2026 T25U25: Gone From the List

Sign Up to PPP Today

You have to be a member to comment at PPP. Membership is free and requires only an email address.

Become a Member

This year's Top 25 eligibility list has a lot of new faces courtesy of the wild second day of the draft. But the list has only grown by one, so that means a lot of players we used to talk about are gone. It's time to say goodbye to 14 players.

Aged Out

Semyon Der Arguchintsev - used by several voters as a kind of known commodity dividing line for prospect status, he was ranked 21st last year. He has one Maple Leafs game played, and is said to be looking to return to North America. The Leafs still hold his draft rights.
Matias Maccelli - after 71 games last year, he was not qualified by the Leafs, and was signed by the Islanders as a free agent. As a full time NHLer, he was ranked third last year.
Cade Webber - a free agent college graduate signing on defence, he hasn't gone anywhere, and should play on the Marlies this season. We ranked him 18th last year.
Henry Thrun - a defender received in trade for Ryan Reaves, he's signed with the Jets after appearing in four games for the Leafs. We ranked him eighth last year.
John Prokop - a college free agent defender, after a year on the Marlies, he's moved on to the Milwaukee Admirals on an AHL contract. We ranked him 25th last year.

Traded

Dennis Hildeby - drafted by the Leafs, and showing well in net in 26 appearances in the NHL, he lost the third chair to Artur Akhtyamov largely due to waiver status. He was traded to Tampa in the Nick Paul deal.
Nick Robertson - qualified as an RFA, but unsigned, Robertson's rights were traded to the Penguins for a fourth-round pick.

Released or Relocated

Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemelä were both on the list last year even though they had returned to Europe. While the Leafs likely still hold their rights, they did not issue a formal QO this year, effectively cutting ties. Niemelä was ranked 24th last year.
Vyacheslav Peksa played well enough for the Marlies, but did not receive a qualifying offer as the team added other goalies. He has returned to his former club in Russia and will likely play in the KHL. He was unranked last year.
Braeden Kressler was a CHL free agent signing who played for two seasons mostly in the ECHL. He appeared in only 7 games last year and has had terrible injury luck in his career. He was not given a QO by the Leafs.
Matthew Hlacar and Nathan Mayes were late-round drafted prospects who were not given a bona fide offer or ELC post draft. This removes the draft rights of the Leafs.
Joe Miller is the lone NCAA player in the system with rights that expire in mid August of this year. He signed with the Marlies' ECHL affiliate recently and is therefore no longer a Leafs prospect.

PPP Runs on Your Support

If you enjoy the T25U25 every year, and want to see it continue, please consider becomming a paid subscriber. We want to keep all our content open to all users, but to become a sustainable site, we need more support from paid members.

Subscribe Now

More Top 25 Under 25