The Toronto Maple Leafs have gutted their farm system over the years due to trades, especially at the deadline.
That situation has left the club without many high draft picks. In fact, the last time the Maple Leafs picked high in the first round was in 2016 when the club landed Auston Matthews.
Since then, the highest the Leafs picked has been 15th in 2020. That year, the Maple Leafs drafted Rodion Amirov, who sadly passed away.
The Leafs found a gem in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, taking an NCAA player named Matthew Knies. It seems that the situation has once again presented itself. But not via the draft, but via an NCAA free-agent signing.
Specifically, the player in question is Luke Haymes.
Haymes spent three seasons with Dartmouth College in the NCAA. His best season came in 2023-24, when he scored 18 goals and 36 points in 31 games. He followed that up with 12 goals and 18 points in 22 games last season.
That performance earned him a two-year entry-level deal with the Maple Leafs. He suited up for nine games with the AHL Toronto Marlies, scoring two goals and six points.
Now, Haymes put on an impressive performance at this past weekend’s Prospect Showdown. A description by Joshua Kloke in The Athletic posted on September 16 had this to say about Haymes:
“The quick and intelligent 6-foot-1 center battled for pucks and usually came out on the right side of things. Haymes took the puck to dangerous areas shift after shift. But in doing so, he never put his teammates in jeopardy. He added a goal in each game. Also, this is a guy who blocked a shot … with his face. With a short opportunity to make a serious impression, Haymes did just that. After impressing in a late-season Toronto Marlies stint, a full AHL year could put him on his way toward a middle-six NHL center role. He certainly looks like a bona fide pro.”
The comments certainly seem encouraging, as the Maple Leafs will need as many young players on affordable contracts as they can get.
Haymes Could Turn into what Maple Leafs Hoped for Minten
When the Maple Leafs drafted Fraser Minten in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the hope was that he could evolve mostly into a middle-six center who could potentially step into a second-line role.
The clear expectation was that he would turn into a solid third-line center. His upside was relatively limited, but enough to attract the Boston Bruins. The Leafs packaged Minten in the Brandon Carlo trade.
The trade was a good move as it filled a clear positional need. However, it left Toronto bereft of a potential middle-six center prospect. Fast forward to 2025, and Luke Haymes could turn into what the Maple Leafs hoped Fraser Minten could become.
Haymes has the size, skill, and drive to wedge himself into the conversation for a middle-six spot down the middle. While Nic Roy is the 3C for now, Scott Laughton will be a UFA next summer. Plus, there’s no telling how much longer John Tavares can go.
So, having a player like Haymes in the pipeline has to be encouraging for the Maple Leafs management group.
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