The Toronto Maple Leafs selected defenseman Alexander Bilecki as the No. 60 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Bilecki has now talked about baseball and how he felt after hearing from MLB star Ernie Clement.

Bilecki, who was picked in the second round on June 27, has featured on a YouTube video on the Leafs' official channel, talking about baseball and Clement while transitioning to hockey as well.

"As a baseball guy, it was really cool," Bilecki said on July 16. "Obviously, Ernie Clement’s a pretty big deal for the Blue Jays, so that was a really cool experience to hear from him and what he had to say. Baseball is kind of my summer sport, when hockey is in the off-season, but I always enjoyed it."

Bilecki met Clement on June 30, as per the Leafs. before the start of the Leafs' development camp, where Clement went on to say how he grew up in a heavy-hockey environment because of his father being passionate about it.

"I think I stunk for a practice," Clement said. "And then I started to kind of figure it out, and I fell in love with the game. I absolutely loved how fast it was. Loved how physical it was, and that's something we miss nowadays in baseball."

Though Bilecki was inspired by Clement, let us talk about his journey so far, with him also sharing his experience with the Leafs to date.

Alexander Bilecki has had a great experience playing hockey so far

The Leafs picked Bilecki from the Ontario Hockey League team, the Kitchener Rangers. He has grown up in Mississauga, just west of Toronto, and has been watching the Leafs for a while now.

Playing two years for the Rangers, he scored a total of 12 goals, dished out 31 assists, and also scored 43 points for the franchise, according to EliteProspects.com.

He also won the Memorial Cup last season with the Rangers, scoring 29 points and nine goals, and dishing out 20 assists for the team. His playoff run saw him score 11 points in 18 games for the Rangers.

Bilecki also talked about his experience with the Leafs so far, including his time at development camp.

"I’m kind of getting introduced to the pro lifestyle and learning what it takes to be a pro," Bilecki said. "And obviously learning from the guys who have been here before. It's been a good experience for me, and a fun start to my hockey journey for sure."

It looks like the new signing is starting to fit into the roster and likes the environment. Surely, words from the MLB star Clement will help him boost his confidence even more.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Dhruv Singh

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi