3 Maple Leafs Prospects Who Could Make Their NHL Debut in 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a lot of changes this offseason, and with some new additions, they hope they can make it back to the playoffs and make a push for their first Stanley Cup since 1967.

There is some difference in opinion between fans as to whether the Maple Leafs improved this offseason, but whether or not they have will not be seen until the 2026-27 season gets going.

Even with a lot of new personnel added to the Maple Leafs’ lineup, there are a few prospects in their pipeline who could get a look at some point during the season. Whether they make the team out of training camp or a few injuries lead to them getting called up, some of their top prospects could get a taste of NHL action.

It goes without saying that recent first overall pick Gavin McKenna will make his debut this season.

In this article, we take a quick look at three Maple Leafs prospects who could make their debut in the 2026-27 season.

Miroslav Holinka

Miroslav Holinka, who is a 20-year-old forward, was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at 151st overall after an impressive season in Czechia with HC Ocelari Trinec’s U20 team, where he scored 20 goals and added 21 assists for 41 points through 29 games.

Holinka joined the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2024-25 season, where he scored 19 goals and added 26 assists for 45 points through 47 games. In that same season, he represented Czechia at the U20 World Junior Championship, where he had four points through seven games.

He returned to the Oil Kings for the 2025-26 season, where he scored 37 goals and added 43 assists for 80 points through 59 games. He also played his first American Hockey League (AHL) game last season, notching one assist with the Toronto Marlies.

The expectation is Holinka will start the season in the AHL with the Marlies, and while there seems to be almost no way he gets a look at the NHL out of training camp, a strong showing during the season could earn him a call-up at some point.

Holinka’s offensive game is naturally incredible, and he can find opportunities for himself and his teammates to create scoring with ease. With a strong start in the AHL, the Maple Leafs could give Holinka a call if they run into some injury issues with their forwards.

Noah Chadwick

Noah Chadwick, who is a 21-year-old defender, was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft at 185th overall after a solid showing in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, where he had 20 points through 67 games.

Chadwick returned to the Hurricanes, but last season, he played his first full season in the AHL with the Marlies, where he scored five goals and added 18 assists for 23 points through 68 games.

The Maple Leafs’ defensive depth is pretty much set in stone, but similar to Holinka’s situation, a strong showing in the AHL and some injuries in the NHL could lead to them giving Chadwick a look.

Samuel Hlavaj

A couple of days into free agency, the Maple Leafs signed goaltender Samuel Hlavaj.

Hlavaj, who is 25 years old, was undrafted. Last season was an interesting one for Hlavaj, who spent the majority of his time in the AHL with the Iowa Wild, where he posted a 3.28 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .887 save percentage (SV%) through 22 games.

He also represented Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, where he posted a 3.56 GAA and a .908 SV% through five games.

The Maple Leafs have their goaltending tandem set in stone with Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz manning the pipes, and even have Artur Akhtyamov in their system if one of them runs into injury issues. However, with an aging Bobrovsky and Stolarz having a significant injury history, there is a slim chance that both of them will go down. If that happens, Hlavaj will get the call.

Even if just one goes down, and Hlavaj happens to be performing well at the AHL level, the Maple Leafs will have no choice but to give Hlavaj a look. Akhtyamov struggled when he was given a look at the NHL level, which could make them hesitant to give them another chance.

Odds are, all three of these players will start the season in the AHL. From there, they have to try and earn themselves a call-up.

As the 2026-27 season approaches, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.