Throughout the season, we will check in on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects to see how they are progressing. The 2023 Draft was another where the Leafs had expended most of their draft capital to make a run at the Stanley Cup, but that pursuit ended in the second round with a loss to the Florida Panthers. GM Kyle Dubas was not brought back, and Brad Treliving was hired but did not have any input until after the first round because of his former club, the Calgary Flames.
Top pick Easton Cowan was selected with a first-round pick acquired from a trade with the Washington Capitals for blueliner Rasmus Sandin, and the Leafs had only a fifth and sixth rounder at the draft in Nashville. Toronto’s first rounder was part of the Ryan O’Reilly deal with St. Louis, their second rounder was part of the Mark Giordano deal with Seattle in 2022, their third rounder was sent to Vancouver for Luke Schenn, and their fourth rounder was swapped with Nashville for a 2022 fourth rounder that turned into goalie Dennis Hildeby.
Here is how the two other players selected in the 2023 are doing:
Hudson Malinoski – C – 5th round – 153rd overall – Providence (NCAA)
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 stepped up his offensive production in his second year under Friars head coach Nate Leaman, tying for the club lead in goals (11) and second in scoring with 23 points. In his junior season, the 21-year-old struggled, matching his sophomore goals total with 11, but only registering four assists in 36 games.
After the season, Malinoski availed himself of the NCAA’s transfer portal and will play his senior season closer to home, at the University of North Dakota.
Noah Chadwick– D – 6th round – 185th overall – Toronto (AHL)
The 6’4”, 187 lb. defenseman had 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 67 games in his first full WHL season with Lethbridge, but really showed some growth in 2024, more than doubling his offensive numbers with 56 points (12 goals, 44 assists) in 66 games. Last season, the big blueliner had another excellent season (13 goals, 40 assists in 66 games), was named the Hurricanes team captain, and scored seven goals in 16 WHL Playoff games.
The 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with Toronto the December after being drafted and made his professional debut with the AHL Toronto Marlies at the end of the 2023-24 season. Last summer, Chadwick was an invitee to Team Canada’s World Junior summer camp, but was not selected for the host country’s roster in Ottawa. In his first pro season, the big lefty started slow offensively, but seems to be making some progress, finishing the season with 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists) in 68 games.
“When smart players are told certain things, usually you only have to tell them once or twice,” Marlies head coach John Gruden said of Chadwick in a piece in the Hockey News last month. “(Chadwick’s) the type of guy that does figure it out quickly, and he’s worked on some things that have gotten him to understand what’s going to work at not only this level, but at any level as a defenseman. He’s embraced it, and he comes ready to work every day and I’m excited for him moving forward.”
