Over the last three NHL drafts, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a clear statement with their picks on the blue line: size matters. They’ve selected six defensemen, all at least 6-foot-1, and among them is Noah Chadwick - a 6-foot-4, 208-pound left-shot defenseman who’s starting to turn heads in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.
Chadwick was taken in the sixth round (185th overall) in 2023, a pick that didn’t make big headlines at the time but is quietly aging well. Drafted out of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, Chadwick brought more than just size to the table.
He brought leadership. Before his final WHL season, he was named captain - the 32nd in franchise history - a nod to the respect he earned in the locker room and his steady development on the ice.
Over 212 games in the WHL, Chadwick put up 32 goals and 100 assists with a plus-30 rating. But it was his final two seasons that really showcased his growth. He posted 56 points in 66 games in 2023-24, then followed that up with 53 points in 66 games in 2024-25 - impressive numbers for a defenseman, especially one whose game is rooted in physicality and structure.
That breakout 56-point season earned him an invite to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase, a sign that his name was starting to circulate in higher-level conversations. He capped that year with a brief appearance for the Marlies, getting his first taste of pro hockey before the season wrapped.
Fast forward to this season, and Chadwick has been a steady presence on the Marlies’ blue line. Through 44 games, he’s registered three goals and 12 assists, with a minus-five rating.
While those numbers might not jump off the page, context matters. His 15 points are tied for 10th on the team overall and tied for second among Marlies defensemen, trailing only William Villeneuve.
Among rookie skaters on the Marlies, Chadwick ranks third in points, and his 15 points place him sixth among all rookie defensemen across the AHL.
That’s not bad company to be in, especially considering Chadwick is still just 20 years old - he turns 21 in May. There’s still rawness in his game, no doubt, but the foundation is solid.
He’s got the size, the skating, and the poise under pressure that teams covet in modern NHL defenders. And while his offensive numbers aren’t elite, they’re trending in the right direction.
With 27 games left in the Marlies’ season, Chadwick has a chance to close out strong and continue building momentum. The Leafs have added more talent to their defensive pipeline - including 2024 draft picks Ben Danford and Victor Johansson, both taken in higher rounds - so the internal competition is only getting tougher. But if Chadwick keeps developing at this pace, he’ll stay firmly in the mix.
He may still be a couple of years away from a real shot at NHL ice time, but Chadwick’s trajectory is one worth watching. Toronto’s front office clearly values size and structure on the back end - and Chadwick checks both boxes.
Now it’s about refining the details, continuing to produce, and proving he can be more than just a big body. So far, he’s doing just that.