Leafs Prospect Update – 2024 Draftees – Part I

Throughout the season, we will check in on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects to see how they are progressing. The 2024 Draft in Las Vegas was another where the Leafs expended some of their draft capital to make a run at the Stanley Cup.

Here is how the top half of the players selected in the 2024 Draft are doing this season:

Ben Danford  – D – 1st round (31st overall) – Toronto (AHL)

The Madoc, ON native, similar to 2023 first-rounder Easton Cowan, is a lifelong Leaf fan who improved his stock in the second half of his draft year and in a deep OHL playoff run. He was named captain of the Oshawa Generals in 2024 and put up 25 points (5 goals, 20 assists) in 61 games. Known primarily as a physical, right-handed shutdown blueliner,

Last season, the 20-year-old played for Team Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championships, and was dealt from the Generals to Brantford last October. Between the two clubs, Danford had 20 points (3 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games, and three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 13 playoff games. After the Bulldogs were eliminated, the young blueliner joined the Marlies for their Calder Cup playoff run and showed off a high level of maturity in 16 postseason games.

This season, Danford has three assists in eight AHL games and is playing at a level that could earn him a call-up to the Leafs at some point.

Victor Johansson – D – 4th round (120th overall) – Brynas IF Gavle (SHL)

Drafted at a gangly 6’1”, 143 lbs., Johansson’s metamorphosis was him physically building up. Now 165 lbs., the 19-year-old blueliner posted 39 points (7 goals, 32 assists) in 47 games with Leksands Jrs, and surprisingly 113 penalty minutes last season. The slick-skating defenseman impressed at the World Junior Summer Showcase last summer and made Sweden’s 2026 World Junior squad, going scoreless in five games for the gold medal-winning squad.

Last season, he played briefly at the junior level, was promoted to the second-level pro Allsvenskan, where he scored 10 points (1 goal, 9 assists) in 22 games, and was promoted again to the SHL club, where he has three assists in 10 games for Leksands IF.  This season, Johansson shifted to Brynas, but has not played once in 13 games for the veteran-laden club, which has former Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok on their roster.

Miroslav Holinka – C – 5th round (151st overall) – Toronto (AHL)

The 20-year-old center came to North America and played for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings last season, averaging nearly a point-per-game (19 goals, 26 assists in 47 games), and played for Czechia in the 2025 IIHF World Junior. In his final season in junior, Holinka finished 15th in WHL scoring with 80 points (37 goals, 43 assists) in 59 games, and made his pro debut with the Marlies, registering an assist.  This season, Holinka has two points (1 goal, 1 assist) and has played six of the nine games for the Leafs AHL affiliate.

Alexander Plesovskikh – LW – 5th round (152nd overall) – Moscow Spartak Jr. (MHL- Russia)

The 20-year-old winger played primarily with the Moscow Spartak Jrs. and scored 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 50 MHL games and eight goals in 21 playoff games in his draft year. Last season, Plesovskikh surpassed his 2025 totals in the MHL, with 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists), 84 penalty minutes and a +33 in 53 games. This season, he is averaging over a point per game with Spartak, with six goals and nine assists in 14 games.