5 Options for Maple Leafs With 85th Pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The Toronto Maple Leafs added some more draft capital to their cupboard for the 2026 NHL Draft after acquiring the Philadelphia Flyers’ 85^th overall pick in the Emil Andrae trade. Making it four picks in the top 100 selections, it definitely gives the Maple Leafs more options to snag another prospect that potentially could have some upside. 

I already looked at potential forward options with the 69^th overall pick, and while moving up is always a possibility, they’re still some great names at their disposal with their second third-round pick. Here are five names that could be intriguing prospects for the Maple Leafs with the 85^th pick.  

Evan Jardine, LW, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Evan Jardine was one of the most productive players in the USHL, ahead of other draft-eligible players like Jack Hextall and Blake Zielinski. His 61 points had him finish 11^th in the league, good for a 1.15 point per game average and elevated his play during the Clark Cup playoffs as well. The USHL continues to be a strong producer of potential NHL talent and Jardine is an example of that. 

Jardine oozes talent and skill when he has the puck. He can quickly generate a great burst of speed and is always a problem on the rush as he can easily manoeuvre around defenders with his hands and patience. He plays with an edge in terms of winning battles, pursuing and pressuring opponents to make a mistake and regain possession. He has a lethal shot and can be a deceptive playmaker and can do it all offensively. 

Nils Bartholdsson, RW, Rögle BK U20 (Nationell)

He’s small at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, but Nils Bartholdsson is a feisty shot generator and goal scorer. Ranked 33^rd among European skaters, he finished second in the U20 Nationell in goals with 23 and his 42 points had him 11^th overall. 

Bartholdsson is probably one of the more dangerous shooters in this class. He has a lightning quick release with great power and accuracy from far out to pick corners and is always putting himself in the right spots for prime scoring opportunities. He also displays some deception as well, changing the angle of his shot and displaying slick curl and drags past players. He’s very competitive and energetic and when he gains possession and always pushes the middle with ease given his agility and footspeed.

Wiggo Sörensson, C/ W, Boro/Vetlanda HC (Division 2)

Most Swedish players getting drafted are either in the SHL or U20 Nationell. Wiggo Sörensson took a different path, playing for his home town of Boro/ Vetlanda where he dominated the U20 division with 56 points in 13 games and continued to torch Division 2 where he posted 20 goals and 38 points. He then went on loan with both the U18 and U20 team for Växjö Lakers HC. He caught the eye of the national team and was a major factor for Sweden at the World U18 Championship, posting four goals and six points and winning a gold medal. 

Sörensson’s game revolves on his high-end pace, speed and offensive skillset. He’s extremely quick and agile, displaying great edgework and agility on breakouts to get behind defenders. He’s constantly hounding and battling for loose pucks and when he regains possession, he quickly goes into attack mode letting his quick hands and IQ take control. He’s always finding ways to split defenders and get those dangerous looks in the offensive zone. The Maple Leafs have always looked at players with a quick development curve in the past and Sörensson fits that build as he could be worth taking a flyer on with this pick. 

Timofei Runtso, RD, Victoria Royals (WHL)

Runtso was one of my defenders that should be on the Maple Leafs radar as a potential third round option. If he’s still on the board by the time they make their second pick, he’s definitely one that can provide some mobility and offensive production as a right shot defender. 

He already has a detailed two-way game and can be a major factor on the breakout and rush attack. He can create from the blueline by finding the passing lanes or walking in for a shot on net. He was relied on heavily for the Victoria Royals and he’s definitely one of the more underrated defenders in this class. 

Landon Amrhein, LW, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

The Calgary Hitmen forward started to get a bit of a following midway through the season. There was some offensive upside and although that has cooled off, Landon Amrhein has a lot of qualities teams want in a steady power forward. He had 31 points in 64 games last season and although he isn’t going to jump off the page offensively, he does the little things and provides great support for his teammates. 

Amrhein has the skill, compete and work ethic to succeed. He can excel in tight spaces with his great puck control, hands and offensive vision to create plays. Although, given his 6-foot-5, 190-pound frame, he really needs to learn how to use that to his advantage more. He can win battles, but he could be more physically engaging and throw his weight around to make some big time hits every now and then. If he’s able to develop that aspect, he could be very a difficult player to go up against and his value will go up.