Overview
- The Toronto Maple Leafs used the 158th overall pick in the 2026 draft to select 18-year-old centre Cooper Williams from the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.
- Williams posted 57 points in 66 regular-season games and added six points in 11 playoff games for the Blades, matching a two-season pattern of steady production.
- Scouts praise his two-way game, puck pursuit and shot quality, while noting his skating and stride fluidity are the main areas that could raise his upside.
- Williams remains committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027–28 season, which gives him NCAA coaching and strength development before turning pro.
- The pick adds a depth centre to Toronto’s prospect pool alongside earlier-day selection Zach Olsen and fits the common late-round pattern of longer-term development projects.