"The next McDavid" "Norwegian Matthew Knies": NHL fans react as Maple Leafs pick 6'3" Tinus Luc Koblar at 2025 NHL Draft

The Toronto Maple Leafs made their first pick of the 2025 NHL draft on Saturday afternoon. After waiting for 63 picks, the Maple Leafs selected Tinus Luc Koblar of Leksands IF Jr. from the Swedish Junior League. He is a 6'3, 187-pound forward from Norway who produced 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 43 games in 2024-25.

While Koblar may not be very well known, many are excited about Toronto drafting a player with his size and ability.

NHL fans have begun reacting to the Maple Leafs' pick on X (formerly Twitter).

"The next McDavid," one fan wrote.

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"Norwegian Matthew Knies," another fan wrote.

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"6’3 is all I need to know," added another fan.

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More fan reaction has trickled in on X.

"Should always draft Canadian," one fan wrote on X.

"Freddy the Goat 2.0?" added one fan.

"Steal I had him going first overall in my rankings," one final fan added.

Fans aren't too familiar with the 17-year-old who will turn 18 in the coming month of July. The Leafs' next pick will come 86th overall in the third round before they select multiple times in the fifth round.

How the Maple Leafs are so low on high draft picks in the 2025 draft

If you're wondering why the Toronto Maple Leafs have just two picks in the first five rounds of the 2025 NHL draft, we will give you the answer.

Former general manager Kyle Dubas traded their first-round pick (25th overall) to the Chicago Blackhawks in a deal that acquired Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty at the 2023 deadline. Dubas also dealt away their second-round pick to the then-Arizona Coyotes to bring in defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.

Last but not least, Dubas traded away their fourth-round pick in another 2023 deadline deal to acquire Ryan O'Reilly from the St. Louis Blues. That pick went to Minnesota as part of a three-way agreement. Plenty of fingerprints are still left over from the work of now Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas.

Toronto is currently scheduled to make five more picks throughout the remainder of the 2025 draft.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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Edited by Jackson Weber