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The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander), but the focus of prospect development under former GM Kyle Dubas and the last few seasons under Director of Amateur Scouting Wes Clark seemed to be on skill players, while GM Brad Treliving has begun to transition with a focus on young players with size.
As we did last year, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the upcoming weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Leafs roster and contribute in the future.
Youngsters like Bobby McMann, Joseph Woll, Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg, and top-rated Matthew Knies have graduated, but here is a list of players eligible for the list who have not played more than 40 NHL games and are 25 years old or younger:
#40 - Wyatt Schingoethe – C (Western Michigan – NCAA)
#39 - Zach Solow - RW (Toronto - AHL)
#38 - Semyon Kizimov - RW -(Yekaterinberg - KHL)
#37 - Robert Mastrosimone – LW. (Toronto – AHL)
#36 - Marko Sikic – RW (Sarnia – OHL, Newfoundland/Norfolk – ECHL)
#35 – Jacob Bengtsson – D (Boston College – NCAA)
#34 – Nicolas Mattinen – D (Straubling – Germany-DEL)
#33 – Matthew Barbolini – F (Miami(OH) – NCAA, Toronto – AHL)
#32 – Nathan Mayes – D (Spokane – WHL)
#31 – Braeden Kressler – C (Flint/Ottawa – OHL
#30 – Jacob Frasca – C (Barrie/ Sault Ste. Marie.- OHL)
#29 – Chas Sharpe – D (Mississauga – OHL, Toronto – AHL)
#28 – Hudson Malinoski – C (Providence - NCAA)
The Leafs had only three selections at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville and the organization was left scrambling after the dismissal of Dubas in May, 2023 and hiring of Treliving. Treliving was unable to participate in the drafting process and could not even go onto the draft floor until after Calgary made their selection and the draft was left in the hands of Clark.
After the surprising selection of Easton Cowan 28th overall, the Leafs next choice was 125 picks later in the fifth round. Toronto selected 19-year-old center Hudson Malinoski. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native was a late bloomer who scored 69 points for the AJHL Champion Brooks Bandits season after being passed over in 2022 in his first year of draft eligibility.
Malinoski finished tied for second in goals (9) in his freshman season at Providence College, and should get more of an offensive role in his second year under Friars head coach Nate Leaman.
"I think as the season grew, he picked up a lot more detail in his game." Leaman said. "In the last 10 games of the season, he may have been our best offensive player."
Elite Prospects Draft Guide said: “Malinoski finds teammates in the offensive zone with precise passes, dangles around sticks, and forechecks with intensity. Capable of both delaying his release and speeding it up depending on his space and the lanes available to him.”
Hudson Malinoski (No. 9) scored Providence's only goal in their quarterfinal loss against UMass on Saturday.
That should end his freshman season with the Friars on the outside for a Frozen Four at-large bid.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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