With the 137th selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs have selected William Belle.
William Belle is Toronto bound! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/NwD32fiWBR
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 28, 2025
William Belle player profile
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | USNTDP | USHL | 33 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2024–25 | USNTDP | USHL | 28 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
Analyzing the pick
William Belle is a stereotypical Brad Treliving pick. He’s huge, at 6’4″, and he’s got some really nice straight line speed that is always a nice aspect to have with bigger project forwards. He’s not afraid to get into the dirty areas of the ice, and he’s got a suprisingly good motor for a player of his size. The Leafs are betting that there’s a player somewhere in between the size, motor and hands.
It’s still just very brief flashes at this stage, and the rarity with which his on-puck power game shows means that he’s still a ways away. The tape wasn’t fantastic, which is why I had him ranked at 149th, but as far as a toolsy power forward at this stage of the draft, it’s a solid bet that he can learn how to put everything together.
What’s next for Belle
Belle is committed to Notre Dame in the NCAA next year where I think his size and physical maturity will allow him to play in a depth role. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly he can piece together his skillsets, he’s very much a long term developmental pick who’s very much still more of an idea than an actual product.
