The Toronto Maple Leafs prospects got a firsthand look at current NHL players as they filed into the rink during development camp.
John Tavares, Scott Laughton, and Chris Tanev are only a few of the current Maple Leafs remaining at the team's practice facility in Etobicoke to train throughout the offseason. They've learned a bunch from guest speakers throughout the week, such as Mark Giordano, who shared his story of being an undrafted defenseman who eventually won the Norris Trophy.
However, it was a real eye-opener for the prospects to watch players like Tavares train on the ice before their on-ice sessions began.
"When Mark Giordano spoke to the players yesterday (Friday), one of the players asked, who are some of the best pros you've ever been around, and his first answer was John Tavares," Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser said.
"I've trained with John myself over the years, and he's just the ultimate pro. He doesn't leave any details unturned and he has a plan for himself.
"And so one of the cool things about doing development camp is, we have these guys that are skating before some of the pros that are in town, so we give the players a chance to watch them, ask them questions, and opportunity to just see, 'Oh, that's what it takes to get to that level,' and John is the epitome of that."
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The prospects raved about watching the current Maple Leafs workout, applauding their work ethic and detail, which will be positive aspects to remember when the younger players return to training next week.
"They're incredible. You watch them on TV as a kid growing up for my whole life, and then you see them in real life, and you're like, 'Wow, it's kind of crazy,'" 2025 seventh-round pick Matthew Hlacar said.
John Prokop, who's entering his one-year contract with Toronto, watched Tavares and Tanev train on the ice. He played a handful of games with the Toronto Marlies this past season after leaving Union College, but this was the first time catching a glimpse of these NHLers up close.
"They're how old, played how many years in the league, and still they look like they're 24, 25, and that's really impressive," he said. "And…