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The Toronto Maple Leafs prospects got a firsthand look at current NHL players as they filed into the rink during development camp.

John Tavares, Scott Laughton, and Chris Tanev are only a few of the current Maple Leafs remaining at the team's practice facility in Etobicoke to train throughout the offseason. They've learned a bunch from guest speakers throughout the week, such as Mark Giordano, who shared his story of being an undrafted defenseman who eventually won the Norris Trophy.

However, it was a real eye-opener for the prospects to watch players like Tavares train on the ice before their on-ice sessions began.

"When Mark Giordano spoke to the players yesterday (Friday), one of the players asked, who are some of the best pros you've ever been around, and his first answer was John Tavares," Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said.

"I've trained with John myself over the years, and he's just the ultimate pro. He doesn't leave any details unturned and he has a plan for himself.

"And so one of the cool things about doing development camp is, we have these guys that are skating before some of the pros that are in town, so we give the players a chance to watch them, ask them questions, and opportunity to just see, 'Oh, that's what it takes to get to that level,' and John is the epitome of that."

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The prospects raved about watching the current Maple Leafs workout, applauding their work ethic and detail, which will be positive aspects to remember when the younger players return to training next week.

"They're incredible. You watch them on TV as a kid growing up for my whole life, and then you see them in real life, and you're like, 'Wow, it's kind of crazy,'" 2025 seventh-round pick Matthew Hlacar said.

John Prokop, who's entering his one-year contract with Toronto, watched Tavares and Tanev train on the ice. He played a handful of games with the Toronto Marlies this past season after leaving Union College, but this was the first time catching a glimpse of these NHLers up close.

"They're how old, played how many years in the league, and still they look like they're 24, 25, and that's really impressive," he said. "And their work ethic in the gym, on the ice, it's been awesome."

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Giordano's speech at development camp also resonated with Prokop since he, too, is an undrafted defenseman.

"It was really cool to see his journey, his ups and downs, and how he persevered, ended up being the captain, jumped to different places even in the expansion draft with Seattle," the 24-year-old said.

"Then compete. He got to play with some pretty talented players, like (Jarome) Iginla, and just hearing how they worked and how he worked, and his career ended up what it was."

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Toronto 2022 third-round pick Nick Moldenhauer, who spends his offseasons in the Greater Toronto Area, actually got on the ice with Scott Laughton since returning home from the University of Michigan.

"He's a great guy. Came up and introduced himself to me as soon as I got on the ice," Moldenhauer smiled.

"I think the biggest thing when we were skating the first time was just how patient he is with the slot shots he takes. We were doing little shave-ice drills with releasing pucks in the slot and just watching him make it look so effortless was really cool...

"There was one rep where he went three in a row just exact same slide and shot, top right, and I was just like, this guy makes it look so easy. Just taking away those little things that he does well, I think is going to be beneficial for me and just continue to pick his brain over the offseason."

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Moldenhauer hopes to skate with Laughton for a lot of the offseason before returning for his junior year at Michigan. The 21-year-old had a down season, scoring three goals and seven assists in 29 games, compared to his eight goals and 13 assists in 41 games the year prior.

"Being able to skate with (Laughton), ask him questions, even though it's been real quick so far, I'm looking to continue to do that" Moldenhauer said, "and just build little things he does well into my game and just continue to benefit from all these great players who train here over the summer as much as I can."

'What's This Horse About?': Maple Leafs Prospects React To Having Wild Colt At Development CampThe Toronto Maple Leafs prospects didn't know what they were getting themselves into when they rolled into Exhibition Place on Friday morning.

One of the most unique reactions to seeing current Maple Leafs on the ice was from Toronto 2025 third-round pick Tyler Hopkins. The 18-year-old grew up a Maple Leafs fan, and when he entered the rink on Friday and saw Tavares skating, he witnessed what was needed to reach the next level.

"It looks like he could play in a World Championship game right now. The biggest game, you put him in, he looks like he's in great shape," Hopkins smiled.

"A lot of people here have touched on how hard he works, and it's pretty clear to see that when you see him on the ice, he's going as hard as he can every rep and sticking to those little details."

(Top photo of Tanev and Tavares:  Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)

If you're wondering who might've stood out at Toronto Maple Leafs development camp, look no further than 2025 third-round pick Tyler Hopkins.

The 18-year-old center impressed many he went up against in the three-day camp. He was one of the smaller players picked by Toronto in the NHL Draft, but there's a lot that the Maple Leafs like in his game.

He was a bit nervous coming in. You couldn't tell, though, when he stepped onto the ice for the first time on Thursday.

"Honestly, I felt pretty good. None of those real nerves actually came out," he said on the final day of development camp.

"Once I hit the ice, everybody was really welcoming here, kind of made me feel at home pretty quick, the staff and even most of the players. It was easy to get into all the drills and things like that with people that are like-minded and trying to achieve the same goals."

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There might be bigger expectations that come with being drafted where he was by Toronto, even more so when he had the season he did with the Frontenacs this past year. Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser, who was overseeing the camp, was impressed by Hopkins, though.

"He stood out for me as well. Just because of his hockey sense," Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said on the final day of camp.

"He made some really nice plays. Not an overly big kid, not overly fast, but you notice him out there many of times, just by the ability to complete plays and put the puck on people's sticks, so it was nice to see. That's what we've saw of him in the draft as well, and it seemed to translate the last few days."

Hopkins has faced a few players prior to this development camp. Playing in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs, where he scored 20 goals and 31 assists in 67 games, Hopkins faced off against players like Easton Cowan with the London Knights and Ben Danford with the Oshawa Generals.

He called Danford a difficult player to go up against, citing the defenseman's skill at shutting down plays and being physical. Danford, who was rooming with Hopkins throughout Toronto's development camp, also praised the center's game.

"He's a great player. He's someone that's really solid," said Danford. "I think he's just going to keep getting better, the more he fills out. He's really skilled. His hands, his shot. Good skater. He's a really great player."

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Hopkins hopes to add more strength to his game this summer. He was one of the younger players at this camp, so with an NHL training camp this fall, and then his next season with Kingston, Hopkins wants to bulk up so that he can take another step.

"I think just putting on a little bit more weight, upper-body strength, to go into those corners and still be strong and be able to hold onto the puck and make plays, I think that's the biggest thing for me," Hopkins said.

"I think just working as hard as I can in front and around the net. Try to score a little bit more goals as well is always something that I'm trying to do, so I think those are kind of the two big things for me going into this offseason."

(Top photo of Hopkins: Nick Barden / The Hockey News Toronto)

The NHL trade rumors have been strong with the Philadelphia Flyers this summer, but New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov has taken an opportunity to clear the air.

Previously, it was reported that the Flyers, along with the Boston Bruins, were interested in trading for Romanov, still an RFA at the time.

Instead, the 25-year-old Russian signed an eight-year, $50 million contract ($6.25 million AAV), tying him down in Long Island in 2033, when he'll be 33 years old.

“I was shocked when I heard [the trade rumors]. I immediately texted [agent] Dan Milstein and asked, ‘What is this?’ He told me it wasn’t true,” Romanov told RG's Sergey Demidov in a recent interview. “Both Boston and Philly are already set on the left side of their defense. From what I understand, they weren’t even interested.”

And, Romanov is right in his assessment of the Flyers, given the team's steadfast commitment to reaching an agreement with RFA defenseman Cam York.

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Even with Travis Sanheim already playing on the right side, the Flyers still have York, Nick Seeler, Egor Zamula, and Emil Andrae occupying the left.

Plus, when accounting for the contract Romanov just signed and the additions of Dan Vladar and Christian Dvorak in the opening hours of NHL free agency, the Flyers would be roughly $700k over the salary cap had they acquired Romanov and re-signed him.

Romanov would have been a fun add to the Flyers given his pugilistic playstyle, but, logistically, things got hairy for the Flyers rather quickly.

Plus, it takes two to tango, and the Flyers were apparently never interested to begin with.

After TSN tried its hand at projecting Team Canada’s roster earlier this week, NHL.com took a stab at projecting Team USA’s roster. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a single player on the finalists’ roster, but this year, it seems like NHL.com will be different.

Up front, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk have already been named to the roster, and NHL.com would complete the forwards’ corps with Matt Boldy, Kyle Connor, Jack Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Jason Robertson, Tage Thompson and Canadiens’ snipper Cole Caufield.

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On the blueline, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy have already been chosen, and NHL.com would add Brock Faber, Seth Jones, Brett Pesce, Jake Sanderson, Jaccob Slavin, and Zach Werenski. Meaning there is no room on this roster for Canadiens’ standout defenseman Lane Hutson.

The roster is wrapped up with Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman. There’s no denying that it’s a good roster from top to bottom, but it’s at least worth considering Hutson for the blueline.

The projected defense already has two 22-year-olds with Faber and Sanderson, and I guess it makes sense to have some experience there. Still, there’s certainly an argument to be made for Hutson taking Sanderson’s spot or even Faber’s. Although they have more experience, with three NHL seasons and two seasons under their belt, respectively, neither has ever been as productive as Hughes in a single season. However, would they be cast in such a role? Looking at the other names on there, they may be out of offensive roles on the blueline.

If they were to be used in a more defensive role, they would probably prefer their size to Hutson’s. Still, for now, it’s only speculations, and should Hutson have yet another electric start to the season, he may well book a place on the real roster.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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