Miroslav Holinka was expected to be part of the Toronto Marlies’ top six this season, but when the club opened its 2026-27 schedule on Friday, he wasn’t in the lineup at all.
The Marlies dropped their first game 3-1 to the Rochester Americans, a night that featured a roster still trying to sort itself out. Like their NHL affiliate, Toronto is working through plenty of new faces, and the early going is clearly about getting everyone on the same page. The lineup included familiar pieces such as Logan Shaw and Vinni Lettieri, along with newcomers Henrik Rybinski, who scored the team’s lone goal, and Brendan Brisson.
Holinka’s absence stood out.
There was no immediate word on whether anything was keeping the Maple Leafs prospect out or whether the decision was simply about giving other players an early opportunity. Steven Lorentz was also out after being assigned a week ago.
Holinka, 21, played in one Marlies game last season and scored one goal. Before that, he put together an impressive 80-point season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, including 37 goals. He also won a Calder Cup in 2025-26, though he did not appear in any playoff games.
Selected 151st overall in 2024, Holinka had been viewed as one of the forward prospects set to take a step forward this year, alongside Ben Danford and Landon Sim.
That doesn’t mean he’s out of the picture. Holinka should get his chances with the Marlies, but nothing will be handed to him. If he gets into the lineup, he’ll have to show he belongs there.
His offense is part of the package, but not the whole story. At 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds, he brings size, reach and a physical edge, and his two-way game will matter just as much as his scoring touch. Stretching for poke checks, throwing hits and playing responsibly in both directions will help him earn more ice time than a short burst of production alone.
There’s still plenty of runway for Holinka to get into games, and Toronto may well have liked having him available against Rochester. For now, though, he was missing from the opener, and the reason for that remains unclear.
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