Only over a month away from the 2025 NHL entry draft, here we can review the 2024 Toronto Maple Leaf draft picks to see how they performed in their first season after the draft. The Maple Leafs drafted eight players in 2024. Management effectively uses its reconnaissance department to identify and evaluate talented players in later drafts. This has become increasingly important as they have traded early draft picks in recent seasons to get players who can help them compete for the Stanley Cup.
Round 1, Draft: 31, Ben Danford, D, General Oshawa (OHL)
In the second round of the first round, the Maple Leafs selected 6-foot-2, 194-pound defensive player Ben Danford from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) General Oshawa. He served as a replacement captain throughout his career in the season before drafting. Danford scored one goal and 32 assists in 64 games, and the Oshawa Generals made it to the OHL final before losing to the London Cavaliers. In 21 playoff games, he scored 10 points with four goals and six assists.
This season, he scored five goals and 20 assists in 61 regular season games. He also scored two goals and five points in 21 playoff games as the General reached the OHL finals, against the London Cavaliers but was defeated in five games.
At the age of 19, he hoped he would rejoin the general in pursuit of the OHL championship and the Memorial Cup trophy. He has signed his entry-level contract (ELC) so he can sign with Maple Leaf’s AHL affiliate, Toronto Marlies, later this season, depending on how far the general goes.
Round 4, Draft: 120, Victor Johansson, D, Leksands, if J20 (J20 Nationell)
Victor Johansson’s drafting first season was spent at Leksands, who recorded two goals and six assists if J20, with a total of eight points in 34 games. With Leksands IF J20 last season, he played 47 games, scoring 39 points with seven goals and 32 assists, ranking 39 points in goals and scored and ranked first in assists. He had five assists in seven playoff games before being eliminated. Then, if the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) competes in five games, he joins the Leksands but does not record the score.
Johnson has been praised for his performance this season, but he will need another important step to achieve similar success in the SHL. However, he was only 19 years old, so there was no haste.
Round 5, Draft: 151, Miroslav Holinka, C/W, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
After the pre-match season with HcEláêiT Field U20 and HCOCELáùiT, Miroslav Holinka moved to North America and joined Edmonton Oil Kings in the Czech minor leagues (U20 in Czech Republic) and Major League Baseball. In his first season, he played 47 games and scored 19 goals and 45 points. He helped the Oil Kings into the playoffs, but Prince Albert Raiders eliminated them in the first round. Holinka recorded zero points and participated in all seven games.
Holinka showed a lot of hope in the game. His competitiveness and hockey handling skills are 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds. He will turn 20 in November so he can end with the Oil Kings next season before taking the Maris again if he signs his ELC.
Round 5, Draft: 152, Alexander Persovsky, LW, MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)
After Holinka, the Maple Leafs chose Alexander Pleskovskikh from Russia. He is The top Russian youth league MHL is stable. He completed eight goals and nine assists in 33 games against Mamonty Yugry. He has taken another big step this season, scoring 15 goals and 38 points in Spartak Moskva’s game. He is a 6-foot-1 and 186 pound this season and he is a “spark plug” who uses speed to help break out from his area and chase loose pucks.
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He is only 18 years old, so it will take two to three years for us to see him signing the ELC and coming to North America. But he should see the time in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before he can jump to the NHL to gain some competitive experience. It will be his development to perfect his game for a year or two and work hard to enter the KHL.
Round 5, Draft: 157, Timofei Abvintsev, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
In the final round of the fifth round, the Maple Leafs chose their only draft goalkeeper. Timofei is obviously 6-foot-3 and weighs 179 pounds, playing 7-7-0 with a savings percentage of 0.921 (SV%) and 2.96 goal average (GAA) to compete for Krasnaya Armiya Moskva in his pre-match season In MHL. Unless it is obvious that he will continue to develop his own game in the coming years, he will also be a late signing because he is already 20 years old. He was expected to stay in Russia until the maple leaves had room to develop in the North American system.
Round 7, Draft: 200, Matthew Lahey, D, Fargo Force (USHL)
Matthew Lahey, the first of three draft picks in the round 7, completed his first season in the USHL in 2024-25. However, before the selection, he played in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), ending with two goals and 17 assists in 54 games and earning zero points in five playoff games. This season, he finished the game with Fargo Force in the USHL, recording four goals, 17 points and zero points in two playoff games.
He is 6-foot-5 and 203 pounds tall and is a smart player who uses his figure and strength. He doesn’t always rely on big hits, but helps break up playing, but his body or stick job can do it. He is only 18 years old and has time to develop, and he will join the top prospects like the University of Michigan National College Athletic Association (NCAA) next season, joining top prospects such as Colin Raph (St. Louis Blues), Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Trey Augustine (Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings)) next season.
Round 7, Pick 216, Sam McCue, LW, Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Sam McCue played on both teams before being drafted. He started with Peterborough Petes, played 34 games, scored 11 goals and 16 points before being traded to Owen Sound Attack, where he played 34 games with 12 goals and 9 assists. He also played in four playoff games, scoring a goal before the team was swept by the Saginaw spirit.
Sam McCue’s OHL season is over and Flint loses in the first round. The seventh round of year-on-year growth is impressive:
22-23:33 GP, 0 g, 1 pt
23-24: 68 GP, 23 g, 37 points
24-25: 55 GP, 36 G, 55 points#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/ytpgqmn6ex— Kyle Cushman (@kyle_cush) April 7, 2025
McCaw started the season with offense, playing 35 games, scoring 18 goals and 31 points before being traded to Flint Firebirds, where he played 20 games with 18 goals and 24 points. Despite walking around, his goal score was impressive. He is a hardworking skateboarder who is not afraid to use his 6-foot-2-foot, 190-pound frame to fight for the hockey. He will turn 20 in October and may be the top candidate to sign ELC this summer and join Marlies next season.
Round 7, Draft 225, Nathan Mayes, D, Chiefs of Spokane (WHL)
Nathan Mayes finished his second season with the Spokane Chiefs before being drafted to score 16 points in 68 games. This season, he scored six goals and 27 points in 56 games, helping the Chiefs reach the WHL finals before losing to Medicine Hat Tigers in five games. He has two goals and 12 points in 20 playoff games.
Mayes, 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds, performed well in finishing checks and could still beat attackers with his own strength on the board if he couldn’t win the position battle. At the age of 18, he had time to develop with the Chiefs and tried to improve his production.
The Maple Leafs have six draft picks this year, but have no draft picks in either the first or fourth round, with additional draft picks in the fifth round. They are defensive players in four of their seven draft picks in 2024. Can we see this year again, or will they focus on moving forward this time?
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