Maple Leafs' 2025 Draft Class Proves Team Had a Clear Mandate Coming Into the Draft
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Brad Treliving, Mark Leach and the Maple Leafs had a clear objective on day two of the NHL Entry Draft with each of their six picks having at least one thing in common.
Using their first selection of the 2025 draft, the Maple Leafs selected 6-foot-4 center Tinus Luc Koblar.
Twenty-two picks later, Brad Treliving used his third-round pick to select 6-foot-1 center Tyler Hopkins.
Yes, the Leafs are thin at center after trading Fraser Minten at the trade deadline, and they did draft centers with their first two picks of the draft, but the objective from Maple Leafs brass was not to load up down the middle. Their priority was to draft players that are big, mobile and take away time and space from the opposition.
With their remaining four picks, the Leafs drafted two wingers that are 6-foot-4 and another winger and a defenseman that are both 6-foot-3.
Speaking with reporters following the draft, Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Leach admitted that size was a major factor in their selection process.
"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 on Saturday. "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 why I defer to size. It's just, the game of hockey is hard. Two months of playoff grind - it's a battle."
Leach also noted that patience is key with each of the six players selected this weekend, saying that they are probably "three to five years away."
That being said, Leach has a promising track record over his career that began in 1996 that includes selecting the likes of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Roope Hintz.
While Leafs Nation is running out of patience, the hope is that this latest draft class can extend the contention window of the Leafs the same way Leach was able to extend the window of the Dallas Stars as Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin aged, surrounding them with a good mix of size and talent.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 29 | 2584 ANSWERS Maple Leafs' 2025 Draft Class Proves Team Had a Clear Mandate Coming Into the Draft Which pick of the Leafs intrigues you the most? | ||
| Koblar | 696 | 26.9 % |
| Hopkins | 850 | 32.9 % |
| Belle | 465 | 18 % |
| Other | 573 | 22.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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