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Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 10 prospects entering 2019

By Dave Stevenson

LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 13: Look on Toronto Marlies defenceman Rasmus Sandin (8) at warm-up before the Toronto Marlies versus the Laval Rocket game on November 13, 2018, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 13: Look on Toronto Marlies defenceman Rasmus Sandin (8) at warm-up before the Toronto Marlies versus the Laval Rocket game on November 13, 2018, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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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.

  1. Must be younger than 25 years old as of October 1, 2019
  2. 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.

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