Maple Leafs prospect rankings: Ben Danford holds top spot as two new names enter

Three months into the regular season, it’s time for our third Maple Leafs prospect power rankings of 2025-26.

We’re not including forward Easton Cowan and goalie Dennis Hildeby.

Cowan has looked sharp on a line with Nicolas Roy and Nick Robertson and scored his fifth National Hockey League goal on Tuesday in the Leafs’ 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers. Cowan is averaging more than 14 minutes of ice time a game and has 12 points (five goals and seven assists) in 31 games. Barring unforeseen developments, he’s with the Leafs to stay.

Hildeby, boasting a .914 save percentage in 15 games is due for a start in what has become a backup role to Joseph Woll with Anthony Stolarz continuing his long recovery from an upper-body injury.

1. Ben Danford, D, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Drafted in the first round in 2024 (31st overall)

This season: 23 GP, 2 G, 14 A, 16 Pts

Danford returns this week from the world junior to the powerful Bulldogs in the quest to win an OHL title. He’ll do so after helping Canada win bronze in Minnesota. In seven games, Danford had one assist and averaged 16 minutes 17 seconds of ice time. Canada’s defensive play overall came under scrutiny, but the experience of playing on such a big stage should serve Danford well.

2. Jacob Quillan, C, Maple Leafs

Signed as a free agent in April 2024

This season: 26 GP, 5 G, 18 A, 23 Pts (Toronto Marlies)

Quillan is with the Leafs for the time being as star winger William Nylander continues to work his way back from a lower-body injury. Quillan has played in one game during this stint with the NHL club, on Dec. 30 against New Jersey. In three games with the Leafs this season, Quillan has continued to demonstrate some resourcefulness and speed with the shifts that he gets.

3. Miroslav Holinka, C, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Drafted in the fifth round in 2024 (151st overall)

This season: 34 GP, 23 G, 32 A, 55 Pts

Holinka hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal as he continues to pile up the points in his second season in the Western Hockey League. Not only does Holinka lead a strong Edmonton team in scoring, he is riding an eight-game point streak. After going pointless on Dec. 5 against Red Deer, Holinka has 17 points (nine goals and eight assists) in eight games since. He has maintained third place in WHL scoring.

4. Artur Akhtyamov, G, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Drafted in the fourth round in 2020 (106th overall)

This season: 18 GP, 12-6–0, .900 SAV%, 2.94 GAA

Akhtyamov was enjoying a nice run going into the Marlies’ home game on Wednesday night against Cleveland, having gone 6-1 in seven games since the first week of December. During that span, he was called up to the Leafs and, in his only appearance, stopped all five shots he faced on Dec. 13 against Edmonton. He ran his AHL OT record to 6-1 with a win against Syracuse on Jan. 1.

5. Victor Johansson, D, Oskarshamn IK (Sweden second league)

Drafted in the fourth round in 2024 (120th overall)

This season: 13 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 Pts

Johansson had a minor role in Sweden’s gold-medal win at the world junior, appearing in five games as the Swedes won top honours in the event for the third time and first since 2012. Johansson dressed for the gold-medal game against Czechia, but didn’t have one shift. Still, the experience wasn’t any less thrilling for him. “I can’t describe it,” Johansson told TSN in Minnesota. “It means everything in the world. Even if I didn’t play, I tried to help out in other ways.”

6. William Villeneuve, D, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Drafted in the fourth round in 2020 (122nd overall)

This season: 28 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 Pts

A bout of mononucleosis knocked Villeneuve out of the Marlies lineup for three weeks and he returned on Dec. 20 against Belleville. He scored his third goal of the season on Jan. 3 in a home win against Rochester. One key for Villeneuve as the second half of the season gets into full swing will be to continue to find a way to be an effective net-front performer for the Marlies.

7. Noah Chadwick, D, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Drafted in the sixth round in 2023 (185th overall)

This season: 33 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 Pts

Marlies coach John Gruden and his staff continue to demonstrate confidence in Chadwick as the AHL rookie had played in all but one game heading into Wednesday night. While Chadwick’s minus-11 mark was lowest on the Marlies, it’s important that he’s getting the opportunity to learn from mistakes on the ice, not watching from the press box.

8. Tyler Hopkins, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)

Drafted in the third round in 2025 (86th overall)

This season: 33 GP, 13 G, 14 A, 27 Pts

After missing a couple of weeks with a wrist injury, Hopkins returned to the Kingston Frontenacs lineup for one game before Christmas. Then, once the OHL’s break ended, he was traded to the Guelph Storm. The 18-year-old had a goal and an assist in his first four games with Guelph, the team that Hopkins cheered for while growing up in nearby Campbellville.

9. Tinus-Luc Koblar, C, Leksands IF (Swedish Hockey League)

Drafted in the second round in 2025 (64th overall)

This season: 28 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 Pts

Koblar was the driving force for Norway as the country won the U20 world championship Division 1 Group A title in Slovenia in December, promoting it to the 2027 world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer. Koblar had 10 points in five games and was named the top forward in the tournament. Like Johansson, Koblar makes his first appearance on our Leafs prospects power rankings.

10. Vyacheslav Peksa, G, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Drafted in the sixth round in 2021 (185th overall)

This season: 11 GP, 4-4–0, .876 SAV%, 3.59 GAA

Though he had won three of his past six decisions, Peksa struggled with consistency through December and into January. In seven games, Peksa gave up less than three goals just once and had a save percentage over .900 in just one of those games.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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