A sixth-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2023, Chadwick is finishing up a strong first year with the Marlies.
Noah Chadwick's future in the Toronto Maple Leafs' organization is bright.
Just over six months ago, the 20-year-old defenseman was preparing for his first full-time professional season in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. He had gotten a taste of the AHL towards the end of the 2023-24 season — appearing in one game with Toronto — but this year was another step.
Sometimes when a player goes from junior to pro, it's a difficult transition. The players in the AHL and NHL are bigger and more skilled, the game is faster, and the schedule isn't as merciful.
Chadwick, however, wasn't phased by anything.
While it took some time to adjust to the next level, Chadwick's smarts and hockey IQ allowed him to hit the ground running.
"I think it's just an emphasis on getting better every day, and that's really the job of this league," he said in a one-on-one interview earlier this week.
"I took pride in that, and I think just as it went on, it just kept getting better and better, and I'm more comfortable with my reads, so that's been a big point for me."
Chadwick entered the Maple Leafs organization in 2023, when the club drafted him in the sixth round (185th overall). Then, not much was known about what the defenseman could eventually be.
People can, of course, project, but until a player reaches the pro level, you truly never know what someone's potential is.
Chadwick finished his first pro season with five goals and 23 points in 68 games. It's not as strong an output as his final two seasons in the WHL, but that's not the game Chadwick plays.
The Saskatoon, Sask., native is a big, lengthy defender who plays his best when he's smothering the opposition. He's not the quickest skater, though his long reach makes up for it in the defensive end.
As Chadwick became more comfortable with the Marlies this season, his role grew larger. In mid-December, whilst several of the Marlies' veteran defensemen were either injured or called up to the injury-riddled Maple Leafs, Chadwick had to step up.
He played a strong, responsible game during that stretch, which in turn earned him the coaching staff's trust throughout the rest of the year.
"When smart players are told certain things, usually you only have to tell them once or twice," Marlies head coach John Gruden said earlier this week.
"(Chadwick's) the type of guy that does figure it out quickly, and he's worked on some things that have gotten him to understand what's going to work at not only this level, but at any level as a defenseman.
"He's embraced it, and he comes ready to work every day and I'm excited for him moving forward."
As mentioned, you never know what a player truly is until they hit the next level. With that being said, did Chadwick surprise himself with how strong he played once he stepped into the AHL?
"I think so," he admitted.
"I think it always takes time. A lot of people say it's hard as a defenseman to make that transition, but I mean, I think just for me, it can't be rushed, right? So it just kind of comes naturally with work, so that's my mentality around it."
The biggest steps Chadwick says he took came once he became comfortable with the speed of the AHL.
"And then just having that maturity to just execute at a high level is what's demanded, so just being consistent, like, that's just the focus point," he continued.
"Being able to execute over and over, because we see a lot of the same plays in games regularly, so just fine-tuning those things, being able to execute consistently, that's kind of the importance of that."
Chadwick has leaned on plenty of people within the Maple Leafs organization to improve this year. He's worked almost daily with Mark Giordano, who's been with the club as a coaching advisor since the beginning of the season.
(Giordano was promoted to an assistant coach — in charge of the Marlies' power play — after Steve Sullivan moved up to the Maple Leafs as an assistant coach.)
Another influential person in Chadwick's development is Stanley Cup Champion Jake Muzzin, who has remained in the Maple Leafs organization as a development coach once his playing career ended.
"I couldn’t really ask for anything better," Chadwick said of Muzzin last summer at Maple Leafs development camp. "He’s a fantastic human being. Good character. He’s special to work with and passed a lot of good lessons on to me."
The young defenseman also mentioned a few Marlies in Matt Benning, Dakota Mermis, and Henry Thrun, who've all taught him something this season.
"(Chadwick) knows how to be a professional, and that's hard to do in your first year pro," noted Marlies captain Logan Shaw.
The most recent development in Chadwick's game came late in the regular season, earning a promotion to quarterback the Marlies' second power play unit. Not only is it another big test for the defender, but it's also one more sign that he's earned the trust of the coaching staff during the most important time of the year.
"I think just having that trust from the coaches to be put there, I take that very seriously. Because we need to produce, and it's important in the playoffs to have [production]," Chadwick said.
"It could be the difference between a win or a loss, so we definitely want to give the team momentum when we can, and I think I take that seriously, and try to chip in offensively where we can."
In Toronto's Game 1 win over the Rochester Americans on Wednesday night, Chadwick made strong reads and was a massive part of the club's 5-0 shutout. "Our D did a really good job; if (Rochester) got an opportunity, not giving them that second and third," Gruden said.
Despite Chadwick's strong play this year, it will still likely be some time before he gets a consistent shot at the NHL. Nevertheless, his story is definitely one of the most positive points throughout what was a difficult season for the entire organization.