Posted in

How has Cade Webber fared through 5 months of 2025-26?

How has Cade Webber fared through 5 months of 2025-26?

Maple Leafs prospect checkpoint: How has Cade Webber fared through 5 months of 2025-26?

When it comes to assessing Toronto Maple Leafs defensive prospect Cade Webber, it’s not as simple as looking at the stat sheet.

He has only recorded one assist in 26 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, which shouldn’t come as too much of a shock for those who recognize that Webber is a defensive defenceman. After all, he mustered up seven points (a goal and six assists) in 60 games the prior year, so it is not too surprising that scoring has been difficult to come by for the 25-year-old.

It’s worth noting that the reason why Webber has only played in 26 games is due to the fact that he has missed quite a bit of time due to various injuries and an illness. In the games that he has played, Webber has been utilized mostly on the second pair alongside Noah Chadwick, but there have been some times when he got a turn on the top pair.

The reason why the Leafs surrendered a sixth-round pick in 2026 to acquire his signing rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024 was because of his shutdown abilities. Webber was named Best Defensive Defenceman in Hockey East for the 2023-24 season, a year in which we spent a lot of time paired up with Lane Hutson. Combine that with the fact that Webber stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds, and you can understand why they would be intrigued by his potential and want to work on his development.

Webber isn’t going to throw punishing hits in the open-ice, but he’ll use his frame to cut off forwards entering the offensive zone with real fluency. He also skates well for his size, and it’s his mobility and spatial intelligence that are his strongest traits at this stage of his career.

“I take pride in being that defensive defenceman, blocking shots, doing the unsexy things,” Webber said at Maple Leafs development camp in July 2024. “That’s a big thing here. I know that they’re going to put all they can into developing me. I know this is just the beginning. I have a ton of more work to do. I’m looking forward to that.”

He remains under contract through next season, so there is still plenty of time for him to round out the other aspects of his game and climb up the pecking order for replacement call-ups. The way he can get into pole position is by consistently winning puck battles and the possession share, demonstrating consistently that he possesses NHL-ready traits even without the offensive production.

It certainly won’t be easy since it’s not often that one-trick ponies can make it to the show and stay there these days, but Webber could be that guy who bucks the trend. And who knows, perhaps he finally gets his shot later this season with the prospects of the Leafs reaching the playoffs being slim right now.

PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGE

Catch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *