If the Leafs rebuild, what assets do they have?

Mar 31, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 31, 2026, 01:04 EDT

If the Leafs rebuild, what assets do they have?

Credit: Steven Ellis

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired GM Brad Treliving earlier this week, ending an era that can only be described by one word: disappointment.

The team went 132-92-27 during his tenure and even won a playoff series against the Ottawa Senators last year. But that’s it – and now, the club is set to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

Toronto is in a dire spot – and most teams in their position would have a good pipeline. Instead, after trading away multiple first-rounders (including the 2026 first-rounder, which is top-five protected), the Leafs are in limbo right now.

Where does the team go from here?

If you’re hoping this team can successfully enter a rebuild, you’re mistaken. Toronto simply doesn’t have much going for it in terms of notable prospects. They’ve added some help through the college UFA route, but both Vincent Borgesi and Brandon Buhr are long shots to make the NHL in any meaningful capacity.

With Easton Cowan earning a full-time NHL role this year, he’s no longer a prospect. That leaves Ben Danford as the team’s top prospect. There’s a legit chance he’ll be an NHL defender full-time in the next few years. He even looks like a legit replacement for Chris Tanev, who missed most of the season due to injury. Danford is a rough and tumble blueliner who can shut you down – but we’re likely talking about a third-pairing defender at best. Danford is a detailed defender with a high floor, but don’t expect a minute-muncher capable of big plays on a nightly basis.

Up front, Toronto’s top forward prospect is Tinus Luc Koblar. Many in the scouting community were surprised the Leafs used a second-round pick on him last year. A handful still think Koblar is a second-line AHLer down the line due to a lack of offense. But Koblar is a big-bodied, two-way center who can be quite responsible in his own zone. Players with his type of build are more likely AAAA guys who can play on the fourth line. There’s still plenty of runway for Koblar, who currently plays pro hockey in Sweden, but we’re most likely talking about a depth forward here.

Things improve in net, though. Dennis Hildeby has had some solid moments this season in Toronto, suggesting he could be a solid long-term backup option. The 24-year-old was drafted as a triple overage prospect in 2022, and found himself as the Toronto Marlies’ starter by 2023. It took him a bit to find his bearings with the big club (he really struggled in his six starts in 2024-25). But .912 surface save percentage and a 4.52 goals saved above expected at 5-on-5, Hildeby has looked good in the NHL this year.

Hildeby has actually played more in the NHL than in the AHL, partly because of Artur Akhtyamov’s performance. The 24-year-old Russian has gone 20-10-6 in his second year in the AHL, and first as a starter. He made five stops in 10 minutes of NHL action earlier this season – hardly anything worth getting excited about. Still, he earned himself a three-year extension back in March, showing that the Leafs really believe in him.

But beyond that? It’s a really, really weak pipeline. Harry Nansi has had a good season for Owen Sound, and had the hottest start of any Leafs prospect. But his production really quieted down in the second half, and his skating still needs a ton of work. There’s some good, natural skill. But there’s nothing that suggests he’ll be more than a call-up option. Miroslav Holinka and Tyler Hopkins have shown some promise, but lack high-end tools beyond some solid competitive streaks.

Digging into the Marlies’ roster, Benoit-Olivier Groulx has had a positive impact recently for the big club – but he’s a 26-year-old, so you’d expect a bit more out of him compared to some of the younger options. Jacob Qullan has bounced between the NHL and AHL but has just a single point to show for in the NHL.

Ryan Tverberg and William Villeneuve both had promise as bottom-line/pairing guys, but simply haven’t progressed enough to suggest they’ll ever make it. Henry Thrun can play on the third pair, but he hasn’t managed to stick around with the Leafs in any meaningful way. There’s hope someone like Victor Johansson can blossom into an NHL defenseman after a good year in Sweden. Topi Niemelä went back to Europe to try and find his game, and he has been fine. But at 24, you kind of know what he is at this point – the former high-flying offensive defenseman simply doesn’t look NHL-ready.

Are you starting to get the point? There just isn’t much here.

Toronto’s pipeline looks like one you’d expect out of a team with multiple deep playoff runs over the past decade. Instead, they’ve got two playoff series victories to show for, and in search of a new GM. Assuming they don’t make any deals, and don’t get their first-round pick back, Toronto won’t pick until the third round. You simply can’t rebuild without high-end assets like that. That’s why a retool is more feasible, even if it feels insurmountable at this point.

And you can’t fully blame the scouting department, either. Since 2019, the Leafs have selected in the first round just three times. In 2023, they selected 28th, and then not again at 153 and 185. That’s it. There’s always the hope Toronto can pick up a few late-round gems. But when you don’t give them much to work with in the first place, there’s only so much they can do.

If you’re a Leafs fan, it’s hard to have any optimism about this group right now. A bad team, a weak farm system and a severe lack of direction. If the Leafs can get their first-round pick back, that’ll fix A LOT. Especially if they somehow pick in the top two – Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg both have a real shot of being NHLers next October.

Regardless, Toronto’s next GM and their scouting department will have their work cut out for them. Toronto’s contention window is essentially non-existent, and the future looks bleak.

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