Matthew Hlacar, Rhett Parsons enter fight at Leafs’ development camp

Hlacar was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NHL Draft by the Maple Leafs. He spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League where he posted seven goals and eight points in 43 games, along with 62 penalty minutes.

“He’s a really hard-nosed, competitive, big man,” Maple Leafs scouting director Mark Leach said of Hlacar following the conclusion of the draft. “Skates well, get in there. Really, a unique element. Likes to play in your face.”

“Two guys going hard. Tempers flare and it happened. I talked to him, we’re fine, it is what it is,” Hlacar said of the fight Thursday.

Hlacar also told reporters that Auston Matthews and John Tavares reached out to him after he was drafted.

“That was my welcome to the Leafs moment. I was just like ‘wow, this is for real now!” Hlacar said, revealing that he grew up as a Maple Leafs, with Phil Kessel as his favourite player.

Parsons is a 6-foot-3 right-shot defenceman, who posted five assists and 116 penalty minutes with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL during the 2024-25 season. The 21-year-old previously spent four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League.

“I think just going into a battle drill, that’s what I pride my game after,” Parsons said. “I know we’re all teammates off the ice and love the guy, love every teammate here. But when you’re a battle drill, stuff like that happens. Total respect for him. No hard feelings off the ice.”

Toronto resumes its development camp on Friday, where the compete level ought to be off the charts.