Assistant General Manager of Player Evaluation, Judd Brackett, discusses the Male Leafs’ 10-prospect haul from the 2026 NHL Draft.
How exciting is it to walk away with 10 new prospects in the organization?
Brackett: This is always an exciting day for a scouting staff and a team as a whole. It is a chance to add, typically, seven players, but today, it was 10. A lot of work goes into this with the scouts, a lot of communication, and some tough conversations at times.
It is an exciting day. It is just a jumping-off point, right? These players have to continue to improve and buy in developmentally, but we are very excited.
What has it been like for you since jumping into Leafs management? What has stood out the most?
Brackett: It’s been crazy. It has been a wild ride. These guys have been really, really receptive from management on down. I am very grateful for the warm welcome. It is an unusual time to jump in, when a team has already had its final meetings.
There have been some good conversations and some challenging ones, but that is always going to be the case. We are building rapport and building trust. I’m very grateful.
With Alex Bilecki, he’s won championships already. How appealing is it to get that flavour in the organization, not only with the Marlies but with some of the kids you draft?
Brackett: Absolutely. You want winners. That is part of building culture and the room you want. It is not just the winning, too; it’s the role he played on the team. He played top-four minutes and had the chance to win the Memorial Cup. He will continue to build off the success that team had. His role will continue to expand with Kitchener. We are really excited about that.
How would you describe the potential of Gavin McKenna?
Brackett: I would say the sky is the limit. Obviously, the skill and hockey sense speak for themselves, but this year, you see Gavin take the challenge to go play against older players. He even had a bit of pushback on him to start the year. To see him recalibrate at the World Juniors, go back with that confidence, and continue to score — not that anyone doubted that he would… When you are forecasting your future, if he runs into a bump in the road, we think he is still going to be very opportunistic going forward.
What stands out to you the most about the way McKenna carries himself off the ice?
Brackett: The player speaks for itself, but as a person and the mindset he has, he is a winner. He wants to be the best. That is really important. When he goes on the ice every day, or when he is in the gym — we went and watched him at the combine — he is a competitor in every sense of the word. I think that is really important.
Ethan MacKenzie had been passed over in the draft, but he blossomed this year.
Brackett: A great story, and a good testament to the scouts to continue evaluating players. It is not just in their first year. Ethan obviously had a great year with the World Junior team. He is a player we had some familiarity with; we had him at our rookie camp last year. There is a personal connection there, too.
But he earned it. He had some injury history in his WHL years. He has continued to grow and expand his game. Obviously, with a chance to go to the NCAA now, it gives him a little more runway.
The team grabbed a couple of goalies. How challenging is it to make those decisions, especially when they’re lower-ranked, and you’re in the middle rounds?
Brackett: Goalies are always late developing, so there is some projection there, but I will say the goaltending evaluators and staff here have done a great job. I think they’ve built a lot of trust. If they’re excited about a goalie, we are, too.
What did your staff like about the two goalies?
Brackett: To begin with, with Plumins, he had a very good U18 in April. We like the size, compete, and athletic nature.
Ainasto has the size and maybe a little more runway in front of him. His body is a little more immature, but we are very excited about his stylistic play and foundation he has.
You traded up to draft Fedoseyev. What did you like about him at that spot?
Brackett: He was a player who — across not just the scouts but also from a data perspective and across multiple departments — was someone who was strongly identified. We felt good about it. It was just too good an opportunity to pass on.
What stands out about working with John Chayka, and why he might be a good match for you moving forward?
Brackett: I think the first thing is that he is very intelligent and thorough. He is inquisitive. He asks a lot of questions. I would say he is very fair but demanding. Most decisions are highly calculated with a lot of information and involve multiple people. I think it is a group effort, and that is how it has been so far.
The Maple Leafs’ 2026 Draft Selections
 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round (Overall) | Player | Position | Ht/Wt | Country | Team/League | Profile |
| 1 (1st) | Gavin McKenna | LW | 5'11, 170 | Canada | Penn State (NCAA) | READ |
| 2 (60th) | Alex Bilecki | LHD | 6'2, 181 | Canada | Kitchener (OHL) | READ |
| 3 (69th) | Ethan MacKenzie | LHD | 6'1, 187 | Canada | Edmonton (WHL) | READ |
| 3 (73rd) | Zach Olsen | RW | 6'1, 2-3 | Canada | Saskatoon (WHL) | READ |
| 3 (76th) | Måns Gudmundsson | RHD | 6'3, 185 | Sweden | Farjestad BK (SHL) | READ |
| 3 (85th) | Juuso Ainasto | G | 6'4, 198 | Finland | Jokerit (SM-sarja) | READ |
| 4 (114th) | Patriks Plumins | G | 6'3, 216 | Latvia | Zemgale (Latvia) | READ |
| 5 (158th) | Cooper Williams | C | 6'1, 163 | Canada | Saskatoon (WHL) | READ |
| 6 (161st) | Yaroslav Fedoseyev | RHD | 6'1, 187 | Russia | Traktor (KHL) | READ |
| 6 (169th) | Brody Pepoy | W | 6'2, 181 | USA | Saginaw (OHL) | READ |
