With the first overall pick of the 2026 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] will have no choice but to take the best player available, which is also the method that GM John Chayka will be using going into the draft. With left winger Gavin McKenna [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-2026-nhl-draft-pick-the-case-for-gavin-mckenna] sitting at the top of several rankings and mock drafts, and not far behind him is left winger Ivar Stenberg [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-2026-nhl-draft-pick-the-case-for-ivar-stenberg], chances are the Maple Leafs are taking a forward with the first pick of the draft. However, with their 60th pick, coming in the second round, there is an opportunity to still select a great defenseman. That's something the organization lacked for many years. With that in mind, here is the case to select defenseman Brek Liske, who is ranked 60th in the consolidated rankings of eliteprospects.com [https://www.eliteprospects.com/draft-center/consolidated-ranking?utm_term=&utm_campaign=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=3783875019&hsa_cam=23891650517&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23886447036&gbraid=0AAAAAC2huGD8p1_Dkbd_xk1_laXKgyuxu&gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdOr6IBkMhJJGqc8rJfl02Ym0LmHmhn1rQVFk2hfDS6ANz6L5UZF-9BoCxREQAvD_BwE]. Liske, 18, is coming off his second full season in the WHL for the Everett Silvertips [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-2026-nhl-draft-pick-the-case-for-matias-vanhanen]. He's become an important D-man for the Silvertips, often paired with projected 2027 first overall pick Landon DuPont on the back end. The right-handed shot blueliner played 52 regular-season games for Everett, scoring seven goals and 24 points. Liske also registered a respectable plus-36 in the campaign, finishing sixth on the Silvertips in that category. Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Matias Vanhanen [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/04568931-ad26-4dbb-b642-f5df3f4bdbd1.jpeg] Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Matias Vanhanen Outside of the first overall pick that the Toronto Maple Leafs own, here is the case for Matias Vanhanen for the team's 60th overall pick at the 2026 NHL draft. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-2026-nhl-draft-pick-the-case-for-matias-vanhanen] His production and performance in the regular season were fairly standard, but instrumental for the Silvertips to finish atop the standings. However, Liske was a different animal when it came to the WHL post-season. The Beausejour, Man., native was a star for Everett in the playoffs, recording four goals and 17 points in 18 games en route to a WHL championship. Liske finished fifth in team scoring for the post-season, but another impressive stat is that the D-man completed the playoff campaign with the greatest plus-minus rating in the league at a plus-25. While he wasn't exactly the superstar of the Silvertips, he was still a key contributor in an important role alongside DuPont. His role on Everett is similar to a Brent Seabrook next to a Duncan Keith - he's not the flashiest, but as a two-way defenseman, he gets the job done in pretty much all situations. Liske didn't generate a point in five games at the Memorial Cup, earning a plus-three at the tournament. But he showed a sign of growth and promise in Everett's WHL playoff campaign. 'My Game Got More Professional': Maple Leafs Prospect Tinus Luc Koblar Speaks On NHL Future, Personal Development [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ffe9ad53-b46b-4776-a1e1-e0673b5e6603.jpeg] 'My Game Got More Professional': Maple Leafs Prospect Tinus Luc Koblar Speaks On NHL Future, Personal Development Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Tinus Luc Koblar, impressed the hockey world with his performance at the 2026 World Championship for Norway. In a recent interview, he shared his thoughts on his personal development, how that tournament went for him, and his NHL future. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/my-game-got-more-professional-maple-leafs-prospect-tinus-luc-koblar-speaks-on-nhl-future-personal-development] Before this past year, Liske had his rookie season with the Silvertips, putting up two goals and 11 points in 66 appearances. That was followed by a one-point playoff campaign across 13 post-season contests. Before that, in 2023-24, he played for Northern Alberta Xtreme at the U-18 level in the CSSHL. He scored 11 goals and 32 points in 27 outings. Following that campaign, he joined the Silvertips, who drafted him 10th overall in the 2023 draft, and played six games split evenly between regular season and playoffs. He didn't score in that post-season, but put up a goal and an assist in his three appearances of the regular season. NHL Central Scouting [https://www.nhl.com/draft/prospects] has listed Liske 44th among North American skaters and the 12th-best defenseman of that same ranking. Central Scouting recorded the youngster at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/65176ce9-82be-45e5-89ca-412bdbef4d72.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
