TORONTO — Size, toughness, and competitiveness were clearly the key attributes prioritized by the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first draft class assembled under new director of amateur scouting, Mark Leach.
This year`s group of drafted players may not be large in quantity, but they certainly possess formidable physical frames.
“We just felt size was a big factor involved, because there wasn`t much difference in their skill set. And that`s one of the elements that I like,” Leach explained Saturday at the team`s headquarters. “Yes, I`ve drafted smaller players, but those smaller guys have to be so highly skilled, so highly intelligent, and probably have a knack for scoring. That`s what I defer to size. It`s just, the game of hockey is hard. Two months of playoff grind — it’s a battle.”
Leach, who is well-regarded and was brought in from the Dallas Stars after the 2024 draft, estimated a significant drop in the talent pool after the 15th overall pick in the 2025 draft.
The team`s objective, then, was to uncover hidden gems, especially since their first selection didn`t come until the final pick of Day 2, 64th overall.
“You take the best available player talent-wise at that pick. When you get down to No. 64 and that area, these players take a little longer to develop. Or it is maybe not a straight line to get where they want to go from A to B,” Leach noted. “You just be patient with them. Be patient with the development and see where they end up in a few years. These kids, most of them, are three to five years away.”
With both patience and hope for the future, here are the six members of the Toronto Maple Leafs` 2025 draft class:
Tinus Luc Koblar, C, Sweden Junior League, No. 64 overall
When Tinus Luc Koblar learned he had been drafted by his favorite NHL team, his mother was thrilled, and he video-called his father, who was busy coaching. “He just started screaming to the camera and became super happy for me,” the 17-year-old shared via Zoom.
“It was an unreal experience. I became so happy. Just true pleasure.”
The six-foot-four, 189-pound Koblar is the first prospect selected under the Leach era, and Toronto`s new head scout emphasizes the need for patience with the lanky center, acknowledging he`s a raw talent requiring several years of development.
Koblar was born in Slovenia to parents who were Olympic athletes – his mother a biathlete, his father an alpine skier. The family later moved to Norway when his father took a coaching position with the national alpine team. Koblar now plays for Leksand in the Swedish Junior League.
He recorded eight goals, 13 assists, and a plus-7 rating in 43 games last season and aims to advance to the SHL in the 2025-26 season.
“I have been born with competitiveness because both my mom and dad have played at a high level,” Koblar stated. “There`s nothing I like to lose.”
As a Slovenian, Koblar naturally grew up admiring L.A. superstar Anze Kopitar. While Elite Prospects describes him as “deceivingly fast” and skilled, Koblar himself is focused on improving the physical aspects of his game. Leach particularly likes his “knack for the net” and his effective play along the boards.
Koblar is a teammate of fellow Leafs prospect Victor Johansson, a fourth-round pick in 2024, and has received only positive feedback about Toronto from his friend.
Tyler Hopkins, C, Ontario Hockey League, No. 86
Growing up in nearby Campbellville, Ontario, Hopkins is a devoted Leafs fan who has frequently attended games at Scotiabank Arena and looks up to centers like Auston Matthews and John Tavares.
It`s no surprise he was anxiously watching the third-round picks, hoping he wouldn`t be passed over before pick 86. “To get drafted is every kid`s dream, and to be drafted by your hometown team is one level even better than that,” said Hopkins, who attended the draft in Los Angeles. “So, I kinda hit the jackpot.”
The six-foot-one, 179-pound center for the Kingston Frontenacs had a breakout season as an OHL sophomore, scoring 20 goals and 51 points. However, he is determined to improve his offensive statistics further.
“I have the ability to contribute a little more offensively to my team,” he admitted. “Getting into the middle of the ice a little bit more, creating more scoring chances, and then just working on finishing those opportunities more consistently.”
In the meantime, “Hoppy” plans to continue playing with pace and refining his complete 200-foot game, which he models after Selke Trophy candidate Anthony Cirelli.
Hopkins, who is good friends with No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer, is seen as a reliable, coachable middle-six forward prospect at the professional level. Leach wants Hopkins to gain strength and quickness but is impressed by his anticipation.
His best hope? That he can one day help the franchise achieve something even greater than his current favorite Leafs memory. “When they`ve got out of the first round in their recent years,” Hopkins recalled. “I was at one of the (Lightning) playoff games. The excitement inside of the arena when they got out of that first round… that was probably the coolest moment that I`ve actually been at the rink and seen firsthand.”
William Belle, RW, United States Hockey League, No. 137
The six-foot-four, 225-pound winger from the U.S. National Development Team was too stressed to watch the draft live. Belle and his friends at Notre Dame were assembling a couch when his phone lit up on Saturday afternoon. “When I heard it was the Maple Leafs, I was pumped,” said Belle, who grew up in China. “It`s a great organization and can`t wait to get started.”
Belle`s description of his playing style is likely music to coach Craig Berube`s ears: simple, fast, north-south hockey, forechecking, backchecking, and physical play. Belle aspires to develop his game from the style of Miles Wood to that of Tom Wilson.
“Just the power-forward hockey that he plays, the simplicity of it, and the physicality and that edge he has to him. The meanness — I feel like I can bring that,” Belle commented, wearing a black Sopranos T-shirt during his Zoom call. “You know, I`m here to win, and I`m here to help my team. And I don`t care who you are — I`m going to be in your face. That`s just how I`m wired. That`s just how I play.”
That collective thud you heard? That was Leafs Nation falling in love.
Harry Nansi, RW, Ontario Hockey League, No. 153
The forward for the Owen Sound Attack is described as a diligent worker capable of driving through checks and pressuring opponents into making mistakes. The six-foot-three, 186-pound native of Brossard, Quebec, recorded seven goals and 23 points in 67 games for Owen Sound last season, where he sometimes struggled to find a consistent role.
At 17, Nansi is one of the youngest players drafted this weekend, considered a raw talent on whom Leach is taking a chance.
Leach`s assessment: “Big, raw, rangy. Skating has to get quicker. Feet have to get better. But he`s a kid who really works and competes.”
Rylan Fellinger, D, Ontario Hockey League, No. 185
Fellinger was unavailable to speak to reporters immediately after being drafted because the 18-year-old was attending his prom. “You could hear the music going on in the background,” GM Brad Treliving said of his welcome call to Fellinger. “That`s the best part of it. You talk to the kids after they`re drafted, and they`re excited.”
Another prospect with good size, the six-foot-four, 200-pound right-shot defenseman recorded seven points in 64 games for the Flint Firebirds in the 2024-25 season. The native of Wawa, Ontario, is primarily known for his physical presence.
Leach doesn`t hide his preference for size on the blueline: “Well, look at the playoffs. Florida has a big team. You have two months of grind. Size is a factor. But, also, a big heart and a compete level can do something. But I do like size. No question about it.”
Matthew Hlacar, LW, Ontario Hockey League, No. 217
Concluding the trend of drafting late-round OHL players and large forwards, Leach selected the six-foot-three, 201-pound Kitchener Rangers winger in the seventh round. The 19-year-old Hlacar, a bit of a late bloomer who joined the Rangers as a free agent, hails from Brinbrook, Ontario, and scored seven goals in his first major junior season. He`s known as a fighter.
Hlacar trained with former IBF title holder Steve Molitor on his off-days this season and received a five-game suspension for a head shot in March. He plays a physically assertive game.
“A really hard-nosed, competitive big man,” Leach described him. “Skates well. Gets in there. Really a unique element. Likes to play in your face.”
Tristan Blackwood