- May 21, 2026
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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Monday that they have signed forward prospect Tinus Luc Koblar to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Koblar was the first player that the Leafs selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, as they nabbed him with the No. 64 overall pick in the second round.
That was under the regime of previous general manager Brad Treliving, who was dismissed toward the end of the regular season and ultimately replaced with John Chayka, whose front office clearly sees the value in ensuring Koblar remains tied to the Toronto organization.
Koblar, who was born in Slovenia but also holds Norwegian citizenship, represents Norway in international competition. Koblar got plenty of work with various iterations of the national team this year, and he delivered.
During the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, the 18-year-old posted 10 points in 5 games, splitting his production evenly between goals and assists. Then, against men at the World Championships, Koblar again was one of Norway’s top players, as he scored six goals and dished out three assists for 9 points in 10 contests, as he helped lead the Norse to a win in the bronze medal game over Canada.
In club competition, Koblar suited up for Leksands IF of the SHL, appearing in 47 contests that saw him tally 8 goals and 6 assists for 14 points.
Back in May, Koblar signed a new contract in the SHL to join Rögle BK for the 2026-27 season, so the Leafs are likely not expecting him to make the jump to North America until at least the 2027-28 campaign.
When Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis ranked the prospects in the Toronto pipeline last summer, he ranked Koblar as the No. 8 prospect in the sysstem.
“As a 6-foot-3 center, there’s a lot to like about his physical attributes,” Ellis wrote. “He’s not a crushing presence, but he’s competitive and strong enough to win out most individual battles. Mix in good skating and good hockey IQ and I think there’s definitely some late-bloomer potential if he can unlock another level in his offensive game.”
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Koblar was the first player that the Leafs selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, as they nabbed him with the No. 64 overall pick in the second round.
That was under the regime of previous general manager Brad Treliving, who was dismissed toward the end of the regular season and ultimately replaced with John Chayka, whose front office clearly sees the value in ensuring Koblar remains tied to the Toronto organization.
Koblar, who was born in Slovenia but also holds Norwegian citizenship, represents Norway in international competition. Koblar got plenty of work with various iterations of the national team this year, and he delivered.
During the IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, the 18-year-old posted 10 points in 5 games, splitting his production evenly between goals and assists. Then, against men at the World Championships, Koblar again was one of Norway’s top players, as he scored six goals and dished out three assists for 9 points in 10 contests, as he helped lead the Norse to a win in the bronze medal game over Canada.
In club competition, Koblar suited up for Leksands IF of the SHL, appearing in 47 contests that saw him tally 8 goals and 6 assists for 14 points.
Back in May, Koblar signed a new contract in the SHL to join Rögle BK for the 2026-27 season, so the Leafs are likely not expecting him to make the jump to North America until at least the 2027-28 campaign.
When Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis ranked the prospects in the Toronto pipeline last summer, he ranked Koblar as the No. 8 prospect in the sysstem.
“As a 6-foot-3 center, there’s a lot to like about his physical attributes,” Ellis wrote. “He’s not a crushing presence, but he’s competitive and strong enough to win out most individual battles. Mix in good skating and good hockey IQ and I think there’s definitely some late-bloomer potential if he can unlock another level in his offensive game.”
Continue reading...