'This Is For Real Now': Matthews, Tavares, Nylander Texts Help Welcome New Maple Leafs Prospects

In the hours—and likely days—after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Tyler Hopkins with their third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old sifted through all of the messages received about being selected.

"I just looked at it," he said over Zoom, moments after the Maple Leafs' pick. "I think there's like a hundred or more text messages probably now. There was a hundred when I just looked. A lot of people reaching out to support. I've had a lot of people through my life that have been really special to me and able to help support me to get to this moment right now."

But there were a couple messages that stuck out that day in Los Angeles, California.

"I remember I was standing there with my dad, and I opened my phone, and it's Auston Matthews, and I'm like, 'Dad, look at this,'" Hopkins said on Thursday, the first day of Maple Leafs development camp.

"Getting a text from him, it was pretty cool. And then John Tavares as well reached out, and (William) Nylander. Three pretty good hockey players I got to hear from, so that was really exciting. Getting drafted and hearing from guys like that, making a little bit of time for me, it was pretty cool."

Hopkins appreciates the goalscoring aspect of Matthews' game, as anyone would, adding that the 27-year-old's strength on the puck is an underrated part of his play.

"We watched video on him today, just so strong on the puck, so skilled," said Hopkins. "Taking anything from him, you're in good hands because he's obviously a really good player."

So, how fast did the young forward reply to Matthews' text?

"I responded right away, said thank you for his time, and appreciate the text because it's a pretty special moment for me, and for him to be able to recognize that and take time out of his day to do that, it was pretty special."

It wasn't a moment that was isolated to one Toronto draft pick, though. Several prospects who took to the ice on Thursday raved about receiving texts from the Maple Leafs' top players.

"I actually got a message from Matthews, Nylander, and Tavares. They sent me a text message, just saying welcome to the club," Maple Leafs 2025 second-round (64th overall) Tinus Luc Koblar said on Thursday.

"That type of player sending you a message that you look up to is just really, really crazy."

Toronto fifth-round (153rd overall) pick Harry Nansi revealed he also received messages from a couple of Maple Leafs captains.

"Matthews, Tavares, it was exciting seeing their texts. They just wanted to welcome me in being part of this organization, so I was pretty pumped," he said.

"I've watched them growing up, so for them to reach out to me and congratulate me, it means a lot."

Maple Leafs seventh-round pick (217th overall) Matthew Hlacar had an eventful first day of development camp. The 19-year-old dropped the gloves with Toronto Marlies signed Rhett Parsons during a battle drill before sharing that while growing up in Binbrook, Ontario, he too was a Maple Leafs fan.

After taking a step in his career by being drafted, the young forward shared his 'Welcome to the Maple Leafs' moment.

"It was pretty cool when (John) Tavares and texted me and Auston Matthews, they both reached out to me, so that was pretty cool. That was like my welcome to the Leafs moment," he said, before sharing what it felt like looking down at his phone when the message came through.

"I was just like, wow, this is for real now."