LOS ANGELES – With the 137th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs dipped into the talented Irish roster, selecting incoming freshman forward Will Belle. A fifth round selection, Belle becomes the 99th draft pick in program history and joins six other draftees on the 2025-26 Notre Dame roster.
“I’m excited to get started,” Belle said of furthering his hockey career at the next level. “This is just the beginning.”
The Dongguan, China native is set to make his collegiate debut in October when the Irish head to Arizona for the annual Ice Breaker Tournament. He comes to South Bend after two years at the US National Team Development Program where he appeared in 55 games for the U18 program, tallying four goals and 12 assists in his final year with the program.
As a member of Team USA, he has also competed in multiple international tournaments and won gold at the 2024 Five Nations Tournament in Czechia.