Maple Leafs get underrated defenseman with 69th overall pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs' strong draft continues as they select defenceman Ethan MacKenzie from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.

This is another great addition for the Maple Leafs, as they continue to add to their good prospect pool. MacKenzie brings another two-way defenceman into an organization that has struggled to develop blue liners successfully.

Why Ethan MacKenzie is an underrated pick

MacKenzie, 19, is a West Kelowna native who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 187 pounds. He is coined as a two-way defenceman, who can put the puck on net from the blue line but also can score. He had 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points in 59 games with the Oil Kings.

He is also known to throw big hits and be aggressive in front of his net. A workhorse is how some scouts have described him. He never stops working, always is moving and brings a dog mentality to any blue line he plays on.

He also got the honour of playing for Canada at the 2026 World Juniors, where he scored five points in seven games.

After spending four seasons with the Oil Kings, he has committed to the University of North Dakota of the NCAA for the 2026-27 season. Obviously, this is big for his development; he will get the chance to play with grown men and fine-tune some parts of his game to get him ready for the pro level.

In terms of his future, there is a good chance after he spends a season or two with North Dakota. That he will spend some time in the American Hockey League (AHL), even if it's just a playoff run similar to Ben Danford. Before he makes the jump to the NHL.

This strategy will give him a chance to get comfortable playing at the pro level without rushing him into making mistakes. In an ideal world, he could be skating on the Maple Leafs' blue line by the 2028-29 season.

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