At the end of the Maple Leafs’ 2026 development camp, AGM Hayley Wickenheiser discussed Gavin McKenna’s camp and potential, Harry Nansi, Tinus-Luc Koblar, Miro Holinka, and the state of the team’s overall prospect pool.
What is your perspective on how the development camp went and what you saw throughout, wrapping with the scrimmage?
Wickenheiser: I thought it was a really great week for all of the players. We had 53 players here. We tried to just expose them to a variety of things, both on and off the ice. The goal is that, when they leave here, they are kind of armed with more tools in their toolbox to take them to that next level.
The scrimmage was really good. It is hard in mid-July to play, but we talked about being competitive. We didn’t want to see any fighting, but play to the line, not over it. I thought the guys did a really good job of being competitive and challenging each other.
It did seem like a lot of checks were finished, and it was somewhat physical for an early-July scrimmage.
Wickenheiser: Yeah, William Belle is out there finishing every check, which is kind of what he has to do. We encourage players to play to their identity and be who they are, but obviously, there is a line in the summertime that you want to be careful of. But I thought they did a really good job of playing hockey today.
How would you assess Gavin McKenna’s camp?
Wickenheiser: He is a really impressive kid. He has been through a lot in the last month. I thought he did a great job throughout the week. You can see his skill set is evident, his thinking, and his ability to process some of the small plays he makes out there. Overall, he has done a great job of handling himself.
Now, he has to go get some rest, train, and be ready for main camp. It is a lot for a young kid like that in these last few weeks. He was really good.
What did you think of McKenna’s defensive acumen today?
Wickenheiser: He is an elite thinker. He can anticipate. I saw him try to pick off a few passes there that were pretty close. Also, I think he can close space on guys, strip pucks, and probably be effective that way in the way he can move and think the game. You don’t have to be overly physical if you’re smart. That is what you could see from him.
Besides getting some rest, what do you want him to focus on moving forward?
Wickenheiser: For Gavin, he just needs to go back home, take a little bit of time, and then focus on the strength and physicality to be able to step into that big lineup. That will be the thing. Mentally, get a chance to think about what is coming up.
The other thing is to be yourself. He got here for a reason. He doesn’t need to change what got him here.
How quickly do you think McKenna will be able to play his full game at the NHL level?
Wickenheiser: It is hard to say. Probably, in a game like this today, you are not seeing how good he can be. It is just a difficult scenario. I think it is about physically being able to handle that part of the game, but his skating, his pace, and his playmaking will be really interesting to see. That is what we will find out at main camp.
What kind of player do you expect McKenna to be in three or five years’ time?
Wickenheiser: That is a good question. Obviously, his skills are elite — playmaking, agility, the way he can move around the ice. I think he would say he is more of a playmaker than a finisher that way. You can see it. He has the ability to make players better and elevate players around him. That is always a sign of a good player.
What did you think of Harry Nansi and Tinus-Luc Koblar’s camps?
Wickenheiser: I think Harry has been our most improved prospect. He is very gifted physically. I don’t think he has realized how strong he can be. There were a couple of plays down low where I was thinking, “just take it to the net,” and he deferred to a pass. Those are little areas where I think there can be the next level for him, but we are really excited about the player he can be. His skating still has a ways to go, but it has come a long way.
Tinus obviously had an outstanding year. He was great throughout this whole camp. You can see the separation he and Gavin have in the way they think. They play that pro game. He is a bit of a man out here. You can see that. It is just about building on that, and I thought he did a good job throughout the whole week.
How about Miro Holinka’s camp?
Wickenheiser: I really like Miro. You can see he’s a smart player. He had a really good year with Edmonton. We were working with Miro just on pace, skating, and getting physically ready and prepared to play with the Marlies next year. But he is a smart hockey player. He made some nice plays out here today. We really like him.
Tyler Hopkins mentioned he is feeling more confident this year. What did you see from him?
Wickenheiser: Tyler continues to improve. I talked to him the other day about what it is like. He said he is a little less nervous than he was last year. He is a really smart, cerebral player. He is here every day training in our facility.
The big thing for most of these guys is strength and physical fitness to build on the foundations that they have. Expect him to have a good season next year with Guelph, hosting the Memorial Cup as well.
John Chayka and management added 10 prospects via this year’s draft. The Marlies won the Calder Cup. Does there seem to be more depth than there was a month ago, overall?
Wickenheiser: For sure. We’ve kind of restocked the cupboards here in terms of our prospect pool. It is exciting for the development team to get to dig in and work with these players in the various places they will play. It gives a nice range of different types of players and skill sets that we can try to build into NHL players down the road.
You’ve worked under three different GMs now. Is there a common denominator with them? Is there something John is looking for that is different?
Wickenheiser: They’re pretty much similar. At this level, you are looking for intelligence and compete. Sometimes, depending on the GM, they have a flavour for more of a physical player or a bigger player, depending on the prospects we have.
We have obviously stocked the cupboards with more picks. Now, it is about who can separate based on speed, as a factor, and compete is a big thing with John. That has been the same for all of the guys I’ve worked with.
What was your takeaway from what Team Canada has done at the World Cup?
Wickenheiser: Very inspirational. It has been incredible to watch how they have galvanized the entire country. In North America, we jump on the bandwagon a little bit with soccer, if you’re not a pure soccer fan. Maybe people who weren’t soccer fans in the past are now going to watch and follow it.
It is really inspirational what they’ve done, and to see the whole country, east to west, on board. I find myself glued to the TV watching it as well. It’s a massive step for soccer in Canada.
