Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 10 prospects entering 2019
Led by two young defensemen, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a solid prospect pipeline. Who are their top 10 prospects following the 2019 NHL Draft?
The Toronto Maple Leafs have drafted well over the years, which has helped them transform into Stanley Cup contenders. Though their prospect pipeline isn’t as deep as it used to be, there are still some very intriguing prospects in the organization.
In order to sustain their success, the Leafs will need to do a good job developing their prospects. Cheap, young players are a staple of any Stanley Cup contender. This rings especially true for the Leafs, who will soon have three mega deals on their roster once Mitch Marner signs.
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Before I begin, let me review my criteria. My definition of a “prospect” is pretty simple. Here are the requirements.
- Must be younger than 25 years old as of October 1, 2019
- No more than 25 NHL games in any season or 40 games over two consecutive seasons.
For example, Trevor Moore is 24 years old, so he’s young enough to qualify. However, he played 25 games for the Leafs last season, excluding the postseason. So in my book, Moore is not a prospect. Nic Petan isn’t one because he played 54 games back in the 2016-17 season.
Goaltenders are much harder to evaluate than skaters, so I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two. Let’s start this list by looking at the Leafs goaltending prospects.
Goaltenders
1. Ian Scott
Acquired: 2017 fourth-round pick
Age: 20
Stats: 49 games, 1.83 GAA, .932 save percentage, 23 postseason games, 1.96 GAA, .925 save percentage (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL)
Ian Scott had a breakout year in 2018-19. He was named the top WHL goaltender, helped the Raiders win the WHL title, was named the WHL Playoffs MVP, and was named the top CHL goaltender. Scott pretty much went from an afterthought to being a superstar prospect.
His stats look phenomenal, but it’s worth noting the Raiders were an extremely good team last season. They made his job relatively easy. Still, Scott deserves credit for stopping the pucks in front of him. I’m not a huge fan of his athleticism, but his positioning is extremely sound.
Scott is projected to join the AHL Toronto Marlies next season. He could be the eventual heir to Frederik Anderson’s throne. For what it’s worth, had I ranked him with the skaters, Scott would have been sixth. I’m still not 100% sold on him yet, but he’s done a lot to impress me.
2. Joseph Woll
Acquired: 2016 third-round pick
Age: 20 (turns 21 on July 12)
Stats: 37 games, 2.41 GAA, .919 save percentage (Boston College, NCAA)
Joseph Woll is often overlooked thanks to Scott. But I think he’s got what it takes to be a potential starter in the NHL. Woll is very athletic and he plays a compact game. He did well for Boston College last year, who didn’t have a very good defense.
Expect Woll to join the ECHL Newfoundland Growlers this fall. With two young, legitimate goalie prospects, I’m curious how the Leafs divide the starts. There are only so many to give out.
Honorable Mentions
These are the players I considered, but ultimately left off this list.
Pierre Engvall is interesting because he’s a skilled, big forward. I like his tools, but he has yet to show he can use them all consistently. His hockey IQ probably isn’t good enough to make a consistent impact in the NHL. That said, Engvall is big (6’4″) and he has enough skill to stand out. So I think he’ll get a shot in the NHL.
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Yegor Koshkov has shown flashes of brilliance, but those flashes haven’t happened nearly enough. Injuries and situations beyond his control have hampered his development. He’ll be heading over to North America this season, most likely.
Joey Duszak is interesting. I’m not sure what to make of his college numbers, given how weak Mercyhurst’s conference is, but 47 points in 37 games is pretty impressive. Duszak’s defensive game isn’t nearly as good as his offensive game. He’s right-handed, so you know the Leafs are going to keep a close eye on him.
I didn’t get to see much of Mikhail Abramov last season, but everything I saw, I loved. A lot of people far smarter than me love him. I’ll make it a point to watch him more this season because he’s a ton of fun to watch with his skill and skating. Plus, I’m not going to lie, I am a sucker for undersized players. Can’t help but root for them, as I am one myself!
Justin Brazeau was the last guy I left off this list. At 6’6″ and 225 pounds, he’s huge. And Brazeau can skate as well. He’s got enough skill to stand out too. This makes him really fascinating. However, he has no success at the professional level, so I’m taking his success in the OHL (most of which came in the last two seasons as an overager). This season will be a critical one for Brazeau, as he’s joining the Toronto Marlies.
10. Adam Brooks
Acquired: 2016 fourth-round pick
Age: 23
Position: Center
Stats: 61 games, 21 goals, 19 assists, 40 points, 13 playoff games, eight points (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
Adam Brooks was an overager back in 2016. He dominated in juniors, so he was a good guy to gamble on. So far, the Leafs are looking smart for it. Brooks had his best season as a professional last season, emerging as one of the Marlies best forwards.
I’m impressed with how good his two-way play has become. Brooks got 40 points despite facing tough competition. That’s nice to see from him. I think he’s got enough tools to be an intriguing option as a fourth-line center, but he could be something more.
9. Mac Hollowell
Acquired: 2018 fourth-round pick
Age: 20 (turns 21 in September)
Position: Defense
Stats: 64 games, 24 goals, 53 assists, 77 points, 11 postseason games, 11 points (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, OHL)
I wasn’t a huge fan of Mac Hollowell when he was drafted in 2018. As an overager, he simply didn’t dominate the way I expected him to. But Hollowell was terrific in 2018-19, proving that he can be dominant.
His offensive game is very strong, as he’s great in transition and his offensive instincts are impressive. Hollowell is also an excellent skater. He’s a ton of fun to watch – he acts like a forward in the offensive game, yet still gets back to help on defense. That’s an interesting strategy, but he pulls it off well.
Hollowell will need to bulk up, but I think his skating and his skill will get him at least a few cups of coffee in the NHL. Oh, and he’s right-handed. So yeah, that probably helps his chances with the Maple Leafs.
8. Dmytro Timashov
Acquired: 2015 fifth-round pick
Age: 22 (turns 23 in October)
Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
Stats: 72 games, 14 goals, 35 assists, 49 points, 13 postseason games, 10 points (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
Dmytro Timashov is ready to be an NHL player. I’m not huge on his upside, but his overall game is good enough to stick in the NHL as a bottom-six forward. Timashov is built like a tank and, unfortunately, he skates like one.
He’s a very solid puck handler and he’s a good playmaker. Timashov has turned into a reliable defensive forward. If his skating improves, I could see him maxing out as a lower-tier second-line wing. Timashov’s versatility certainly won’t hurt him. I think he’ll be a useful bottom-six wing.
7. Ilya Mikheyev
Acquired: Free agent (signed in 2019)
Age: 24 (turns 25 in October)
Position: Right Wing
Stats: 62 games, 23 goals, 22 assists, 45 points, 13 postseason games, 11 points (Avangard Omsk, KHL)
Ilya Mikheyev is probably the Leafs most NHL-ready young forward. He should fight for a roster spot this season. The mere fact that he left the KHL to come to North America suggests an NHL roster spot is in his future.
Mikheyev could be a lower-tier second-line wing. I like his overall game and his skating is pretty solid. However, his skill is a tad bit limited. Mikheyev should be on the Leafs third or fourth forward line. He’s a reliable penalty killer, so he has that going for him.
6. Mikko Kokkonen
Acquired: 2019 third-round pick
Age: 18
Position: Defense
Stats: 56 games, 3 goals, 16 assists, 19 points (Jukurit, Liiga)
Mikko Kokkonen stood out on an otherwise terrible Jukurit team. He held his own in a very competitive league despite being on a historically bad roster. Kokkonen finished fifth among the rookie leaders in points and finished first among rookie defensemen.
He’s an aggressive defender who isn’t afraid to play the puck. Kokkonen is strong in transition, as he makes smart decisions and isn’t afraid to take the puck up the ice himself. I think his offensive game is a little limited, but I think he could be an Anton Stralman type. If paired with the right partner, he could be a top-four defenseman. At worst, Kokkonen has the tools to be a good third-pairing defenseman.
5. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev
Acquired: 2018 third-round pick
Age: 18 (turns 19 in September)
Position: Center
Stats: 62 games, 6 goals, 40 assists, 46 points (Peterborough Petes, OHL)
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is a boom or bust prospect. I like his chance of booming, though. Even though SDA had a bit of a growth spurt (he’s 5’11”), he’s listed at 163 pounds and that’s probably a generous listing. His skating has improved, but I still don’t like his acceleration.
All of that said, SDA has top-six forward potential. He’s still extremely young and has a lot of time to add some speed and strength to his game. SDA is much more of a playmaker than a goal scorer. He’s extremely fun to watch with the puck. If hockey had And1 mix tapes, SDA would be a regular on them.
SDA has to be more consistent, but his upside is the highest among all the Leafs forward prospects. He might also have the lowest ceiling, but I love that the Leafs gambled on him and I have a lot of faith in him, even after a down year.
4. Jeremy Bracco
Acquired: 2015 second-round pick
Age: 22
Position: Right Wing
Stats: 75 games, 22 goals, 57 assists, 79 points, 13 postseason games, 16 points (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
Jeremy Bracco could make a big impact on the Leafs this season. He’s a victim of Toronto’s forward depth, as he’ll never be a fourth-line forward type, especially not while Mike Babcock is the head coach.
That said, the 5’9″ forward is undeniably skilled. Bracco’s skating, while it’s not great, is good enough to stick in the NHL. His passing and playmaking are both very impressive. However, Bracco’s not much of a goal scorer. Which is fine.
The Leafs will have to be very specific with how they use him. Bracco should probably be put on a line with a goal scorer, such as Andreas Johnson or Auston Matthews. This would set him up for success. Zach Hyman’s injury and Marner’s potential holdout could open up a roster spot for Bracco.
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3. Nicholas Robertson
Acquired: 2019 second-round pick
Age: 17 (turns 18 in September)
Position: Center/Left Wing
Stats: 54 games, 27 goals, 28 assists, 55 points (Peterborough Petes, OHL)
Nicholas Robertson is yet another undersized forward who has a ton of upside. If you followed my 2019 NHL Draft coverage, you’ll know I loved him and I saw him as a potential first-round pick. His stats don’t jump out at you, but Robertson plays a very impressive game.
His skill is great and his shot is remarkably powerful for someone who’s 161 pounds. but what I love about him is he is 100% fearless. Robertson will challenge anyone with the puck. He doesn’t care how much bigger you are than him. Robertson reminds me of a pit bull with his intensity.
Now, I’m not entirely sure Robertson’s wrecking ball strategy will work in the NHL. But he has time to bulk up and develop his overall game. Robertson will have to work on his playmaking, but I think he could be a top-six forward. At the very least, he’ll be an extremely effective third-line forward with his energetic style of play.
2. Timothy Liljegren
Acquired: 2017 first-round pick
Age: 20
Position: Defense
Stats: 43 games, 3 goals,12 assists, 15 points, 13 postseason games, five points (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
Injuries have significantly hampered Timothy Liljegren‘s development. It’s not that he’s fragile. I think he might have done something to piss off the hockey gods because his injury luck is terrible.
He got mono during his draft season, which caused him to fall to the Leafs with the 17th pick. Several injuries have kept Lilegren from playing more than 50 regular season games in his first two AHL seasons.
That said, I still like a lot of things about him. Liljegren’s defense has improved immensely since he was drafted. Unfortunately, his offense has been a bit of a sacrificial lamb in that regard. Liljegren still has potential as a puck mover. I like what he does in transition.
Liljegren should be a second-pairing defenseman, but he’s not going to be the offensive powerhouse people thought he would be when he was drafted.
1. Rasmus Sandin
Acquired: 2018 first-round pick
Age: 19
Position: Defense
Stats: 44 games, 6 goals, 22 assists, 28 points, 13 postseason games, 10 points (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
Rasmus Sandin has flourished since being drafted by the Maple Leafs. His 0.636 points per game last season is the highest all-time among any 18-year-old in the AHL with at least 10 games played. Sandin quickly became one of the Marlies’ most trusted defenseman, even if he was a bit sheltered at first.
He’s not big, as he’s just 5’11”. However, Sandin is an excellent skater who excels at getting the puck and getting it up the ice. He still needs to work on his coverages in the defensive zone, but he showed a ton of improvement there last season. On offense, Sandin is a force to be reckoned with.
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With all the injuries to the Leafs’ blue line, he could be given an extended look at training camp. If that’s the case, Sandin could make it extremely difficult to send him down.