The Toronto Maple Leafs, naturally, have a lot of fans who also play the sport. Being at the very center of the hockey universe known as Ontario means that the best players in the world grow up cheering on the Blue and White. Well, at the 2025 NHL Draft, the Leafs were able to draft one of their biggest fans.
Tyler Hopkins, the Leafs' third-round pick last month, isn't shy about his fandom. At development camp this past week, the Kingston Frontenacs center was overjoyed being able to be a Leaf.
"Putting the jersey on for the first time is probably my favourite moment," Hopkins said. "Just being a Leafs fan growing up, putting that stuff on for the first time was a pretty cool experience and something that I'll never forget."
This past season, Hopkins scored 20 goals and 51 points in 67 games for Kingston as a stable, two-way force for the OHL club.
Of course, it's an obvious fact that Hopkins has some fans of his own in the Leafs organization, since they drafted him. But, Leafs assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser was very upfront with being impressed by the young centerman at development camp.
"He stood out for me as well just because of his hockey sense," said Wickenheiser via TSN. "He made some really nice plays. Not an overly big kid (6-foot-1, 179 pounds), not an overly fast kid, but you notice him out there many times just by the ability to complete plays and put the puck on people's sticks."
As Wickenheiser said, Hopkins is not the most obviously talented player on the ice, but it's his sense and awareness that earned him a selection. The Elite Prospects 2025 Draft Guide dives deeper into what type of player Hopkins is:
"His tools enable him to make plays both away and on the puck on defence. He’s patient in his approach, reloading above the play ahead of turnovers, surveying the ice, and jumping on opponents as they make themselves vulnerable. It’s the same on the forecheck, where he cuts passing lanes, methodically reduces the opposition’s space, and then closes on them, creating turnovers that his team can exploit.
"A low and stable skating posture, combined with physical abilities, enables Hopkins to win battles for possession. He cuts through hands, seals the puck away, and escapes with it. These tools also form the foundation of Hopkins’ offensive game. Constantly in movement, he distributes the puck effectively, hitting teammates as they get open across the ice, sometimes with deception. And he takes his opportunities to fire on the net. But mostly, he outraces and outbattles. He runs past defenders in the neutral zone, weaving through and attacking gaps as they form, and takes pucks off the wall."
Hopkins will return to Kingston for another season and while the eastern OHL team is not projected to be Robertson Cup contenders next season, they should pose some sort of playoff threat with more experience on their roster.