Maple Leafs’ draft pick will finish junior career with Brantford Bulldogs

While aspiring to play pro hockey in Toronto next season, Sam McCue is focused on finishing his junior career on a high note. 

McCue, a member of Odanak First Nation in Quebec, was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2024 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft.

McCue, who turned 20 on Oct. 3, is now in his final season of eligibility in the junior hockey ranks. He's a member of the Brantford Bulldogs, a team that competes in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

McCue would love to earn a spot on the Leafs' roster starting with the 2026-27 campaign. But it’s more likely that if the Leafs' brass like what they see from McCue this season, he'll probably get a decent chance to commence his pro career next year with the Toronto Marlies.

The Marlies are the Leafs' top affiliate club, which participates in the American Hockey League (AHL).

For now, McCue is staying with the Bulldogs. The Brantford franchise acquired him in an off-season trade with the Michigan-based Flint Firebirds.

For McCue, who is in his fourth OHL season, the Bulldogs are the fourth club in the league that he has suited up for. He started off with the Peterborough Petes and also played a portion of last season with the Owen Sound Attack.

"We have a really good team," McCue said of the Bulldogs, following their 4-3 shootout loss against the visiting Windsor Spitfires on Oct. 4. "And we're going to try to go all the way here."

McCue was sent back to the junior ranks after attending the Maple Leafs' training camp last month.

And he shared some of the details the Leafs' brass provided him once he was sent to Brantford following his second NHL camp.

"Just being more competitive and hounding pucks, shift in and shift out," McCue said of the Leafs’ expectations. "Obviously, I could score last year. But (they want me to be) more defensive this year and be better in my D zone."

Splitting his time last season between the Attack and Firebirds, McCue averaged more than a point per game. He earned 65 points, including 36 goals, in 55 regular season matches.

He's hoping to surpass these stats with the Bulldogs.

"Obviously you want to beat your totals from last year and have a better year than the year before," said McCue, who has scored one goal in his first four matches with the Bulldogs.

Perhaps more importantly, McCue is hoping his junior career is capped off with an OHL title.

"Obviously I want the team to win," he said. "I just want to come in my last year in the league and come out with the championship."

Though he's only been in Brantford a few weeks, McCue said he has adjusted to his new home.

"I've got great billets and it's a great city," he said.

McCue also said he enjoys playing in the Bulldogs' home rink, the TD Civic Centre.

"This building gets loud," he said. "It's a great atmosphere. And obviously I've got great teammates. Everyone loves each other and it's a brotherhood in there and a great group of guys."

McCue is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Max, who is 22 and in his second season of pro hockey. Last season Max McCue was a member of the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

As their camp was winding down last month, the Blue Jackets sent Max McCue to Cleveland to continue honing his skills with the Monsters this season.

Sam McCue said he's frequently in touch with his older brother. 

"I usually talk to him every other day," he said. "He has his own thing going on and I don't want to bug him too much. But he's doing pretty well for himself over there."

Bulldogs' head coach Jay McKee is pleased McCue has joined his squad. 

"He has a lot of experience," McKee said. "He's a big body out there that can play physical. And obviously, he knows how to score goals."

McKee believes McCue is still adjusting to his new club.

"I think when you go to a new team, it takes a little time to build some chemistry, build some bonds with teammates," he said. "And he's kind of going through that phase right now. And then once everyone is comfortable with each other and he finds some chemistry on a line, I think he'll take off."

McCue, a forward, is 6-foot-2 and weighs 200 pounds.

McKee believes McCue needs to work on his all-around game to get to the pro level.

"There's some habits that he can work on," he said. "We've talked about those. I don't want to get into detail on them because those are conversations between me and him. But I think he has the potential. There's just a few things that I think he can clean up and then, once he gets the opportunity at the pro level, is take the bull by the horns and run with it."

McKee added he hasn’t been instructing McCue to tone down his physical game.

"I think he's effective when he's physical," he said.

McKee said he's hoping McCue improves by always moving his feet on the forecheck and being tenacious. 

"There's a few small things in his game that he'll work on this year," said McKee, a former pro player himself who appeared in 862 NHL matches. "And we'll do a lot of video. We'll teach him how to be a pro. I don't think he's far off. I think the potential is definitely there for him."