Latest news with #MarkLeach
New York Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Meet Maple Leafs prospect Tinus Luc Koblar: ‘There's nothing I like to lose at'
Throughout Tinus Luc Koblar's season for Leksands' Under-20 team, there were countless moments when Mattias Ritola, the team's player development coach, shook his head in amazement at his young player's temper. If the Maple Leafs' second-round draft pick lost a game? You could hear his shouting bounce off arena walls. If his teammates didn't pull off a play as hoped in practice? Koblar would let them hear about it. And in games, Koblar used his towering 6-foot-4 frame to beat down opposition defenders trying to win pucks down low. Advertisement 'What I absolutely love about him? That he is mean,' Ritola said, adding an expletive for effect. He explained that sometimes players have to have an extreme edge 'to go all the way.' That attitude could end up propelling the Leafs' highest pick this year toward the NHL. Born in Slovenia, raised in Norway and now developing in Sweden, Koblar is the embodiment of Brad Treliving and Mark Leach working together in their first draft. The centre blends the kind of size and mean streak Treliving adores with serious upside through the playmaking skill Leach looks for. '(Koblar) competes all the time,' said Jesper Ollas, general manager of Leksands' Under-20 team. 'He's the one who gets so mad and so pissed off when we lose games. He's hard to handle sometimes with that, but it also means he hates to lose games and battles. He never gives up, actually.' From the top down, the Leafs appear committed to changing the DNA of their organization. '(Koblar) is a big, strong, 6-foot-4 player who has a unique background,' Leach said. 'He has just got a very good knack for the net, knack down low, knack to play on the wall, take the puck off the wall and can compete in hard areas.' The Leafs' No. 64 pick is evidence of that foundational change, with an eye towards the future. The genesis of Koblar's edge can be found in Slovenia's Olympic teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Both his father, Jernej, and mother, Andreja, competed in three straight Olympics between 1994 and 2002. Jernej was an alpine skier while Andreja competed in biathlon. They blessed Tinus with innate competitiveness of athletes who have been at the highest level. That Tinus had a brother he could also battle with off the ice didn't hurt his cause either. Leach previously said a draft pick's upbringing was very important to the organization. Advertisement 'They played a huge role in my competitiveness,' Koblar said of his parents. 'I can say that I've been born with competitiveness.' Koblar's parents fell for Norway during the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer. Jernej eventually became a coach for the Norway's national alpine skiing team and the family moved there, where Tinus developed. In Norway within the esteemed Storhamar program, Koblar separated himself as a playmaking winger. Genetics blessed him with size and strength. Matched with elite talent, Koblar took himself as far as he could in Norway as a teen. At just 15, he was logging time for Storhamar's Under-20 team. His skill and size caught the eye of Leksands in Sweden. At 16, he moved to their more developed and challenging organization. Koblar became a regular with Leksands' U18 team and even found the ice with players four years older on the U20 side. Yet travelling east wasn't as easy as it seemed. On the surface, Koblar's 32 points in 22 games in his debut U18 season in Sweden seemed promising. Truthfully, he was stuck in the same mindset he had in Norway. 'He had a lot of moments that I loved. But a lot of times he was taking the puck and doing things by himself,' Ritola said. Koblar struggled to adapt. In Norway, he was one of the best players in his age group. Koblar regularly took his team on his back — or wanted to, at least — and tried to stickhandle through every inch of the ice on his own. And as to be expected for the fiery kid, his frustration wouldn't simmer. It spilled over. 'He just wanted to win so much,' Ollas said. Ahead of his draft season, Koblar and the Leksands organization were faced with a choice: would he remain on the same path, but with little to show for his puck skills, vision and unlimited passion? Or would he be forced to evolve? While many skilled forwards often move from centre to the wing, Leksands thought differently. Koblar stood above his peers. He could outmuscle opposition players. If he wanted to win so badly, and wanted to take his team on his back, why not give him more responsibility to do just that? They shifted Koblar to centre and handed him more responsibility on both sides of the puck in hopes that he could use his size down low and play more within a team structure, as opposed to being isolated in a wing position. Advertisement Now, if he was going to get angry, Koblar might have only himself to blame. 'That was a big step for him. And he liked it, too,' Ollas said. In fact, more responsibility was just what Koblar needed. 'He learned to play give-and-go hockey. And that's when he started to create so, so much,' Ritola said. Koblar's vision and strength on the puck down low and around the net shone. As the season progressed, his playmaking stood out. Koblar tallied eight goals and 21 points in 43 regular-season games, but in the playoffs, he potted four goals in seven games. He often plays in the bumper role with the man advantage and logged time on the penalty kill. On a team full of players one or two years older, Koblar developed a maturity at centre as dedicated as his heated nature. He was no less competitive, but he learned to use his intensity to push himself as much as he pushed his teammates to improve. 'The first year, it wasn't in a good way,' Ritola said of Koblar's temper. 'This year, he figured out how to use that in a good way.' '(Koblar) set the pace of games when he had the puck,' Ollas said. 'He's always available to get the puck and he wants the puck. He wants to always be involved in the game.' And as Koblar thrived at centre, he drew the highest of praise. 'The way Henrik Zetterberg would get the puck in his own end and then be the middle guy in every play out in front,' Ritola said when asked who Koblar reminded him of. '(Zetterberg) drove the play, play after play. It's only been one year, but the way Tinus drove the play this year, it's been amazing to watch.' Others were watching too. Ritola said there were multiple members of the Leafs development staff around Leksands this season, with 2024 pick Victor Johansson also playing on the team. Leafs Swedish scout Christoffer Hedlund is believed to have been heavily influential in discovering and promoting Koblar within the organization. (It is telling that the Leafs believed in Hedlund, who only joined the Leafs as a younger scout in 2021, but part of Leach's modus operandi is heavily trusting his area scouts to do their jobs.) Advertisement But now it's clear many more in the Leafs organization believe in Koblar's future, beginning with development camp in Toronto next week. 'We had some opportunities (to trade down) with our second-round pick,' Treliving said. 'The gap that we had to go down to, we felt it was probably a little bit too far and the staff was really passionate about the pick.' Now the Leafs development staff will have to match that passion by helping Koblar improve. Koblar, perhaps surprisingly, said he wants to become even more physical next season. Ollas said Koblar's skating in tight spaces will need to improve. 'He needs to get quicker with his hands,' Ollas said. 'He's got the size and strength, that's not a problem. But his speed in short distances is something he needs to get better at.' Koblar will start with Leksands' Under-20 team next season, but both Ritola and Ollas expect him to make his SHL debut at some point next year. Doing so will be a positive step towards possibly playing for the Leafs a few years down the road. 'The (SHL) coaches like his competitive mindset,' Ollas said of Koblar's SHL chances. 'But it will be up to him to show that he deserves it.' After shipping out centre Fraser Minten – one of the Leafs' top prospects – at last season's trade deadline, Koblar fills a positional need up the middle of the ice. Yet Koblar looks and plays much different than Minten, also drafted in the second round three years earlier. At that time, the Leafs bet on intelligence and drive. Size wasn't the most prominent of priorities in draft picks. Things are different now. The top of the organization wants their team to be nastier. Harder to play against. If Koblar eventually cracks the Leafs roster, he'll be expected to do just that. Luckily for the Leafs, he's shown in Sweden he's up for the challenge. 'There's nothing I like to lose at,' Koblar said.
New York Times
28-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What are the Maple Leafs getting in their 2025 NHL Draft picks?
The Maple Leafs entered Day 2 of the NHL Draft with six picks and did not end up trading away a single one of their picks. Instead, new director of amateur scouting Mark Leach and general manager Brad Treliving had a plan for their draft class: add size and competitiveness to an organization they believe needs just that. Advertisement 'There's a role for everybody. And as you saw in the playoffs, size matters, toughness matters, competitiveness matters,' Leach said. 'We hoped we filled some of those roles with some of these kids.' The Leafs also addressed positional needs in their prospect pool as well, going heavy on centres and forwards while not selecting a goalie. They came away with a draft class that looks drastically different from past draft hauls. None of the six players they selected were under six feet tall. And as all of their coaches told The Athletic, physicality and nastiness are often front and centre in most of their games. 'We want guys who competed, we want players who battled and have great work ethic. And with those elements, if you have those things in your game, you have a chance to get better at certain things,' Leach said. Here's our breakdown of who the Leafs drafted in 2025, with insight from the people who know them best. Drafted: Second round, No. 64 | Position: C Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 190 pounds 2024-25 stats: 43 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 pts (Leksands Under-20, Sweden) With their first pick, the Leafs went after a player with a blend of size, strength and playmaking skill they hope can be a playoff performer down the line. The Leafs like Koblar's nose for the net and how accomplished he already is at finding offence in ugly areas of the ice. 'He competes all the time,' said Jesper Ollas, general manager of Leksands' Under-20 team. 'He's the one who gets so mad and so pissed off when we lose games. He's hard to handle sometimes with that, but it also means he hates to lose games and battles. He never gives up, actually.' Koblar was born in Slovenia, raised in Norway and now plays in Sweden. He showed the ability to drive play with Leksands' Under-20 team through his puck-handling ability, his vision and how strong he became on the puck. He's growing into a more prominent power-play role and will likely make his SHL debut at some point for Leksands next season. Advertisement Drafted: Third round, No. 86 | Position: C Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 183 pounds 2024-25 stats: 67 GP, 20 G, 31 A, 51 pts (Kingston Frontenacs, OHL) Hopkins' hockey IQ might be the highest of any player in the Leafs' draft class. He is a detail-oriented centre with plenty of pro attributes in his game already. 'When I got to coach him last year for the first time, the first thing that stood out was his ability to really just see the ice,' Troy Mann, Frontenacs head coach, said. 'He is real coachable in terms of where you want him on the ice.' That IQ doesn't just manifest in playmaking or typical offensive skill. Hopkins uses his smarts to stifle the opposition in different ways. 'I had multiple scouts tell me he was one of the best defensive centres in the whole draft,' Mann said. Leach called Hopkins 'a 200-foot player.' '(Hopkins) plays in the hard areas, he's smart, reads, anticipates the game. (He) has to get stronger, has to get a little quicker. That's just part of when you pick guys in those certain areas — they have some issues that they've got to work on and improve upon,' Leach said. Still, finding another level of offence will be a requirement in Hopkins' game next season. Expect Hopkins to move from Kingston's second power-play unit up to the first unit. He can bring the puck with speed and smarts through the neutral zone, but Mann wants to see Hopkins employ more creativity in his game in the offensive zone. In doing so, there could be another level for Hopkins to hit. Whether that means trying to do different things behind the net or attack the blue paint more, Mann believes his intelligence can be used to add to his offensive production. Hopkins professed to being a Leafs fan. He has fond memories of watching the Leafs' first-round series win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023. Tyler Hopkins certainly has the passion. 🍁 📺: 2025 Upper Deck #NHLDraft on @ESPNPlus, @NHLNetwork and @Sportsnet (🎥: IG/ — NHL (@NHL) June 28, 2025 Drafted: Fifth round, No. 137 | Position: F Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 225 pounds 2024-25 stats: 28 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 pts (USNTDP Juniors, USHL) If we're looking for an early fan favourite of the Leafs' 2025 draft class, Belle is the easy pick. The heavy forward oozes confidence in a way you don't often hear from late-round NHL picks. Advertisement 'My game is simple. It's north-south, fast, 200-foot hockey, forechecking, back-checking, playing physical. A player right now that I play a lot like would be Miles Wood. But somebody I think I could turn into would be a Tom Wilson type of player,' Belle said. Tom Wilson, you say? 'The power-forward hockey that he plays, the simplicity of it and just the physicality and that edge he has to have, the meanness, I feel like I can bring that,' Belle said, again with genuine confidence. Belle feels like a role player just waiting to happen. 'He was a penalty-killer, a guy who we put out to get out of the defensive zone and offensive zone time to wait for the line change,' said Ryan Hayes, assistant coach at the USNTDP. 'And he did a really good job towards the end of his two years doing that and accepting that role of shutting down teams and pinning down teams in our offensive zone to help wear them down. He loved to block shots. And his physicality? In the USHL, in our age, guys don't want to get hit, right? But he brought that element to it.' Still, for all the physicality Belle brings, don't sleep on his smarts, either. 'When you get to know him, his answers are very well-thought-out. He's very smart the way he talks to people and the respect that he has just shows his growth as a kid,' Hayes said. 'His parents did a really good job raising him. He excelled in school — he was taking college classes while he was here.' Born in China, Belle learned to skate in shopping malls with skates that he confessed were too small for him. He would eventually have to take trains and fly to Beijing and Hong Kong to continue playing hockey. He moved to Boston when he was seven years old. Belle is headed to the University of Notre Dame next season. 'He's a big body with a unique background, unique situation where he came from. He can skate extremely well and he's got a passion for the game. He knows what he is, and I think he's willing to do what it takes. He just wants to get at it,' Leach said. Advertisement Drafted: Fifth round, No. 153 | Position: C Age: 17 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 185 pounds 2024-25 stats: 67 GP, 7 G, 16 A, 23 pts (Owen Sound Attack, OHL) The Leafs clearly have a type in their 2025 class, and Nansi is further evidence of that. Leach and Treliving have combined to try and find size, edge and hopefully some skill. In Nansi, they might have all of the above if everything breaks just right. 'He goes into the fight and comes out with the puck all the time. He's one of those kids who you think has no chance of coming out with the puck but he surprises everybody,' said Scott Wray, Owen Sound Attack coach. Still, Nansi is one of the youngest players in the draft. Born in September 2007, the forward has a long road ahead of him. 'He's young and he's raw. But God-given talent is bar none,' Wray said. 'When he fills out, he's going to be a phenomenal player.' The Leafs like his range and competitiveness but understand to get down that road, there's major work to be done on Nansi's foot speed and edgework. 'He works and competes and gets to the hard areas,' Leach said. Known for an infectious smile and being a great teammate, Nansi could end up becoming a popular Leafs prospect if he continues to improve. Wray said he plans to rely on Nansi more on the power play next season. Getting more touches around the net could bring more offence out of Nansi's game. Drafted: Sixth round, No. 185 | Position: RHD Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 196 pounds 2024-25 stats: 64 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 pts (Flint Firebirds, OHL) Competitiveness and energy, as they were for every Leafs pick, were part of what attracted the Leafs to Fellinger. 'I just love his work ethic and his character,' said Paul Flache, Flint Firebirds head coach. 'He works his butt off on the ice and off the ice, so that's another huge attribute. He's just a very competitive kid, probably one of our best skaters. He's got straight-line speed.' Advertisement While Fellinger is working on his lateral and backwards skating, he does well to use his stride to close on opposition players. Combined with strong stick work and an evolving physical game, there's an intelligence in Fellinger's north-south game that could help him develop within the Leafs organization. 'He's strong, he can win battles and get the puck moving quickly down the ice. And we've seen, in today's game, you have to make plays,' Flache said. Flache said he sees flashes of longtime NHL blueliner Niklas Hjalmarsson in Fellinger's game. 'He takes so much pride in winning small battles and blocking shots,' Flache said. 'He's not easy to play against. When the Blackhawks won those Stanley Cups, guys like Hjalmarsson flew under the radar. But they were always tough to play against.' Flache said he's proud of how much work Fellinger has put in the past two summers into adding more size and muscle to his 6-foot-4 frame. Should he continue to bulk up and add more physicality and puck-moving attributes to his game, a pro future could beckon. 'He's a guy who can move, has a big body, moves really well,' Leach said of Fellinger. 'His game is simple, he moves it well, he closes fast, he likes to defend, box people out, but he's just a pretty big strong kid for his age. I think as time goes on with him, he's going to have to work on his game a little bit. And again, these young men, most of them know what their element is to get to the next step. And they just have to improve on those elements.' Drafted: Seventh round, No. 217 | Position: LW Age: 19 | Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 201 pounds 2024-25 stats: 43 GP, 7 G, 1 A, 8 pts (Kitchener Rangers, OHL) Hlacar went undrafted in the OHL priority selection, was invited to multiple Rangers rookie camps and main camps and spent his NHL draft year playing in the OJHL before he finally joined the Rangers as an 18-year-old for his first OHL season. It's that sort of grit and determination that the Leafs undoubtedly appreciate in the brawling winger. Advertisement 'It's been a long road for him. But he's a self-made man. Those guys have a bit more of an appreciation for the journey,' said Mike McKenzie, Rangers general manager. 'He'll do whatever it takes off the ice.' Hlacar is often first, and heaviest, on the forecheck and doesn't shy away from dropping the gloves either. Through 14 OHL playoff games this season, Hlacar tallied 38 penalty minutes. While McKenzie sees undercover good hands in Hlacar's game, it's going to be the physicality that could eventually make Hlacar a pro player. 'Hard-nosed, competitive, big man,' Leach said of Hlacar. 'He likes to play in your face.' In years past, the Leafs might have taken a flyer on a smallish, uber-skilled player with their last pick in the draft (Ryan Tverberg being an example) but going forward, it feels more and more likely the Leafs try for future pugilists instead. (Top photo of Tyler Hopkins: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Draft: Maple Leafs Use 64th Pick to Select Norwegian Tinus Luc Koblar
After a bit of a wait, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Norwegian forward Tinus Luc Koblar with the 64th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3 center currently plays for Leksands in the Swedish under-20 league. While not a major point producer—with just eight goals and 13 assists in 45 games last season—Koblar is known for his playmaking and puck distribution. His skating is an area the Leafs will need to develop, but he is projected as a potential middle-six forward. Combined with his size, his strong net-front presence suggests he could blossom into a valuable contributor. He also brings strong defensive skills that should translate well to the NHL level as the Leafs work on other areas of his game. Having played for Norway's national junior teams, he is experienced in all situations. The Leafs were surely impressed by his recent playoff performance, where Koblar excelled for Leksands by scoring four goals in seven games. According to head scout Mark Leach, the organization looks for players who have a history of excelling in key moments. Certainly, Toronto sees that upside in the young forward. More to come... Toronto Maple Leafs News and Community Toronto Maple Leafs News and Community Toronto Maple Leafs news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News Follow all Leafs news at John Tavares Explains Why He 'Left Money' On The Table To Remain With Maple Leafs John Tavares Explains Why He 'Left Money' On The Table To Remain With Maple Leafs John Tavares Advertisement took less money to remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs. John Tavares Takes Pay Cut in 4-Year Extension With Hometown Maple Leafs Worth $4.38M Per Season John Tavares Takes Pay Cut in 4-Year Extension With Hometown Maple Leafs Worth $4.38M Per Season John Tavares is returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
National Post
28-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
LEAFS NOTES: Toronto not feeling a first round draft as picking starts
The Maple Leafs weren't out to quench any thirst for a first in Friday night's first round of the National Hockey League draft. Article content Having made their bed, trading the 25th pick to Chicago for Jake McCabe two years ago, they seemed ready to sleep through the opening chapter versus trading up and get back to work Saturday morning. They will have six picks in the ensuing six rounds, starting at 64th overall. Article content Article content General manager Brad Treliving was suggesting this week there was an equal chance the Leafs move further down the order, not higher, if another team liked a player at 64th and perhaps offers them two picks in return. Article content It's not unheard of for Toronto to find a diamond in the rough at 64, with 1990s forward Frederik Modin and current defence prospect Topi Niemela, but any choices at that position are usually long-term projects. Article content 'I'm just interested in the best available talent and the guy who competes and works hard,' amateur scouting director Mark Leach told reporters on Thursday of what he would seek at that spot. Article content TAVARES SEEING RED Article content When we asked newly re-signed John Tavares where his game is at in his mid-30s, he threw his name in the ring for another shot with Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Article content Tavares has played on various national sides in his career and it was a huge letdown for him not to be invited to the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. But it will have been 12 years since he won Olympic gold in 2014 at Sochi and this time he'd be nearing age 36. Article content Article content 'I really take a lot of pride in how I try to get better, approach the game and my craft,' he said. 'There's a tremendous amount of belief in who I am and what I can do. Article content 'I have always stated my desire to give it every opportunity to play for Team Canada on the biggest stage at the biggest events. You hope you can earn that, There's tremendous amount of belief I have to play at an elite level and continue to evolve. Article content The Canadiens announced this week that their Prospect Showdown returns to the Bell Centre, Sept. 13-14. The best young Habs and Leafs will be joined by the Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets. Toronto plays the Sens at 1 p.m. on Sat. Sept. 13 and Montreal at 3 p.m. next day.
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Draft guide: Picks, best fits and analysis
The Toronto Maple Leafs have six picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: Nos. 64, 86, 137, 153, 185, 217. Here's what to expect. Toronto hasn't had many high picks recently, so the system is thin, but especially after trading Fraser Minten, the Maple Leafs' thinnest position is up the middle with no real NHL prospect on the way at center. In recent mock drafts, Corey Pronman has projected the following picks: 63. Peyton Kettles, D 86. Lasse Boelius, D 137. David Rozsival, RW 153. Emile Guite, LW 185. Josh McGregor, D 217. Dawson Gerwing, LW Despite not having a high pick, the Leafs believe new director of amateur scouting Mark Leach's 28 seasons scouting for the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars provided him with the know-how to unearth gems outside of the first round. Advertisement '(Leach's) feeling is that there are players to be found in every round,' Leafs GM Brad Treliving said at his end-0f-season availability. 'His history has shown that.' The Leafs will hope to hit with their late second-round pick just as they did in 2021 with Matthew Knies (57th overall). How Leach approaches this draft could mark the beginning of a new era for the Leafs at the draft table. What do Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan and Ben Danford have in common? All were projected to go lower than where the Leafs picked them with their first selections in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 drafts. And all project to have NHL careers, too. Former director of amateur scouting Wes Clark's picks might have been considered way off the board by some, but they all showed his preference to draft based on prospects' drive and determination. Now, Leach isn't low on competitiveness by any means. He simply prioritizes skill and hockey IQ and isn't afraid to let players take their time developing to see that skill (possibly) play out at the NHL level. What does that mean for the Leafs at the 2025 draft? If there is skill and size to be found when the Leafs make their first pick, they might not overthink their pick that much. Here's a look at some players who might be available — and on the Leafs' radar — when they announce their first pick (assuming it remains No. 64 at the end of the second round). — Joshua Kloke (Photo of Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
