Photo credit: OHL Images
One Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick is quietly making a name for himself in Juniors as it’s looking more and more like the team found themselves a potential steal.
Harry Nansi of the Owen Sound Attack has been a key member of the Attack’s offense this season with 12 points in nine games to start his OHL season.
The Leafs prospect has been noted even more so after a recent two goal performance against the Erie Otters.
Nansi was a fifth round pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 153rd overall, and is rapidly showing he could potentially outplay that position.Nansi was ranked 74th by DobberProspects, having been described as a player who has work to do on his game, but holds a lot of overall promise for his future.Nansi is a big, hardworking winger, excelling in board battles and creating scoring chances from the slot with his hands and playmaking in transition.
Despite struggles with skating, inconsistency, and poor decision-making under pressure, his size, effort, and vision offer potential for a bottom-six NHL role with proper development. – David Saad/Dobber Prospects
Who Is Harry Nansi and Why He’s Gaining Attention
Harry Nansi is someone who can easily be described simply as «raw».
The 18-year-old is capable of playing both on the center and on the wing, but has found himself more on the wing this season for Owen Sound, and in the pros may find himself on the right wing, although as mentioned, his game is at a raw stage.
Nansi had just six goals, 17 assists, and 23 points in 67 games last season for the Attack, although he featured primarily in the team’s bottom-six throughout the year, but did appear on the power play or penalty kill, although Owen Sound rotated special teams frequently.
Despite being a solid goalscorer in bantam, including a stunning six goal performance, Nansi fell to the fourth round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. Nico Addy, who was drafted by Owen Sound in Round One, is no longer in the OHL.
The analytics show that Harry Nansi is a highly promising forward who needs some time to flesh out his overall game, although his start to this season shows his improvements in a quick amount of time.
A September 2007 birthday, Nansi was less than a week from 2026 Draft Eligible. If a week younger, Nansi would be tied for fourth in points. His 1.33PPG would be 4th among OHL eligibles.
What Makes Harry Nansi’s Game Stand Out
Nansi is a raw player who needs more time to season out his development, but has some highly likable tools that make him a very projectable forward.
As a 6’3 forward, Nansi does well creating offense and getting offense going from his stick either from scoring or from playmaking. Nansi is a strong puck mover who has a good goalscoring knack.
Defensively, Nansi does well playing physical and is someone who can play on the penalty kill, although he will need to bulk up as he gets closer to a pro career. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he needs some hard time in the minors.
Nansi’s skating is one area that will need some work. He has a bit of a bulky and slow skating stride that doesn’t have a strong amount of speed to it. Nansi getting faster and more agile will be highly important to his growth, and ultimate pro upside.
With Nansi being one of the youngest players of his draft, and showing the upside he has recently, it could make him a very exciting prospect in a couple of years, but he’ll likely need them.
Why He Could Be the Steal of the 2025 Draft
Harry Nansi has a lot going for him that could make him a highly coveted future NHLer, although his pathway to the league may take a bit longer than that of a top prospect.
Even with his growth, Nansi does still top out as a likely bottom-six forward, and with that would still need to add to his frame and improve his skating to be at an NHL level.
So far, Nansi has taken a massive leap with a larger opportunity in Owen Sound, quickly becoming a PPG player as he goes from the bottom-six to the top-six this season.
Nansi is part of a Leafs draft class that had faced its share of criticism for a lack of flash, although Nansi was praised as an upside pick for Toronto, while matching the team’s interest in adding size.
Harry Nansi is likely still a few years away from making the NHL, and has a lot of work left to do so, but he’s filling in the gaps to his game in a quick amount of time, and getting closer to making the leap to become ready for pro hockey.
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Underrated Maple Leafs Prospect Could Be the Steal of the 2025 NHL Draft
Has Harry Nansi been a good pick for Toronto so far?