25th Pick – Toronto Maple Leafs
Noah Östlund (C)
5’11”, 163 lbs
There will instantly be Toronto Maple Leafs fans who are critical of anyone the club drafts that isn’t over six-feet tall. Unfortunately, those who only look at player heights and weights will miss out on the talent that is Noah Östlund.
Playing in Sweden for Djurgårdens IF, Östlund got into games for the J18 and the J20 Nationell teams. The majority of those contests were with the Under 20 Team. He played 32 regular season games and scored nine goals and 33 assists for 42 total points. In the playoffs, Östlund skated in five more games where he put in another five goals and two assists.
Östlund also put his quick feet and stellar puck handling on display at the professional level of the SHL for Djurgårdens IF. Playing limited minutes, the center didn’t make it onto the score sheet. That shouldn’t be a concern for GM Kyle Dubas because Östlund is still at the beginning stages of his development and should earn more ice time next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and their scouts saw Östlund shine in 2021 where he had the most points in J20 Nationell by a U17 Junior. This year, he was spectacular on the international stage. He was a part of the gold medal winning U18 WJC team, the gold medal J18 SM group, and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Bronze Medal squad.
Even if Östlund doesn’t project to be a top-six NHL forward, he will continue to develop and build on his strengths. If he’s as relentless at trying to improve as he is on the ice going after the puck, the Toronto Maple Leafs should have a successful project.