Throughout the season, we will check in on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects to see how they are progressing. The drafts under GM Kyle Dubas were marred by the Leafs trading numerous draft picks to snap the club’s long inability to advance in the playoffs. Toronto traded their 2021 first-rounder to get Nick Foligno from Columbus, while the 2022 first-rounder was dealt to Chicago to dump the contract of goalie Petr Mrazek.
In 2023, 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 Dennis Hildeby.
In spite of that, Dubas and chief scout Dave Morrison deserve some credit for sniffing out an excellent young power forward in former Leafs Matthew Knies (57th overall in 202), and NHLers Fraser Minten (Boston), Dennis Hildeby (Tampa Bay) and Nikita Grebenkin (Philadelphia) in the second, fourth and fifth rounds in 2022.
2023 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.
Here is how the three remaining players selected in 2022 and 2023 are doing.
Nicholas Moldenhauer – F – 95th overall (2022) – Michigan (NCAA)
The Mississauga native was selected 95th overall and after two excellent seasons with the Chicago Steel (118 points in 96 games) headed to the University of Michigan. After a promising freshman campaign (8 goals, 13 assists in 41 games), Moldenhauer encountered a sophomore slump and had just 10 points in 29 games. Last season, after a sluggish start, the 22-year-old junior had an excellent offensive campaign with 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 40 games for the Wolverines.
Reports indicate that the Leafs wanted to sign Moldenhauer last summer, but that he wanted to return to the stacked Michigan lineup for a chance at a national title. This season, he has started red-hot with six points (1 goal, 5 assists) in four games.
Hudson Malinoski – C – 153rd overall(2023) – North Dakota (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. As a junior, the 22-year-old struggled, with just 15 points (11 goals, 4 assists) in 36 games.
Malinoski used the NCAA transfer portal and opted to shift to the University of North Dakota for his senior season. In two games, he has an assist.
Noah Chadwick– D – 185th overall(2023) – 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. In 2024-25, 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 big lefty started slow offensively in his first professional season with the Toronto Marlies,, but showed steady improvement throughout the year, finishing with 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists) in 68 games. Chadwick played 16 games in the Calder Cup playoffs for the champion Toronto Marlies, and has to be considered an under-the-radar candidate to get an NHL look sometime this season if his progress continues.
In three games this season, Chadwick has two points (1 goal, 1 assist).
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