Ranked #75 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #55 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #18 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Goalies)
With the 114th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs have selected goalie Patriks Plumins from Zemgale of the Latvian Hockey Higher League.
You always have to be a bit careful when boosting a goaltender following a late-season tournament. But, honestly, many could have expected Plūmiņš’ incredible showing at the U-18 World Championship. He earned some MVP honors after leading the team to the bronze medal game, with his 43-save effort against the United States, in particular, being one of the top moments.
From a fundamental standpoint, Plūmiņš’ game is fascinating. While a lot of goalies find themselves scrambling when the pressure gets high at this level, Plūmiņš kept himself calm, cool and collected and rarely allowed a bad goal. Plūmiņš does struggle a bit while screened, though, which is a bit concerning for a 6-foot-3 goaltender. His athleticism makes up for it a lot of the time, though.
The Elite Prospects Draft Guide said the following about Plumins:
A very strong positional goaltender, Plumins is physically built for professional hockey, with a mature 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame. He challenges shooters well, framing his hands and legs effectively as he cuts down the angle and re-adjusts his depth accordingly to keep the net covered as the play crashes in. Strong on his posts, he transitions quickly into the RVH seals well from that position.
He also uses his stick effectively on the post, cutting away passing lanes and disrupting puck carriers with an active stick. He tracks pucks well with his glove hand, directs rebounds with his butterfly, and anticipates well, constantly scanning for threats.
While he has good athleticism, his recoveries are affected by being slow to get up. Whether an athletic or alertness issue, his engagement level can wane over the course of 60 minutes. He can also struggle to adjust his angle on the fly and rely only on his depth. Additionally, he can act late on his reads, and will need to ensure his scans inform his play-reading – again, possibly an engagement issue. While normally composed, when Pl?mi?š becomes erratic, his positional and technical base sometimes falter after he loses sight of the puck or faces significant adversity.
