025

Here’s what Hobson wrote about Hopkins:

With Fraser Minten no longer in the Maple Leafs’ system, they’d ideally like to replace him, and you can’t find many better options than Kingston Frontenacs forward Tyler Hopkins.

The 18-year-old centre has good size, he’s strong on the forecheck, took big strides defensively this season, and has sneaky offensive upside. He scored 20 goals and added 51 points in 67 games in what was his second OHL season, and in watching him, displays lots of similarities to Minten. Hopkins should be available near the end of the second round, and if he is, expect the Leafs to take a long look at him.

Toronto selected Tinus Luc Koblar with the No. 64 pick earlier Saturday. Koblar will need some time to develop before making an impact at the NHL level.

Hopkins represents excellent value for the Maple Leafs here and could provide some solid two-way value at the next level, while being granted some time to develop into a real NHL contributor down the line.

This article first appeared on TheLeafsnation and was syndicated with permission.

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