Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tinus Luc Koblar made his professional debut for Leksand on Thursday night. The young forward quickly looked at home in the SHL, scoring his first goal already in the opening period.
“I just tried to create a scoring chance. When I saw that I had deked past the defenseman, I thought about attacking the net,” says Toronto’s 2025 second-round pick to Hockeysverige.se.
The road to the SHL has been a long one for Tinus Luc Koblar. Both of his parents are originally from Slovenia, where they were skiers. His father was an alpine skier and his mother a biathlete. Together they represented Slovenia in three Olympic Games between 1994 and 2002. For hockey fans, the 1994 Olympics are best remembered for Peter Forsberg’s brilliant shootout goal against Corey Hirsch in the final. Maybe Koblar’s parents liked what they saw, because after their careers they settled in Norway, where Tinus grew up.
At 16, Koblar crossed the border to Sweden and joined Leksand’s academy. His first season with their U18 team showed promise, and last year he was a regular with Leksand’s U20 side. There he recorded eight goals and 21 points in 43 games. Toronto saw more than just point production in Koblar, something that Hayley Wickenheiser of the Maple Leafs organization has emphasized.
“A very serious guy. I think that comes from his Olympic background with his parents. He knows what training and training ethics are all about,” says Hayley Wickenheiser to the Toronto Sun.
Koblar is a player whose impact goes beyond point production. With his big frame, he is a projectable talent who could very well carve out a role as a bottom-six forward in the NHL. He skates well for his size and is a threat on the forecheck, where his imposing presence stands out. Koblar also makes good use of his size in front of the opposing net, parking himself in position and putting his soft hands to work.
After the Maple Leafs development camp, Hayley Wickenheiser remained impressed with Tinus Luc Koblar.
“It doesn’t look like he gives up anything on the ice. If someone hits him, he hits right back. I liked what I saw there, as well as his offensive instincts. A bright spot here during camp,” says Wickenheiser.
The positive summer continued for Koblar. When Leksand’s SHL team gathered ahead of the season, his name was already on the radar. Former NHL goaltender Johan Hedberg, now a coach in Leksand, was impressed with Koblar heading into the year.
“Koblar has made a very positive impression on all of us. We’re in a good position on the junior side, and we’re extremely grateful for that,” says Johan Hedberg to the local newspaper Falu-Kuriren ahead of the season.
With injuries in the lineup, Koblar got his chance with Leksand’s SHL team on Thursday night. He didn’t wait long to make the most of it, scoring his first professional goal already in the opening period. Leksand went on to beat Skellefteå 8–5, and the 18-year-old Koblar was understandably pleased after the game.
“Good game for us. We started well, dipped a bit in the second period, but finished in a good way. Nice to get the win,” says 18-year-old Tinus Luc Koblar to Aftonbladet.
After such a strong performance, it’s very likely that Tinus Luc Koblar will get another opportunity in the SHL. He is definitely a talent for Leafs fans to keep an eye on in the year ahead.
Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Victor Johansson Ready for Next Step
<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> prospect Victor
Johansson looks ready to take the next step in his career. The left-shot
defenseman is now heading on loan to Oskarshamn in Sweden’s second-tier league after seeing limited ice time in the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/shl-red-wings-prospect-scores-in-season-debut">SHL</a>. The move should
benefit him, as he has consistently looked head and shoulders above the
competition in the Swedish junior league U20 Nationell.