With the Leafs currently sitting 10 points outside of a 2026 wildcard berth with just 10 regular-season games remaining, it is looking increasingly unlikely that the team, which is missing star captain Auston Matthews, will sneak into the Stanley Cup playoffs. And with that, we can start turning our attention to the future: the 2026–27 season.
With how this year went, big decisions will be made this summer. The Leafs team that takes the ice next season could be very different from the one that is on the ice now. Rebuilding, or at least retooling the existing roster, looks like a strong possibility at this point. This could open the door for the Leafs to look internally for depth options, specifically within their AHL pipeline.
The Leafs have seen success in the past with converting AHL talent into full-time NHL players, most recently with Joseph Woll—one of the Leafs’ top goalies. Looking ahead to next season, there are a few Toronto Marlies players who have already played in limited NHL games who could make the jump to full-time status. Let’s go over three of the most probable candidates in no particular order.
Bo Groulx, C
Originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft, Bo Groulx signed with the Maple Leafs in July of 2025. Groulx has played 54 games with the Marlies this year and leads the team in points with 50 points on the season—27 of which were goals. But the case for Groulx being a permanent fixture on the Leafs goes beyond just solid AHL numbers.
With Matthews out for the remainder of the season, Groulx has been called up to provide some relief at centre for the NHL club, and he has excelled. In just nine games played, starting on March 10, the French forward has put up three goals and five points. These are stellar numbers for a guy with just 65 games of NHL experience, and he is certainly making a case for himself to be a permanent member of the Leafs next season.
Dennis Hildeby, G
Out of the three names that we will be discussing, goaltender Dennis Hildeby looks like the most likely candidate to be a full-time Leaf next season. The team is in a weird place right now, caught in limbo between their days as playoff contenders and now a potential rebuild on the horizon. Add in that there are already rumours swirling about whether the Leafs will look to move one of Anthony Stolarz or Joseph Woll this offseason, and the thought of Hildeby becoming the team’s permanent backup goalie seems more and more like reality.
From a purely statistical perspective, Hildeby proved that he could hold his own in the NHL this season, playing in 19 games amidst injuries to both Woll and Stolarz, and recording a .912 save percentage and a 2.90 goals-against average—very similar numbers to his 2026–27 AHL totals.
Hildeby becoming the team’s backup will rely on the team making roster changes in the crease, but if a backup goalie position opens up, Hildeby will be the first in line to nab it.
Jacob Quillan, C
If we are looking at NHL production, Jacob Quillan is not the guy. In 15 NHL games played, 14 of which were this season, Quillan has yet to record a single point. But some slack does need to be cut for the initially undrafted 24-year-old. He has been thrust onto an ever-changing lineup in one of the most tempestuous Leafs seasons in recent memory, and 10 of the 14 games he’s played this year have come within the current month of March.
However, despite the lack of points, the Leafs have continued to turn to Quillan this season when bodies have been short, and that could be a sign of increased time with the team next season. With the Marlies, Quillan has been solid this season with 12 goals and 33 points in 38 games played, and if he can translate some of those numbers to the NHL level as the 2025–26 season comes to a close, he could leave a good impression for a bigger role or even a full-time role headed into next season.
Quillan is easily the dark horse of the three names given, but crazier things have happened.
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