Jacob Quillan, Easton Cowan looking to make an impact in home-stretch after underwhelming trade deadline

At any rate, this is the situation the Leafs have put themselves in, and with 17 games to go, there’s going to be an opportunity for certain players to get an extended look in the AHL. With no Roy, McMann, or Laughton, the Leafs have three open spots just like that, and certain players such as Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan will be looking to make the most of that. You may scoff at this notion considering how little head coach Craig Berube has elected to use his young players, rightfully so, but there are signs that they might have their leashes extended over this last month and a bit. Cowan has played minimum 15 minutes in each of his last three games, and Nick Robertson has been in that ballpark in his past two, as well. Berube had the three youngest Maple Leafs skating together on a line at practice on Monday morning, which could be an indicator.

“When I put the lines other lines together, that’s just where he fit in right now, but we’ll see” Berube said on Monday via David Alter. “I plan on using Cowboy as much as I can if it’s warranted. If he’s going, I’ll move him around, but he’s on a power play too.”

Cowan has eight goals and 19 points in 50 games this season. Quillan is in the middle of a strong season with the Marlies, with 33 points in 38 games to date, and he absolutely should be a full time Leaf come next season, especially if he makes things happen with increased ice time.

With that being said, here’s how some of the other Leafs prospects have fared over the past week.

Notes from the rest of the prospect pool:

-Ben Danford’s 2025-26 season hasn’t been a stunner from a point-production standpoint, but he’s playing key minutes for a juggernaut of a Brantford Bulldogs team that seems destined for a Memorial Cup run, which will probably be better for his development as a player than scoring hat-tricks against 16-year-olds every night. He added an empty netter on Sunday against the Niagara IceDogs, bringing his total to 16 points in 32 games with the Bulldogs and 20 points in 40 games on the season.

-Dennis Hildeby is in the AHL solely due to the numbers game at the moment, with both Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll currently healthy for the Leafs. The towering Swede allowed three goals on 26 shots in a loss to the Manitoba Moose on Friday, bringing his season totals to 5-4-4 with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.47 and a save percentage (SV%) of .901. His save percentage is better in the NHL, so Leafs brass will have a decision to make about their goaltending situation this summer.

-2025 third-round pick Tyler Hopkins was a man on a mission for the Guelph Storm in the closing weeks of February but unfortunately left the game on March 1 against the Oshawa Generals after taking a hit, and he’s currently week-to-week. He was riding an eight-game point streak with 13 points over that span before the injury. A tough break for both Hopkins and the Storm.

-2025 second-round pick Tinus Luc Koblar won’t turn 19 until July and has playing key minutes for Leksands IF of the SHL. The Norwegian forward has 13 points in 45 games in 2025-26.

-2024 fourth-round pick Victor Johansson continues to take steps forward in Sweden, hitting the scoresheet more often than not since being returned to Oskarshamn.

-Goaltender and 2020 fourth-round pick Artur Akhtyamov has been making the best of the tandem situation in the AHL with Dennis Hildeby. He picked up another win last week after standing on his head against the Cleveland Monsters.

-Undrafted free agent Luke Haymes is somebody who will be gunning for a look in the NHL, and it’s going to be pretty impossible for Leafs brass to look away if he keeps this production up.

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