Biggie Smalls

If you stopped paying attention to the Toronto Maple Leafs after their season ended at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings, no one would blame you. It’s possible you stopped well before then. Whether you were or not, you might have been surprised to find out that the Leafs actually made selections during the first two rounds of the RHL Entry Draft held earlier this week. This surprise was due mostly to the fact that roughly a week prior, the first pick they had available to them was all the way down at 119 in the fourth round. 

However, after trading away fan favourites William Karlsson, Alex Tuch, and Elvis Merzlikins, GM Led Tasso found himself armed with some draft ammunition. He was able to procure picks 14, 40 and 47 (along with 79 and other assets) and quickly sent his scouting department into panic mode as they had largely been in a holding pattern with the presumption they wouldn’t be picking in the first round for the second year in a row. 

So who did the Leafs braintrust end up adding to their prospects cupboard? I’m glad you asked. 

BIGGY

14 - Radim Mrtka

2024-25 Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Date of Birth: June 9, 2007

Place of Birth: Havlickuv, Czechia

Ht: 6-foot-6 Wt: 198 pounds

Shoots: Right

Position: Defenseman

Some information that I received from sources within the Maple Leafs organisation about what transpired before the draft. With the first round pick (26) they had received in the trade with Dallas, Toronto had initially hoped to draft Malcolm Spence. After conversations with the scouting department, Tasso didn’t believe that Spence would be available at that point so pivoted and ultimately traded that pick. Then, they found themselves back in the first round with Minnesota’s first and back in a position to take Spence. The decision was made that depending on who was available, the team would choose between Cam Reid or Spence. But as teams in front of them started making their selections, it started to look like there could be some players they had higher on their draft board that might be there at 14. That came to fruition when both Mrtka and Jackson Smith were left when it came time for Toronto to make their selection. A decision they were happy to have to make, but a tough one all the same. 

Of course, we know they opted for the big Czech. At 6’6” and 198lbs he still has a bit of filling out to do before he’s likely to get regular reps in the pros.
It’s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to pro comparables. Names like Victor Hedman, Noah Dobson, Owen Power and current Maple Leaf Travis Sanheim have been thrown out there. A lot of that has to do with size. If they get the Hedman version, it’s an absolute homerun for the Leafs and they have a franchise player on their hands. If not and he’s closer to Dobson or Sanheim, then they still have a great complementary piece to add to their roster alongside their other young blueliners Brandt Clarke and Maveric Lamoureux. The idea of Mrtka and Lamoureux (6’6”, 207lbs) patrolling the blueline should prove to be tough matchups for opponents for the foreseeable future.
 

There’s still room to grow in his game on the offensive side, but one of his main strengths, which we know the Leafs covet, is his skating. He’s one of the better skaters in his draft class, and not just for his size, but the entirety of the field. It’s expected he’ll spend another year with Seattle in the WHL but it shouldn’t be long before he’s knocking on the door. 

The pick marks the highest defensemen selected by the Maple Leafs during Led Tasso’s regime as general manager, with Cole Jordan (90) previously having the distinction, drafted all the way back in 2021. 

SMALLS

40 - LJ Mooney

2024-25 Team: U.S. National U18 Team

Date of Birth: Mar 08, 2007

Place of Birth: West Mifflin, PA, USA

Ht: 5-foot-7 Wt: 150 pounds

Shoots: R

Position: Right Wing

47 - Adam Benak

2024-25 Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Date of Birth: April 10, 2007

Place of Birth: Plzen, Czechia

Ht: 5-foot-7 Wt: 161 pounds

Shoots: Left

Position: Center

GMLT has never shied away from drafting small forwards during his tenure. Names like Logan Stankoven (5’8”), Jagger Firkus (5’10”), and Bradley Nadeau (5’10”) should be familiar to Leafs fans as they’ve been first round picks across recent drafts. In bids to bolster his lineup for playoff runs, both Stankoven and Firkus were traded and never even played a game within the organisation. Nadeau remains the lone draftee of the three and, barring any trades, should see himself leading the offensive charge for the Marlies this season. 

This year, Tasso got a couple of small forwards to add back into his bag of prospects. They’re even smaller than the aforementioned players, but both absolutely ooze skill. If either were just a few inches taller, it’s entirely likely they both would have heard their names called in the first round. While we should all know better at this point, size still does affect a player’s draft position. As they often say, you can’t teach size. This will never be an issue for the Leafs, or at least while GMLT is still at the helm. He was positively beaming when he made both selections, even if some teams considered both to be reaches. 

With a large bag of tools at his arsenal like his skating and puck skills, it’s his high-end motor and relentless play that is perhaps his best known trait. He never stops and is everywhere on the ice. 

From TheHockeyWriters: “Mooney is everywhere on the ice, especially in the offensive zone. His motor is elite, as is the energy he uses to recover pucks. Despite his well-below-average size, the forward fears nothing and will do whatever it takes to stand out or disrupt the puck carrier. When his skill and confidence blend with his reliably elite motor and pace, the undersized forward is very difficult to contain.”

A lot of the same things could be said about Adam Benak. Additionally, his strong play internationally at the Hlinka Cup shot his name up many teams' draft lists. He is now the tournament’s all-time leader in points (6 goals, 21 points) surpassing previous leader Magnus Paajarvi. Paajarvi, a former NHL first round pick (10th overall, Edmonton, 2009) never quite lived up to the billing, although did play in 467 NHL games across 10 seasons with the Oilers, Blues and Senators. 

If the Leafs can get that many games from either the young Czech or Mooney, they’ll have gotten their money's worth. With only 34% of second round picks going on to become NHL players, as well as their size, the odds aren’t in their favour. With their drive and mindset, though, I wouldn’t bet against either.