Josh Leivo

Lore & Background

Leivo played with the Barrie Colts U18 AAA team before being drafted by the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his first regular season with the Wolves, he accumulated 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points through 64 games. He was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round (86th overall) of the 2011 NHL entry draft. Leivo made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs on October 10, 2013, in a 4–0 win over the Nashville Predators, and scored his first NHL goal against Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes on October 17, 2013. During his time with the Maple Leafs organization, he played for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, where he became the first Marlies rookie to eclipse the 20-goal plateau in franchise history. He was selected for the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic after tallying 11 goals and 19 assists through 35 games. Leivo later played for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues before joining Avangard Omsk of the KHL, where he set the league record for most goals in a regular season with 49 in 2024–25.

Reader's Guide

Leivo's career is marked by steady development through the OHL and AHL before earning NHL opportunities. His rookie season with the Toronto Marlies set a franchise benchmark for rookie goal scoring, and his selection to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic highlighted his offensive production. Despite injuries and roster competition limiting his NHL tenure, Leivo accumulated NHL experience across five organizations. His most notable achievement came later in his career with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, where he set the league's single-season goal record with 49 goals in 2024–25. This record underscores his scoring ability at the highest levels of professional hockey outside the NHL. Leivo's path from a third-round draft pick to a KHL record holder illustrates a career that found its peak in a different league, contributing to his legacy as a player who achieved a historic offensive milestone.

Did You Know?

• Leivo was born in Innisfil, Ontario, but raised in Richmond Hill.
• Leivo holds the KHL record for most goals in one regular season, with 49 in 2024–25.
• He was the first Toronto Marlies rookie to score 20 goals in a season.