Maple Leafs Should Keep a Close Eye on Promising Prospect, Miroslav Holinka

Miroslav Holinka is set to begin his professional career this season, and he is a prospect that the Toronto Maple Leafs should be keeping a close eye on.

The 20-year-old Czech forward was selected by the Leafs in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2024 Draft, having spent his formative years in his home country. He brought his talents over to North America and furthered his development in the Western Hockey League, where the Leafs have been able to watch his growth.

Now, he is ready to lace up for the Toronto Marlies, embarking on his first full professional season after making 18 appearances for HC Oceláři Třinec in the Czech Extraliga prior to being drafted. There are few forward prospects in the Leafs system this far into their development, so Holinka is a player the team should be watching closely to see how well he adapts to the professional game this year.

Strong Progress in Junior

After scoring a goal and adding two assists in 16 games with Třinec in the 2023-24 season, Holinka joined the Edmonton Oil Kings, who selected him 14th overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, to develop his game in Canada. For a fifth-round pick, expectations were not exceptionally high, and any progress would be seen as a positive.

That’s exactly what Holinka demonstrated, though. In his debut season in North America, Holinka was nearly a point-per-game player with 45 (19 goals, 26 assists) in 47 games. He was rewarded with an Entry-Level Contract from the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2025, and he proved exactly why by putting up an impressive 80 points (37 goals, 43 assists) in his second year with the Oil Kings.

He added a further 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in seven playoff games and even made an appearance with the Marlies, registering an assist in his first North American professional game. The Marlies released him to let him rest and train in the off-season while the team went on to win the Calder Cup, with many wondering whether Holinka should have been included on the roster.

Since he likely would have played bottom-six minutes, the decision was to give him more time rather than have him along for the ride while sitting in the press box or watching from the bench most nights. This year, though, it looks like Holinka could play a higher role and will be fresh and ready to compete right out of the gate.

Ideal Professional Size

At 20 years old, Holinka already has a professional-ready frame that some prospects could only dream of. He featured in some of the Leafs’ off-season videos highlighting this year’s rookie camp, and the difference between the Czech forward and some of his contemporaries was noticeable.

Holinka stands at 6-foot-2, 198 lbs, and looks ready to compete against adults in the AHL this season. His ideal frame should complement his play, with him capable of playing both at centre and on the wing. Some prospects take time to fill out and develop a physique suited to the professional game, but Holinka looks ready-made for it already.

At his young age, there is still potential that he could be even bigger, but sitting around 200lbs will make him fit among the professional players in the league and ensure he is not seen as a pushover by any stretch. If he can continue to demonstrate his offensive talents from his time in junior, then he could be a truly promising NHL prospect who could even find himself called up on occasion this season when injuries inevitably rear their heads.

Holinka making the NHL as a fifth-rounder would be an impressive achievement, and the Toronto Maple Leafs would do well to encourage their sister club to provide him every opportunity to succeed and develop in the minors this year, potentially facilitating a diamond-in-the-rough situation, with every club in the league having passed him over in the Draft at least once.

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