Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Toronto Marlies have signed both Tyler Hopkins and Harry Nansi as the duo of 2025 draft picks are going to get an amateur tryout for the rest of the season.
On Monday, the Marlies added some much needed insurance for their playoff push as they signed both Tyler Hopkins and Harry Nansi to an amateur tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season:
Hopkins was drafted 86th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft after spending three years in the OHL with Kingston and Guelph.
Nansi was drafted 153rd overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and spent all three seasons in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack.
Tyler Hopkins was targeted by a playoff team for his speed and natural scoring ability
Hopkins is a player who is known for being a little bit tenacious and uses a low centre of gravity to sweep in and battle for pucks. At 6’1 he’s a fairly sizeable player and it feels like the guy has a V12 in his body; he never stops.
In the above clip, Hopkins (81) blazes into the zone but instinctively immediately puts a backhand onto the stick of his teammate who fires it home. It’s that quick thinking and awareness on the ice that gives him a lot of promise.
It’s also to note that defensive phenom Matthew Schaefer had nothing but the highest compliment for Hopkins, and mentioned that the Maple Leafs may have gotten away with an absolute gem:
He’s awesome. Great guy. Grew up playing with him. He’s one of my good buddies. He’s so good on the ice, but off the ice, he’s just an amazing guy. The Leafs got a good one.
The combination of his speed, offensive ability, youth, and clear positive locker room presence — it may not be long until we see Hopkins putting on the Maple Leafs jersey.
Harry Nansi was one of the most improved players in the entire OHL and his work ethic is a key reason why
Nansi, who has a bit less fanfare than Hopkins is still a player who thrives in high-pressure situations. It’s often you’ll find Nansi hold the puck and bait defenders before using his elite vision to find open lanes.
Also at 6’3 he uses all of his frame to agitate opponents, pick up loose pucks and this season proves that his playmaking could become one of Toronto’s best assets.
He put up 43 assists in 67 games this season and has a total of 59 over the last two seasons. Someone who just has a knack for helping his teammates, this is the type of guy who would fit comfortably beside a guy like Easton Cowan.
Plus, OHL coaches in the Western Conference named him as the most improved player as well.
The pipeline is actually coming together nicely, and with the NCAA signings doing a pretty bang up job so far, not to mention you have Ben Danford waiting in the wings — Toronto suddenly has a bit of a future albeit a very young one.
But this is the new Maple Leafs team that we have all been clamouring for and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before we hear both Hopkins and Nansi’s names being called upon to help lead Toronto into a new era.
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