The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have a whole lot of depth or household names in their prospect pool. However, with the yearly Prospect Showdown in Montreal, it’s the perfect opportunity for many to prove their worth. The Maple Leafs went 1-1, losing with their first game 4-3 against the Ottawa Senators, but followed that up with a 4-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens.
While you expect the top names to be the ones to standout, there are plenty of players that surprise or even catch the attention of many. Especially those that may be flying under the radar. Here are the seven players that made their mark at the Prospect Showdown.
Easton Cowan
There’s definitely reason to believe why Easton Cowan is driven to make the roster this season as he made his presence felt. He finished the showdown with one assist, helping set up Jacob Quillan’s goal against the Senators.
Cowan was cycling all over the offensive zone to get players out of position, constantly moving from high to low in the zone. He was making slick passes, finding seams and being creative with the puck. He was controlling the pace, being in control and wanting to make things happen. He made smart plays defensively, using an active stick to disrupt plays and being patient in the process.
While you would’ve liked to have seen more from him at points in a game to really assert his dominance and take over, he still displayed the speed, strength and skill in order to take that next step.
Luke Haymes
Cracking my top-10 prospects for the season and a Marlie to watch, there’s a reason why there should be some eyes on Luke Haymes. He scored a goal and added an assist on Ryan Kirwan’s late third period goal against the Senators and added another goal and assist against the Canadiens, his marker coming off one-time shot on a 5-on-3 power play. His pace and work ethic really grabbed your attention.
Haymes showed that ability to never give up and battle in the tough areas, while also showing the skill that he possesses in tight and in the open ice. He attacked the middle efficiently and on his goal against the Senators, while it was a broken play, that deceptiveness showed. He faked going one way and then quickly changed his movement and direction in front of the net. He was always in attack mode and never slowed down.
Ryan Kirwan
I was really impressed with Ryan Kirwan, as he really stood out in both games. He started off on the third line but earned a promotion to the top line with Cowan and Quillan against the Senators. Kirwan made a nice play behind the net to spot Quillan for a goal and had a really strong one-time release on his third period goal that brought the Maple Leafs to get within one against the Senators. He added another rocket of a goal against the Canadiens in the second game.
When Kirwan hits his stride, he’s tough to stop given his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame and ability to power through defenders. He was doing the heavy work; winning board battles, made some key plays and he even found the scoresheet in both games. He’s dangerous when he finds the open ice to release his shot as his goal shows. He played the body, forced mistakes in the offensive zone leading to a scoring chance and continued to make his presence felt physically in battles. He finished strong with Arizona State scoring 26 goals last season and earned himself a contract with the Maple Leafs.
Ben Danford
You may not get a lot of offense from Ben Danford, but his defensive game continues to impress and take massive strides. The way that he read each play was impressive, taking away time and space from puck carriers, cutting down lanes, blocking shots, he was doing it all. He was smart and efficient, showing great composure in the defensive end and even on breakouts and in the offensive zone.
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Danford was physical in the sense that he was always pressuring and smothering opponents in one-on-one battles. He’s in for another big season for the Oshawa Generals as he’s going to be a leader and defensive stalwart.
Tyler Hopkins
The third-round pick from the 2025 NHL Draft, Tyler Hopkins showed why he could be a great value selection. He was constantly generating quality looks using his hockey sense and vision, agility and skating and puck skills to his advantage. He was constantly driving the play when he was on the ice, spotting the open ice and aggressively attacking the middle of the ice sneaking in behind defenders.
The work ethic and drive Hopkins possessed was evident every time. He was confident with the puck, making smart plays and seemed to slip by defenders each time powering through them and getting the inside position. He’s poised to improve on his 51 points he had with the Kingston Frontenacs in his sophomore season.
Jacob Quillan
As the showcase progressed, Quillan looked more confident as his speed and anticipation took over. He capitalized with a goal against the Senators off of a nice pass and set up from both Kirwan and Cowan. He added an assist against the Canadiens on Ryan Tverberg’s goal in the second game.
Quillan’s speed and two-way game was evident. He was constantly zoning in on the puck and did whatever he could to regain possession. The strong play and offensive mindset carried over to the game against the Canadiens as he was once again involved. He had a breakaway on the penalty kill, had plenty of good looks with his scoring chances and made some nice set up plays as well.
John Prokop
Another NCAA signing, I liked what John Prokop showed in the showdown as he had great offensive instincts and tendencies. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound defender had 27 points with Union College last season. Even with Danford and Noah Chadwick on defense, Prokop was the most impactful defender against the Senators and was even promoted to the top pairing with Danford in the second game against the Canadiens.
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Prokop showed that drive and ability to move the play forward on the breakout with his passes and get his opportunities in the offensive zone. He had some great looks with his shots from the point, but could look to use that a little more. He made some good defensive plays, but there were some moments where he turned the puck over. However, he recovered and stayed with it.
Who were you impressed with at the Prospect Showdown? Have your say in the comment section.
