5h ago
Leafs opt for size in draft while shopping Marner's rights
The Maple Leafs have engaged in talks with the Vegas Golden Knights regarding a potential sign-and-trade centered on Toronto's star winger Mitch Marner, and as TSN's Mark Masters reports, that is just one of many storylines surrounding the team as free agency approaches.
By Mark Masters
The Maple Leafs made six picks in the 2025 NHL draft on Saturday.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights have engaged in talks regarding a potential sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner. The 102-point winger is due to become the league's most prized unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.
"I think you'd always like to get something, right," Leafs general manager Brad Treliving acknowledged during a post-draft media session. "That's not always the case. That's probably as far as I want to get into it, but we'll see how things go."
Treliving declined to get into details when pressed specifically about Vegas' interest.
"That was a good try, though," he said with a grin. "I'm not going to comment. Tuesday's free agency, we'll continue to work our way at things, but nothing to report on that front."
Are the chances of trading Marner's rights increasing as the opening of free agency nears?
"I don't know," Treliving said. "I don't know if the chances are greater today than they were yesterday, or are they be better or worse tomorrow. And I understand. I understand the interest, but certainly we got nothing to report, and I don't want to get involved in speculation and how that runs. We'll see how things unfold."
During a meeting with reporters on Thursday, Treliving said he anticipated Marner would hit the open market "unless there's a significant change."
The Leafs have plenty of work to do before the free agent frenzy begins at noon ET on Canada Day.
"We got some internal business that we're focused on," Treliving said when asked about the pool of players available this year. "We got some of our own free agents that we continue to work at."
Other pending unrestricted free agents on the Leafs roster include wingers Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz. The team's pending restricted free agents include winger Matthew Knies, forward Pontus Holmberg and winger Nick Robertson.
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The Leafs made six selections in the draft on Saturday, including one in the second round, one in the third round, two in the fifth round, one in the sixth round and one in the seventh round. All the picks stand at least 6-foot-1.
"We just felt size was a big factor involved because there wasn't much difference in their skill set," said director of amateur scouting Mark Leach, who was overseeing his first draft with the Leafs. "I've drafted smaller players, but those smaller guys have to be so highly skilled, so highly intelligent, and probably with a knack for scoring ... The game of hockey's hard. Two months of playoff grind, it's a battle."
Two of Toronto's picks are 6-foot-3 while the other three are 6-foot-4. The average weight of the group is 197 pounds.
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With their first pick in the draft the Leafs selected left-shot centre Tinus Luc Koblar out of the Leksand system in the Swedish junior league.
"An unreal experience," the 17-year-old said during a Zoom call with the media. "I became so happy. Just true pleasure."
Koblar was with his mom at home in Norway when the Leafs made him the final pick of the second round (64th overall).
"It was just a great experience, actually," he said. "My mom became super happy. My dad is an alpine coach, so he he's not home. I called him and he just started screaming to the camera and became super happy for me."
The 6-foot-4, 189-pound pivot produced eight goals and 13 assists in 43 games in the Swedish junior league last season. He plans to remain overseas next season with the goal of graduating to the Swedish Hockey League.
"He's just got a very good knack for the net," said Leach. "Knack down low, knack to play on the wall, take the puck off the wall, can compete in hard areas."
"I like competing at everything," Koblar said. "There's nothing I like to lose on."
He comes by that competitive nature honestly. Both his parents are Olympians. His mom competed in biathlon while his dad was an alpine skier.
Born in Slovenia, Koblar grew up idolizing Los Angeles Kings centre Anze Kopitar, who is the most famous hockey player from the European nation.
Koblar's family moved after his dad took a job with the Norwegian alpine team.
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The Leafs selected Kingston Frontenacs left-shot centre Tyler Hopkins in the third round (86th overall). The Campbellville, Ont. native grew up a big Leafs fan.
"It was just pure excitement," the 18-year-old said. "Obviously to get drafted is every kid's dream, and to be drafted by your hometown team is one level even better than that. So I think that I kind of hit the jackpot with it, getting two birds with one stone."
Hopkins, who recorded 20 goals and 31 assists in 67 OHL games last season, was the only Leafs pick who attended the draft in Los Angeles where he was joined by his family.
"Felt like I was there for an eternity," the 6-foot-1, 184-pounder said of the wait. "Obviously, I was checking in on the Toronto picks. I knew I was kind of going to be around that range. That wait was well worth it for this moment to be able to put on a Leafs jersey."
Hopkins lists Auston Matthews and John Tavares as his favourite Leafs. He models his game on Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli.
"He's kind of a similar style," Hopkins said. "That 200-foot player that is flourishing offensively last year, and I think it's something that I'm trying to do as well in my game."
"Hopkins is, to me, a 200-foot player," said Leach. "Plays in the hard areas. Smart, reads, anticipates the game. Has to get stronger, has to get a little quicker."
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The Leafs selected 6-foot-4, 225-pound winger William Belle in the fifth round (137th overall).
"I didn't really watch the draft," the 18-year-old, who lives in Excelsior, Minn. said. "I just felt that it would stress me out too much. And then my phone started blowing up. When I heard it was the Maple Leafs, I was pumped. It's a great organization and I can't wait to get started."
Belle produced 10 points in 28 games with the U.S. National Development Team last season. He's heading to Notre Dame University in the fall and spent the day with some of his college teammates building a couch.
"My game, it's simple," he said. "It's north, south, fast, 200-foot hockey, forechecking, back checking, playing physical. A player right now that I play a lot like would be Miles Wood, but somebody I think I could turn into would be a Tom Wilson type of player."
What does he enjoy about playing an in-your-face style?
"It's not necessarily I love doing that, it's just what makes me effective and it's what helps my team win," he said. "The meanness aspect of it, it's just, 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."
Belle's father, Travis, is American and played college football at North Carolina State University, while his mother, Yu Wei, is Chinese. His parents met in China while his father was working there. The family moved to the United States in 2015.
"Unique background, unique situation where he came from," Leach said. "He can skate extremely well. He's got a passion for the game. He knows what he is, and I think he's willing to do what it takes. He just wants to get at it."
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Later in the fifth round, the Leafs picked Owen Sound Attack centre Harry Nansi with the 153rd pick. The 6-foot-3, 186-pound native of Nepean, Ont. registered seven goals and 16 assists in 67 OHL games last season.
"Raw, big, raw, rangy," said Leach. "Skating has to get quicker. Feet have to get better, but he's a kid who's really works and competes, gets in the harder areas."
In the sixth round, the Leafs selected 6-foot-4, 196-pound defenceman Rylan Fellinger, who plays for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL.
"Big, rangy, long reach, moves the puck, willing to really get involved, plays a two-way game," said Leach. "[With] those type of players ... when you get that size factor it helps out a lot."
Fellinger wasn't available for a media session on Saturday, because he was attending his high school prom.
"He said his prom's going to be a little nicer tonight," Leach said with a big smile.
"You could hear the music going on in the background," said Treliving, who called the 18-year-old from Wawa, Ont. to welcome him to the organization. "I asked him, 'Did you watch the draft?' He goes, 'No, I'm at my prom.' That's the best part of it, you talk to the kids after the draft and after they're drafted, and they're excited."
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With their final pick of the draft, the Leafs took Kitchener Rangers winger Matthew Hlacar in the seventh round (217th overall).
"He is a really hard-nosed, competitive, big man," said Leach of the 6-foot-3, 201-pounder. "Skates well, gets in there."
The Binbrook, Ont. native only picked up eight points in 43 games last season, but finished third on the team in penalty minutes with 62.
"Really a unique element, likes to play in your face," Leach continued. "When you get to people like that, one of our things we discussed a little bit here was we want guys who competed. We want players who battled, have great work ethic, and with those elements, a few of those things in your game, you have a chance to get better at certain things."
And the Leafs are willing to be patient.
"You judge these draft days with a calendar not a stopwatch," said Treliving. "But really happy with the work the guys did and the staff did, and the communication, which was probably the biggest thing."
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What made the communication easier was the fact that this year's draft was decentralized. While the top prospects gathered in Los Angeles, all 32 teams remained at their home offices.
"The biggest difference in this setup is you're able to freely communicate in the room a little bit more than jammed up at the table where space is tight," Treliving said.
The veteran executive is admittedly "on the fence" about whether the draft format should stay this way or revert back to the previous format with the entire hockey world gathering in one city.
"I love the draft," Treliving said. "I think it's unique in our sport. I like the ability to talk face to face with other managers. So, you lost that bit."
One big advantage to a decentralized draft is that there's no travel, which allows teams to save time during an incredibly busy period. Last year, Leafs management opted to remain in Las Vegas after the draft and make that their base of operations for the start of free agency.
"But certainly you miss the togetherness and and being able to to talk with people," Treliving said. "So I'll have to sleep on it [and] back to you with my final vote."
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The Leafs will hold a development camp from July 3-5 in Toronto.