Ranked #95 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #122 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #31 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #80 by THN/FERRARI
Ranked #76 by THN/KENNEDY
Ranked #164 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #115 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #50 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #95 by SPORTSNET/BUKALA
With the 158th overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs selected 6’1, 164-pound centerman Cooper Williams of the Saskatoon Blades.
via The Hockey Prospect Blackbook
Cooper Williams is an intelligent two-way center for the Saskatoon Blades. He excels as a responsible 200-foot center who made significant strides defensively from his rookie season while also improving in the faceoff circle. Williams is crafty and has a knack for stealing pucks in all three zones. He uses an active stick and applies tight pressure to force turnovers.
On the penalty kill, Williams had a tendency to overcommit early in the season, but his play improved steadily as the year progressed, making him a more reliable defensive option. He is still physically raw and will need to continue adding strength to become a regular at the professional level. He also isn’t the most explosive skater and will need to improve both his acceleration and patience with the puck to gain an extra edge in transition.
Offensively, Williams is primarily an outside-driven player, although he has shown flashes of attacking the middle of the ice. He has some success getting there, but not consistently enough. He is a pass-first player, which can make him predictable at times, though his hockey sense allows him to find soft ice effectively. As he continues to get stronger, he’ll need to establish himself more frequently in dangerous areas like the slot, where he can still be pushed off pucks by bigger, stronger defensemen.
The best aspect of his offensive game is his playmaking. Williams consistently makes intelligent, accurate passes that put his teammates in quality scoring positions.
