Holinka rising up the ranks, Chadwick continues strong second half

The NHL draft is one of the premier events on the hockey calendar, but for many fans, the interest and excitement are limited to the first couple of rounds, where the names are familiar, and the likelihood of landing an NHL-calibre player is higher. For all but the most hardcore observers, the players selected later in the draft are completely unknown quantities, and their road to the top level is a lot longer and more uncertain.

Holinka spent most of his draft season lighting up the Czech junior ranks to the tune of 41 points in just 29 games, and he ended up getting into 16 games in Czechia’s top pro league that year as well, notching a goal and two assists in limited action. It’s always a good sign when young players can hold their own in a professional setting, but it’s far from a guarantee of future success.

Rather than continuing his development at home, Holinka signed with the Edmonton Oil Kings when they selected him in the CHL import draft shortly after the NHL draft, and that’s where he has really started to make a name for himself. His rookie season was solid, if unspectacular, lining up as a top-six pivot for the Oil Kings and registering 45 points in 47 games before going cold in the playoffs, and he also put up four points in seven games to help Czechia earn bronze at the World Juniors. He has taken his game to another level this season and has become one of the most dominant players in the WHL.

Playing a pivotal role for one of the best teams in the league, Holinka has filled the scoresheet all season long, while also playing a reliable defensive game. With a pair of goals and an assist in a blowout win over Moose Jaw on Friday, he is up to 30 goals and 35 assists in 43 games, including nine goals in his last 10 games. His 65 points are good for ninth in WHL scoring, but he ranks fourth leaguewide in terms of points per game. Holinka has gotten it done in all situations as well, with 20 points on the man advantage, and he is tied for the league lead with four shorthanded markers.

There is still a long way to go before Holinka is pushing for NHL minutes, but in two short years, he has gone from a late-round project to establishing himself as a legitimate NHL prospect. He isn’t exactly a burner, but he can get around the rink, and his ability to process the game around him allows him to utilize the rest of his offensive toolkit. He’s got slick hands in tight spaces, great vision to find teammates through defensive coverages, and he can beat goaltenders with clean looks from scoring areas. He does all of that while taking on tough minutes against the opposition’s best players night after night, and with each passing game, he looks more ready to take on the next level.

Already signed to an entry-level contract with the Leafs, Holinka is on track to break into the AHL next season, and he could become a key figure in the Marlies’ lineup right away. Beyond their NHL roster, Toronto isn’t exactly deep down the middle, and Holinka has shown the ability to contribute at both ends of the ice. There are sure to be growing pains as he adjusts to the North American pro game, but Holinka has met every challenge head-on to this point in his career, and he might just become the latest diamond in the rough for a Leafs’ pipeline that desperately needs one.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

• Last week, I wrote about potentially getting Easton Cowan some reps with the Marlies over the Olympic break, but due to a provision in the CBA regarding games played leading up to the break, Cowan wasn’t eligible to be sent down. One could argue that the Leafs should have planned around that, especially with Cowan’s role with the Leafs becoming less clear over the last couple of weeks, but the reality is that he is a young player who has played a lot of hockey over the last couple of years. Between back-to-back appearances at the World Juniors and back-to-back Memorial Cup runs before making the jump to the NHL as a 20-year-old, the break should be a good thing for Cowan as he figures to have a more consistent role down the stretch as the Leafs prepare to sell off some veteran pieces ahead of the trade deadline.
• Dennis Hildeby made his second start since being sent back to the Marlies when they took on Cleveland this past Tuesday, and he had a strong showing despite losing in a shootout. Hildeby held down the fort through regulation and overtime, stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced. His numbers in the AHL aren’t quite as impressive as his results in the NHL this season, but that shouldn’t hurt his value should the Leafs decide to dangle him as a trade piece ahead of the deadline.
• The Leafs are expected to punch a more permanent hole into their lineup for Cowan before the trade deadline, and there might be more opportunity for Jacob Quillan down the stretch as well. He’s done just about everything the organization could hope for at the AHL level this season, adding another goal and assist over his last two games to bring him up to 29 points in 30 games, and he has earned a chance to show what he can do with an extended look at the NHL level.

• Luke Haymes hasn’t been as productive this season as he would have hoped, but he has scored in each of his last two games. Through 42 games in his first full season of pro hockey, he now has seven goals and nine assists. The organization will be hoping he can follow a similar trajectory to that of fellow undrafted signing, Quillan, and put together a breakout season with the Marlies in 2026-27.

• Tyler Hopkins has stepped into the role of first line centre with his new club in Guelph, but the team has struggled of late, and his numbers haven’t exactly jumped off the page. He scored a beautiful breakaway tally this past week, however, helping secure a victory for the Storm over the Erie Otters. In 15 games since being dealt to Guelph, Hopkins has four goals and six assists to add to the 25 points he posted in 29 games with Kingston before the trade.

• Artur Akhtyamov‘s playing time has taken a bit of a hit since Hildeby returned to the Marlies, but his numbers haven’t. After stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced in a 5-1 win over Springfield this past weekend, Akhtyamov owns a record of 16-7-4 to go along with a 2.91 GAA and a .902 SV%. He is quite firmly the fourth netminder on the organizational depth chart, but the progress he has shown over the last two seasons could make the Leafs feel even more secure in dealing from the position of strength that their crease has become.

• It was another productive weekend in what has been a big bounce-back season for Nick Moldenhauer with the Michigan Wolverines. He scored in each contest of Michigan’s two-game set with rival Michigan State, and now has four goals in his last three games. After posting just three goals and seven assists in 29 games a year ago, Moldenhauer is up to 10 goals and 12 assists through 28 games in his third season with the Wolverines.

• Another collegiate prospect for the Maple Leafs, Hudson Malinoski, had a big weekend as well. Things haven’t gone his way this season, but Malinoski scored in both games as Providence picked up a pair of 6-1 victories over the weekend. He isn’t likely to match last season’s numbers at this point, but he’s got eight goals and two helpers through 27 games.

• Noah Chadwick continued his productive second half with a pair of assists against Springfield on Saturday. The 2023 sixth-rounder is up to 15 points in 44 games as a rookie for the Marlies, with nine of those points coming in his last 10 games. He is looking more and more comfortable at the pro level, and with another summer working on his mobility, he could be a vital piece for the Marlies in 2026-27.

Statistics from EliteProspects.com & CHL.ca

PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE