A New Blueprint: Grading John Chayka's First Toronto Maple Leafs Draft
An encouraging start to a new era in Leafs Nation
The 2026 NHL Draft is over and John Chayka’s first major event as Toronto Maple Leaf’s GM is complete. Next up on his docket? Free Agency.
But you’re not here for that. Today, tonight, it’s about the 10 newest members of the organization, many of which I could see carving out an NHL future.
Summary of the Prospect Pool
Pick 1 - Gavin McKenna - LW - NCAA
Pick Grade: A+
My Ranking: #1
Was there truly any other option at this pick?
People sure tried to make it a question. Between Ivar Stenberg and Chase Reid and questions about McKenna’s motor and translatability everyone ignored the one true simple fact.
There is no player in this entire draft class who has the upside that he does.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
McKenna is an elite playmaking winger whose offensive game is defined by his rare combination of awareness, deception, and passing touch, allowing him to consistently generate high-danger chances from virtually anywhere in the offensive zone. While his physical engagement along the boards, and occasional inconsistency in puck battles remain areas for refinement, his ability to manipulate pressure, find the slot, and create offense under duress makes him one of the most dangerous and uniquely skilled forwards in recent draft cycles.
In a sport where the most valuable real estate is the area in the net front there is no prospect that can attack the slot with his vision, manipulation, pace and playmaking that McKenna can. His ability to deftly pick up pucks along the wall, his ability to change pace and move east and west to open passing lanes, his ability to draw the attention of every single other player on the ice towards him is second to none.
This is a kid who jumped to the WHL at 15 and set records. Who’s production likely would’ve trampled the records of those who came before him if he stayed in the WHL. He’s a kid who chose not to back down from a challenge and went the hard path by taking the college route (although I imagine the NIL deal probably helped).
Did he struggle offensively to begin his D-0 with Penn State?
There’s no denying it.
But he’s also a player who understood that in a more physical college game, a more structured league that required more from him than just his freakish natural tools, that he would have to adapt. That he needed to show more awareness defensively, that he couldn’t just straight leg coast along the wall every shift and wait for the puck to come to him. He realized he couldn’t just dangle through defenders and attack them headlong without a Plan B. He learned, he adjusted, and he just kept getting better and better as the year went on.
McKenna isn’t perfect as a prospect, but very few prospects at 18 are. But he has also dominated every level of hockey he has ever played at, and when he finished conquering that league, he just jumped on to the next.
Iron sharpens iron, and McKenna has become a far more complete player because of his year with Penn State. Maybe an A+ grade is generous, but when the stakes are that high, making the correct pick is essential.
Pick 60 - Alexander Bilecki - LD - OHL
Pick Grade: B-
My Ranking: #90
Would Alex Bilecki have been my pick at 60? Probably not… but I can’t find it in myself to criticize this pick too much because at one point in the year I DID see him as a Top 50 guy. He was unquestionably a key player in Kitchener’s march to the OHL title and Memorial Cup championship. If there’s anything this team needs, it’s more winning DNA.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
Bilecki is a cerebral, pass-first defenseman who stands out for the touch on his passes, strong spatial awareness, and ability to activate intelligently in the offensive zone to generate cross-seam plays and scoring chances. While his composure and passing vision are clear strengths, concerns around his stiff skating stride, pace of play, and inconsistent defensive engagement will determine whether his skillset translates against faster, more physical pro competition.
Bilecki brings a ton more of what the Leafs need in this prospect pool.
In an organization that has focused predominantly on low event defensemen with good size and reach, Bilecki truly is a breath of fresh air even if I feel the value was not quite there. Bilecki is a truly offensively driven prospect who knows how to activate and get up in the rush and is able to truly create dangerous scoring opportunities when he gets the puck in those positions.
I think his stock got a big boost from playing with London Knights vet Jared Woolley after the trade deadline where he was really able to play freely and to his strengths knowing there was a big security blanket behind him. With Cam Reid headed off to Michigan State next season, Bilecki will have the opportunity to grab a role on PP1. With an outstanding coach in Jussi Ahokas, and a bigger role, there is 100% a runway for Bilecki to outperform my projection for him.
I may not love the value now, but I like the player and skillset. I had similar reservations about Tinus Luc Koblar last year in terms of value and he’s been absolutely lights out since.
Pick 69 - Ethan Mackenzie - LD - WHL
Pick Grade: A
My Ranking: UNR (Overager)
I didn’t rank overagers this year for my draft guide, but if I had it would’ve been Mackenzie, Galvas and then everybody else.
It’s not often that you’ll see a D+2 undrafted player make the World Junior Championship squad for Team Canada but Mackenzie did just that and I thought he had a REALLY great start to the tournament. An incredible skater, good poise under pressure, rangy with some edge and physicality. He did fade down the stretch as Canada leaned on him heavily but there are all the makings of an NHL player here.
I do expect him to go to North Dakota next season where he will feature in another amazing development program. I think he may be a one and done at UND though… I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the AHL by the end of the year. The T2T Prospects model had Mackenzie as a Top 10 defenseman in the WHL last season and the eye test matches. There may not be the highest ceiling with this player, but I’d bet good money on him playing NHL games someday… and when you’re picking in the third round as a team hoping for young, competitive reinforcements within the next 2 years, what more could you ask for?
Pick 73 - Zac Olsen - F - WHL
Pick Grade: C+
My Ranking: #102
Zac Olsen is another player where I don’t think he would’ve been my pick at this spot, but I can see the vision behind it and if it works out, there’s a super-charged version of Landon Sim, who fans will love, who will drag his teammates into the fight and would be an integral part of a team’s DNA.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
Olsen projects as a pro-sized, high-energy support forward whose value comes from relentless forechecking, physical engagement, and net-front activity. While he brings effort and a straightforward shooting mentality that can translate into a bottom-six energy role, limited puck skill, inconsistent puck pursuit effectiveness, and a lack of refinement with respect to on-puck creation make him more of a late-round depth bet than a clear cut NHL projection.
If we were drafting purely off of DAWG/60, Zac Olsen may be at or near the top of the class. Olsen has pro size, skates hard all over the ice, and has never seen a hit he doesn’t like to finish. He’s a pest on the forecheck, constantly harassing and pressuring puck carriers and closing down space even if his ability to win back pucks is hit or miss still. He crashes the net, tries to push in second chance opportunities and is genuinely a true competitor.
There’s flashes of clumsy skill attempts and an ambitiousness to test the waters with his on puck play, but the tools and off puck intelligence just aren’t quite there. I will be rooting for Olsen, who could become an absolute fan favorite if he pans out, but at the very least he’ll be a player that helps bring out the best of the players he plays with.
Pick 76 - Mans Gudmundsson - RD - U20 Nationell
Pick Grade: B+
My Ranking: #82
This was the first non-McKenna pick that Toronto made that I was really excited for. It was right around where I had Gudmundsson ranked and if you’re going to take this mold of defenseman, Gudmundsson is the exact shade you want to go for.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
Gudmundsson projects as a reliable, defense-first blueliner whose NHL value will come from strong rush defending, physical engagement, and disciplined gap control rather than high-end athleticism or on-puck dominance. While he lacks elite skating or dynamic offensive tools, his intelligence, activeness in the offensive zone, quick decision-making, and aggressive pinching with a solid shot give him enough complementary upside to profile as a depth NHL defenseman if his development continues.
Toronto’s made a very bad habit lately of throwing away late round picks on big bodied guys like Nathan Mayes, Matt Lahey and Rylan Fellinger who they hope could maybe become a depth option. The reality is that 99% of the time the result is exactly what happened with Mayes. The players never really take that next step because they never had the tools or confidence in the first place to grow out of their comfort zone and they get left without an ELC and leave the organization.
Investing a 3rd on a player like Gudmundsson makes a ton more sense. A tall, rangy, strong rush defender who’s smart, makes quick decisions, and constantly gets involved in the play. If you’re going to go with a high floor pick on the back end, you need to pick a player who shows there are more tools and confidence to their game. If you’re drafting a low event, physical defenseman who doesn’t like the puck on his stick and struggles on their junior team what kind of role is that player going to play in the NHL?
Even if Gudmundsson isn’t the most dynamic player, it’s encouraging to see that Toronto is prioritizing using more valuable picks on defense first players with a B game, rather than punting their last few picks on guys who just don’t have a real NHL projection.
Pick 158 - Cooper Williams - C - WHL
Pick Grade: A-
My Ranking: #116
I’m not even the biggest fan of Cooper Williams, but there was no way he should’ve ever fallen to 158.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
Cooper Williams is a defensively responsible center who competes around the net front, shows solid hand-eye coordination and flashes of silky smooth hands, but generally makes smart, simple plays that help maintain structure at both ends of the ice. However, his awkward skating mechanics, inconsistent pace and involvement, and limited ability to create offense off the rush leave questions.
Williams is a really weird profile. He’s defensively responsible and shows in flashes that there’s the puck dexterity for him to create for himself and others more efficiently at the WHL level. Unfortunately, despite a really strong D-1, there just hasn’t been that level of playdriving from Williams who seems oddly content to make quick plays through the neutral zone as a playmaker, get to the net front to get around tips and rebounds and just board play guys all game on the forecheck.
I think there’s more to this player though and I’ll be looking for him to take a more active role in his D+1 for Saskatoon before he heads off to UND in 2027/28. He’s not the most exciting player, but it’s a 200 foot player who showed a higher motor level last season and has real flashes of puck skills. For a bet in the 5th round, you can’t ask for much more.
Pick 161 - Yaroslav Fedoseyev - RD - VHL/MHL
Pick Grade: A+
My Ranking: #54
Toronto traded up to this pick to get their guy and boy am I glad that they did. Fedoseyev is such a unique talent but my viewings for him were so chaotic and fun that I would’ve loved it if Toronto took him over Bilecki at Pick 60. To get him over 100 picks later is absolute insanity.
From my 2026 NHL Draft Guide:
Fedoseyev is a smooth-skating, fluid and mobile defenseman with strong rush defense, proactive stick work, and some flashes of real high-quality breakout passing that makes him intriguing as a puck mover. However, his inconsistent pace of play, lapses in structured defensive coverage, and a lack of urgency and pace with the puck limit his projection, leaving him as a really fun and really chaotic developmental bet.
Sure there’s questions on what exact role Fedoseyev could fill at the next level given some pace and defensive zone concerns, but his current package is so uniquely chaotic and gifted, I could see him becoming a big, rangy Top 4 RHD who can drive transition both offensively and defensively.
Fedoseyev is such a smooth skater with fluid hips and great four-directional movement. You pair that with a proactive stick and a great understanding of gap discipline, and you see a player who is really adept at defending the rush and in space. Drafting a player with his mobility while also account for his ability to make some really sneaky passes under pressure and how effective he is at pushing the puck north, there’s the tools and fundamentals for a ridiculously effective two-way defenseman.
Fedoseyev will need to iron out some of his details in terms of diagnosing defensive coverage and hand offs but the raw tools are there for him to be an absolute steal in this draft class with the right development.
The Goalies and Brady Pepoy
I haven’t watched Pepoy this year and I intentionally do not watch goalies because I think they’re an absolute crap shoot to project, but at the surface level I do really like the process.
I was a huge fan of Kyle Dubas dumping mid round picks on goalies during his tenure with Toronto, and while guys like Peska and Obvintsev haven’t worked out, that process did net Toronto Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov who look to be factoring in as key pieces on the big league squad over the next few seasons. In a world where Jordan Binnington or Adin Hill or Brandon Bussi can step in as unheralded options and backstop a Cup Winning team, throwing a couple of darts at goalies seems like a meanwhile exercise. Picks in this 4th to 7th round range are crapshoots anyways… you might as well throw it and try to get your own version of the aforementioned names.
Pepoy seems like another Zac Olsen type. Competitive, hardworking, physical. The offense hasn’t come around yet playing a depth role on Saginaw but this is another guy who could develop into a very good OHL player who could then earn an ELC or AHL deal.
A new era
Overall I left this draft class extremely enthused with the overall picks. While Bilecki and Olsen felt like slight reaches, there were some extremely value gets later in the draft and the philosophy and balance of picks were really encouraging.
The Leafs left this draft with
A 6’2” LHD who activates super well in the offensive zone and creates super dangerous chances with his cross seam passing.
A 6’1” LHD with a short timeline to play pro games, who’s super mobile, rangy and moves the puck well.
A 6’1” winger with just elite level compete
A 6’3” RHD with great hockey smarts, good defending and tons of activeness offensively
A 6’1” RHD who’s super mobile, who could be a dominant transition player going both ways
And two dart throws on goalies that they really like
Oh and did I mentioned they got GAVIN MCKENNA?
All in all, just a really balanced group of players that all have varying odds at NHL games, but are the exact kind of players that you want to take bets on.
What’s the Final Grade you ask?
A-
I find that you can discover a lot about the toronto defence based on who they pick in the draft depending on who’s in the front office