Maple Leafs add Mississauga Memorial Cup champion in second round of NHL Draft

One of Mississauga’s top young hockey players is staying close to home after hearing his name called by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL Draft.

The Leafs selected Mississauga native Alexander Bilecki with the 60th overall pick in the second round on Saturday, adding a promising young defenceman who is fresh off a championship season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers.

The 18-year-old, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 181 pounds, played a key role as the Rangers captured both the OHL championship and the Memorial Cup this season.

Bilecki finished the regular season with nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 66 games before elevating his game during the playoffs. He recorded 11 points in 18 OHL playoff games and added three assists in four Memorial Cup contests as Kitchener claimed the Canadian junior hockey title.

Before reaching the OHL, Bilecki developed his game in Mississauga with the Mississauga Rebels.

Although he played behind several veteran defencemen on a deep Rangers roster this season, scouts believe his offensive upside is greater than his statistics suggest.

Draft analysts consistently praised Bilecki’s skating, puck-moving ability and vision with the puck, noting that he excels at moving play through the neutral zone and creating offence off the rush. His increased production during the playoffs only reinforced the belief that he has room to grow as he takes on a larger role.

Most scouting services ranked Bilecki as a second-round talent heading into the draft, with some placing him among the top 40 prospects available.

Like many young offensive defencemen, scouts also believe there is still work to do in his defensive game and physical development. At just 18 years old, however, he is viewed as a player with considerable upside thanks to his size, skating ability and hockey sense.

With several veteran defencemen expected to move on from Kitchener next season, Bilecki is projected to take on a much larger role if he returns to the Rangers for another year of junior hockey before eventually turning pro.

For the Maple Leafs, the selection adds another intriguing defensive prospect to their pipeline and gives local hockey fans someone from Mississauga to follow as he begins his journey toward the NHL.