Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Vinny Borgesi explains his style of play as a risk-taking, mobile, 5-foot-8 defenseman.
The 2026 Prospects Challenge is officially complete. The Toronto Maple Leafs' rookies took on the Winnipeg Jets in their second and final game of the event on Sunday, winning 6-4.
Among the standout performances were Tinus Luc Koblar with three assists, but also 22-year-old defenseman Vinny Borgesi.
Borgesi, a right-handed blueliner who was partnered with Noah Chadwick as Toronto's top D-pairing, bagged himself an impressive goal to give the Leafs' rookies a 2-1 lead over the Jets. Joining the rush down the right flank, Koblar passed it to Borgesi, and the defenseman wired the puck into the back of the net with a notably quick release.
Getting up in the rush and contributing offensively is a big part of Borgesi's game, as well as taking risks from the back end.
"Yeah, I want to be a difference-maker," Borgesi told reporters after Toronto's win over Winnipeg. "I want to make plays and make really good plays leading to goals and stuff like that. There's a little bit of risk involved in that, I know that, and that's the way I play my game."
Leading the Maple Leafs' rookies behind the bench for this event was Toronto Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan.
Sullivan admitted he really enjoys the way Borgesi plays, constantly giving his opponents something to think about on every shift that he's on the ice. But what does the bench boss like most about his game?
"Elusiveness," he stated. "I think the fact that he's really shifty. He's got some patience with it. He makes the other opponent stress themselves out with him on the ice. He just makes it hard, even on the power play, but even five-on-five, the way he walks the blueline, and his thought process and his hockey IQ of understanding when to go and when not to go.
"It just makes it very difficult for the defensive team to understand where he's going to be and when he's going to make moves. I really like his game," Sullivan added.
Borgesi joined the Maple Leafs organization in mid-March, signing a two-year deal as an undrafted college free agent.
Since then, he has featured in seven regular-season games for the Marlies in the AHL, but nothing more than that, not even a post-season appearance during their Calder Cup championship run.
In the 2025-26 campaign, he registered five goals and 20 points in 36 games. He's also no stranger when it comes to logging big minutes for his team. Last year, he led the country for the second straight season in average time on ice, recording 27:11 of ice time per game.
His best year in terms of offensive production came in his sophomore year at Northeastern when he notched five goals and 28 points in 34 appearances.
Borgesi earned a respectable resume from his years playing college hockey. But moving to the professional level and expected to push for a full-time AHL role this coming season, the 5-foot-8 defenseman has room to grow.
He explained what he was looking to work on through the Prospects Challenge in Gatineau, Que.
"Just my decision-making, moving the puck, making plays," Borgesi said. "I take a lot of pride in moving the puck and going north and jumping up in the play, and I thought I did a pretty good job of that in the last two games."
"Trying to learn every day, trying to get better," he added when asked about his expectations of himself. "Be the best teammate I can be, the best guy off the ice and learn from all the guys. How they treat their bodies every day and just keep growing every day. That's kind of my goal moving forward."
Toronto ends the rookie event with a win against the Jets and a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Training camp for the Maple Leafs kicks off on Wednesday.
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