Adam Brooks – McKeen's Hockey

GERMANY: 2024-25 Hockey season kicks off!

Chapin Landvogt — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:30:36 +0000

Veit Oswald of Germany during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Photo: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN / COP 89 / MI0591

The 24-25 season has been starting up across pro and junior leagues throughout Germany this past week. And we’re as excited as can be about some of the stories that should be unfolding on the prospect scene throughout the season.

One of key stories we’ll be following this season revolves around the DEL’s most successful clubs the past decade, the Munich Red Bulls. Aside from opening up a new arena, which will be the most modern in all of Europe, the team was one of the least active on the international market despite acquiring recent AHLer Adam Brooks and former NHLer - and cog in the German ice hockey scene - Tobias Rieder, who’ll be making his DEL debut. The underlying story is that the team appears to ready to double down on its intentions of bringing along internally developed U23 players such as goaltender Simon Wolf (20), defensemen Sten Fischer (21) and Jakob Weber (20), and forwards Filip Varejcka (23), Quirin Bader, Nikolaus Heigl (both 21), and Veit Oswald (20), who was the DEL’s shooting star last winter.

Oswald also proved to be a bit of a surprise seeing as how season’s such as the one he had have often led to getting drafted. It didn’t, but it did ultimately lead to him being invited to Toronto’s summer development camp. With a set role in a team filled with renewed championship ambitions, it still needs to be denoted that Oswald won’t turn 21 until August of 2025, so his draft eligibility is not yet a thing of the past.

And when one considers how similar his season was last year to the final season JJ Peterka had for the same club before jumping to the AHL, there’s probably no-one in the organization who’ll be more excited about the new arena’s opening night festivities, which will feature a match-up against Peterka’s Buffalo Sabres.

This all said, we’ve viewed goaltender Wolf as one of the most hidden goaltending talents in Europe in recent years and as things are now, he has a very good shot of sliding in as the team’s back-up goaltender, a move his pro play in the AlpsHL to date has supported. Could he become the next Arno Tiefensee?

Draftees

Speaking of which, naturally piquing our interest is what the season has in store for draft picks Kevin Bicker (DET), Hakan Hänelt (WAS), Nikita Quapp (CAR), and yes, Tiefensee (DAL). Of the three, Tiefensee is by far the most established and backed his surprisingly effective overage draft season with a 19-13 record and 2.43 GAA as the verified number 1 in goal for Mannheim last season, kicking that latter stat up a bit 2.32 in 7 playoff games. His upward trend is thoroughly expected to continue this season and on the whole, he’s in an ideal developmental spot for a player taken with a later round selection.

As for Bicker, Hänelt, and Quapp, all three are in more unique situations. For Bicker, this is Year 2 of his (probably rushed) DEL career, which saw him gather all of 3 points in 41 games last season before a leg injury ended his season prematurely. Bicker’s game is built on speed and after showing off his wares adequately at the WJC, he’s entering this year not only with a more prominent role in store for Frankfurt, but also the responsibility of being a go-to driver for this winter’s WJC. Hänelt’s great success last season was in actually getting through the season without any major physical setbacks. Otherwise, his 3 points in 40 games were nothing to write home about and he would need to make a big splash this season to re-garner a slot on the radar of prospect viability, as he’s quickly become an afterthought.

The 6’4” Quapp, on the other hand, is entering his first true DEL season after going 11-14 with a 2.63 GAA and .920 SV% in the DEL2 last season, decent numbers for a team that is among the most financially restricted in that respective league. He’ll now back up Norwegian international Henrik Haukeland, where he’ll have little competition entering the season. Furthermore, his Düsseldorf squad is itself among the most financially strapped in the DEL, meaning they’ll be counting on him as no less than a solid number 2 in net, with fire hydrant style responsibility if things sour. That’s how the season may have to kick off after Haukeland was injured in the most recent test game and is doubtful to be back in time for the opener.

U20 players

Unlike its European counterparts in Sweden, Finland, and even the Czech Republic, the number of players aged 17-19 who see ice time in the DEL can usually be counted on one hand during any given season. This leaves us wondering about the fates of a handful of youngsters who have been signed by DEL teams, unknowing what’s on dock for them. About the most fascinating thing that could happen on this front is seeing Dustin Willhöft (MAN), David Lewandowski (DUS), and Mateu Späth (CLG) wiggle their way into DEL action this season, hopefully even a (semi-)regular shift. That’s the kind of thing talents such as these tend to do in the aforementioned countries, even at the age of 17.

But there are a few more we’ll be watching closely. Edwin Tropmann (COL) was a top prospect heading into last season, as was Paul Mayer (MAN). And while Mayer saw DEL action and then finished the season with a fairly regular shift in the DEL2 - showing little statwise at either station - Tropmann’s early-season injury threw him out of the loop almost completely. We recently saw him playing this summer for the nation’s U20 team and he looked like he was getting back to form as the team’s top defenseman. These two defensemen are on the outside looking in with their DEL clubs, but both are strong likelihoods at one of the other two levels of pro hockey and should each be locks for the WJC team.

So, what will come of 6’7”, 207-pound defenseman Rio Kaiser in his draft year? He already got into 20 pro games (3 at the DEL level) this past season while being “Okay” at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer. He’s already played both of Berlin’s Champions Hockey League games, so he’s getting a look. And that size just does not grow on trees. A very similar scenario has set in for 5’7” Alexander Vladelchtchikov with Bremerhaven, a defenseman who looked like he might be all the rage back when he was 14. A strong DNL season last year finally earned the 19-year-old a DEL contract with Bremerhaven, a team that has traditionally had problems bringing in younger German talent. But even among draft-eligible defenseman, he has overager Rayan Bettahar ahead of him, a player who lost a good portion of last season to a broken jaw when he was cheap-shotted after making a thundering open-ice check. He has been getting long looks in the preseason. Chances are that Vladelchtchikov will see time in the DEL2 instead, where he recently got his first pro league assist.

Two more players we had on our draft radar not too long ago were defender Lua Niehus of Frankfurt and forward Linus Brandl of Straubing, both now 19. Heading into last season, much was expected of each but Niehus got into injury trouble while Brandl found himself basically being a 13th forward for Landshut in the DEL2. Both were part of Germany’s WJC entry, but Brandl’s role was that of an extra forward while Niehus’ tournament was already over after one game. The skill levels each possess were never really in question until last season, when the expectations proved to clearly be overwhelming, with Brandl’s skating weaknesses proving to be damning while Niehus’ 5’9”, 160-pound body just wasn’t up to the physical task. Will both or either take the next step already this season? Barring injury, you’ll see both at the WJC.

Getting long in the prospect tooth is former Rögle prospect, forward Roman Kechter (20), who was wonderful for Nuremberg last season, collecting 17 points and +1 rating over 42 games. He also captained the U20 team after having captained the U18 team in 2022. We mention him here because he’s finding himself in a situation with a low-budget team where he’ll be fully expected to carry the load of a top 9 forward and see situational ice time in what could be a lot of hard scenarios. In fact, there’s likely not a 20-year-old in the league who’ll have a more concrete regular shift and responsibility than Kechter. And it’ll bear watching.

What we can also say is that particularly Düsseldorf, Iserlohn, and Nuremberg look bound to make use of plenty of U23 players, with a good handful being under 20. Particularly forwards Lenny Boos (17) in Düsseldorf, Max Brunner (18) in Iserlohn, and defenseman Max Merkl (18) are players who bring above-average skill sets to the table (by German standards) and each was a cog in seeing the U18 team gain promotion this past spring. With Boos being the son of a long-time DEL pro, Brunner having spent the past two seasons in Sweden, and Merkl already the author of 15 DEL appearances in his young career, it’s not unreasonable to think each will see some DEL action this season. A breakthrough by any could earn draft consideration.

UFAs to be?

The league will also feature a number of young players we feel continue to be of interest to NHL teams under the right circumstances. Defenseman Colin Ugbekile (22) and Leon Hüttl (23) top that list on the defensive front. Each has established himself as an up-n-comer in the national team and each is an absolute cog on his team’s blueline, contributing value in all three zones. Ugbekile even became a power play specialist last season, putting up 12 goals and 33 points. Cologne’s goaltender, Tobias Ancicka (23), finally established himself as a DEL starter last season, going 23-15 with a 2.51 GAA. After spending part of his junior years in Finland, this son of a former German national team member (of Czech descent) is finally turning promise into results and will play for a Sharks team that has as much pressure as anyone to perform this season, seeing as how it has the best attendance in Europe and few championships to show for it.

His teammate Justin Schütz (24), a former draft pick of the Florida Panthers, put up a league-leading 30 goals in 55 games last season. Snubbed from the national team before the Men’s WC, it’s safe to say that he’ll be looking to verify last season’s results with a renewed push towards an NHL contract. At the same time, there’s probably not a German player in the league who has the wheels, hockey IQ, and hands of Wojciech Stachowiak, a 25-year-old forward who saw his stats drop a wee bit in DEL play last season, but then went 2-7-9 in 8 WC games in the Czech Republic. It’s difficult imagining a player with his drive and overall package not getting a look in North America at some point. There’s simply too much hustle there.

It wasn’t too long ago that we spilled some words in favor of now 22-year-old forwards Alexander Blank, Danjo Leonhardt, and former OHLer Josh Samanski. All three will be taking on even bigger roles for their teams, with Blank fighting relegation from the get-go while the latter two will be aiming for a top 4 spot in the league with their Straubing Tigers. And while Blank continues to see his game grow into that of a playmaker, there were times last year where we found ourselves thinking that it won’t be long until Leonhardt’s 13 goals turn into 25. He’s certainly got the surrounding cast for it this year. Neither is as entrenched in their team’s plans as Samanski is, who is on the fast track to a more stable spot in the national team. The 6’6” forwards skates like he’s 5 inches shorter and broke through last season with 12 goals and 33 points. It’s going to be hard for the NHL not to take notice if 40+ points and WC appearance ends up being in the cards for him this season.

Sticking with the Tigers, goaltender Florian Bugl (6’1”, 187 pounds) has really been nothing short of spectacular the past few seasons. He’s now 22 and although long thought to be ahead of Dallas’ Arno Tiefensee, hasn’t been drafted. But he’s put up 17-8 and then 15-8 records the past two seasons and even got into 3 of his team’s 6 playoff games last season. He once again has a veteran North American goaltender to share duties with, but with his Straubing Tigers now in the Champions Hockey League and fully expected to be a top 4 club in the DEL again, there’s no reason to believe he’ll see fewer starts than he has to date as “spreading the wealth” will be part of the goaltending ice time plan.

DEL2

As wonderful as it is to theorize about possible draftees getting their feet wet in the DEL, it’s the second tier DEL2 that plays a much more significant role for the development of draftable youngsters. There’s usually more ice time to go around and teams are regularly looking for cheaper options for lower line roles. In addition, there’s a U23 role in place that downright requires the team to suit up a certain number of players 22 or younger for every game. We even expect many of the names listed above to more likely find themselves taking shifts here rather than the DEL as just about every DEL team has an affiliate in the lower ranks to whom they send their most promising youngsters.

The most prominent parking stations are Munich’s affiliate Kaufbeuren and Berlin’s affiliate Lausitz. These teams usually have some of the smaller league budgets, but see their rosters pepped up with youngsters the DEL teams acquire or bring up through their own junior programs. This year, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Kaufbeuren samples Jakob Peukert (D/18), Fabian Nifosi (D/20), Leon Sivic (F/20), and Jonas Fischer (F/19). The same is true for Lausitz with respect to the aforementioned Kaiser (D/17), Marlon Braun (D/20), Nils Elten (D/21), and Filip Ziesche (F/19). If we’re lucky, Linus Vieillard (G/18) will already be up to the task, as we’d like nothing more than to see him force his way into WJC consideration. He’s been slyly good wherever he’s played to date.

While at it, Nico Pertuch (19) is looking like the frontrunner for the spot as Germany’s #1 at the WJC and he spent all of last season as the back-up in Ravensburg. That role - including more ice time - is all but certain this season, so he’ll be a name to follow closely. We’ve liked him since he was 17, but the 6’2”, 212-pounder really took some major steps last season and shows some impressive mental fortitude.

As far as players are concerned who were already in scout’s notebooks this past summer and who could certainly gain overage drafting consideration with a strong winter are Kassel’s Clemens Sager and Weiden’s Elias Pul, both forwards. A north/south player with some moxy, Sager has a penchant for being very involved in board work while smart enough to compliment skill players of any sort. His team is a heavy favorite for the DEL2 championship and with that, promotion to the DEL. Will he get the ice time we’d hope for on such a loaded squad? That’s something we won’t really need to be asking with respect to league newbie Weiden, which has plucked the solid two-way Pul from the Red Bull Juniors program and looks ready to force-feed him with DEL2 minutes. He’ll need to adjust to bigger and better opponents, but if the talent and overall wherewithal we’ve come to know from him truly speak of his package, then he could be turning a lot of heads by season’s end.

DNL

At the nation’s top junior level, Landshut was the surprise victor last spring, coming back from being down 2-0 in the series against powerhouse Berlin to come out on top with a 3-2 Best-of-Five victory, much of that success on the backs of forwards Tobias Schwarz and Simon Seidl. The two not only lead the way offensively throughout the playoffs, but also got into several dozen DEL2 games as well as a starring role in the D1A U18 Worlds, where Germany went 5-0 in gaining promotion back into the elite group. With DEL contracts in their pockets (Straubing), the sky's the limit for the duo, which is expected to spend most the season back in the DEL2, but should be about a lock for Germany at the WJC.

This DNL season will nonetheless be one that is all about redemption for traditional powerhouse Mannheim, a program that will host one of the biggest storylines coming out of Germany, a young man we’ve been talking about for a bit now named Max Penkin. We’re not going to hold back in saying that he’s the most dynamic forward prospect coming out of Germany since Tim Stützle. That’s the trajectory at this point. Now, Mannheim started slowly out of the gates last season and found itself on the outside looking in once the initial qualification round concluded after just 14 games, placing the team in a B group that would battle to retain the class and thus, out of championship contention.

This hiccup surely will be a thing of the past and many of the reasons could be seen at the Eli Palfreyman Memorial Invitational in Canada at the conclusion of August. There, fans were able to see Penkin’s exploits. To clarify, Penkin is a 15-year-old who is first eligible for the 2027 draft. He dominated the U17 league last season and is set to be a go-to figure already this year, maybe even getting a look at the pro level. He is that intriguing and he’s actually so young that he had to gain “Exceptional Status” to be permitted to play at the DNL level already this season.

But fans at the tournament above were also able to see several other players who’ll look to be draft topics next summer, namely crafty tiny tot Dustin Willhöft, defenseman Nick Mahler, and dynamic twins Gustavs and Rihards Griva, originally from Latvia. We’re also excited to see what 18-year old overager Nikita Zhvanov (Tschwanow) will be able to do after a shortened 23-24 season saw him put up 28 points in 33 games and another 9 (and +9) in 18 games for 3rd league pro team Heilbronn.

Along with Mannheim, the usual suspects are expected to throw their hats into the championship picture, namely Berlin and Cologne. And with Germany back with the big boys at the U18 level, the DNL will continue to hold great importance as the provider of what will likely be over 50% of the team come next April. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer once again saw Germany overwhelmed at times, but a 2-1 victory over Finland was huge for the program and a placement game loss to Switzerland saw a wonderful effort by Germany tossed down the tubes with a late breakdown.

With that in mind, some of the most exciting DNL names to follow this year are those of Maxim Schäfer, Elias Schneider, Tom Fitschen, Moritz Kretschmar (all Berlin), Tobin Brandt, Noah and Marco Münzenberger (both roughly 6’4” and no confirmed relation to Edmonton prospect Luca), Matthias Pape, Max Ziergiebel (all Cologne), Niclas Focks, Konstantin Redinger, Tim Schütz (all Krefeld), Peukert (Kaufbeuren), and Fabio & Timo Kose (Regensburg).

Following the DNL this year will be about focussing on what talent forces its way onto the U18 roster. If any come into WJC consideration, then we’re talking about an exception of sorts as Coach Abstreiter rarely strays from his eldest options, most of whom have pro or CHL experience under their belts.

But to be clear, we’re here to see just how far Penkin can take his prospect star at this early stage in his career. He’s got 3 points in the loaded team’s first 5 games.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 20:59:20 +0000

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 13: Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers on January 13, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Sean Couturier

What the Flyers get out of Sean Couturier will be their x-factor. Their workhorse center was limited to only 29 games after a back injury and subsequent surgery ended his season. He was having a tough year even before that, scoring only 7 points at five-on-five despite playing in a top-line role with Giroux and Konecny. In a normal year, he gives the Flyers a chance to win every game with how effective he is at driving the bus against top matchups, bringing the rest of the team along with him. Last year was a normal year for him in the play-driving department, but he didn’t have the scoring to back it up. The concern for Philly now is what is Couturier’s “new normal.” Is a guy who has played through a lot of injuries and last year was his most serious to date. Some players heal from back surgery, but it can also derail careers. Couturier plays a less physically demanding game than most shutdown center, so it’s possible that he can get back to his old self. Entering the first year of an eight-year contract, the Flyers future rests on his shoulders.

Kevin Hayes

It’s hard to think of a player who had a tougher season than Kevin Hayes. Between the tragic passing of his brother in the off-season and undergoing two abdominal surgeries the previous year, he was a guy everyone was rooting for. Unfortunately, he spent more time on the IR than on the ice yet again, this time with an infection in his groin that had to be drained. With the Flyers in rebuild mode, they’re hoping he can be a good leader for some of the new talent coming in and that he can return his 2019-20 form. While never a star, Hayes was a good goal-scorer and played an important role in bolstering the Flyers transition game. He was excellent at using his big body to create space for guys like Farabee and Konecny and getting them the puck with some space. With three core muscle procedures, it’s uncertain if he can play that type of workload again, but he remains the Flyers best option at 2C for the time being.

Joel Farabee

Two seasons were all the Flyers needed to see to make Joel Farabee part of their core, signing him to a six-year deal before the start of last season. To say it was rocky would be an understatement. He started the year off with a bang, scoring in his first three games and followed it up with a stretch of having only one goal through American Thanksgiving (about 14 games) before going on another three-game streak where he found the back of the net. The rest of the year followed a similar patter, scoring in bunches and going dormant for a stretch of 10+ games. It’s not that different than most goal-scorers, but the concern with Farabee is that there’s no shot volume or chance creation to back it up. He’s the type who will score a lot of tap-in goals or create off turnovers, so he’s more prone to streaks like this than others. He made improvements as a passer, but the Flyers will be hoping for more consistency out of him next year. Unfortunately, he will be recovering from neck surgery to start the year and won’t be available until November at the earliest.

James van Riesmdyk

Once the master of making skilled plays in front of the net, van Riemsdyk still has something to offer as a scoring winger. The way that he creates offense might be a little one-dimensional as a rebound hound, but JVR’s always brought a strong game away from the puck. One of the better forecheckers in the league while he was in his prime and someone who can help kill the clock while playing with a lead. Surprisingly led the Flyers in goals last year with a meager 24 tallies, nine of them coming on the power play, and was one of the few players who gave them some form of consistency. He plays the type of game where he’s easy to slide onto any line and give you decent results, which makes him an intriguing trade option while he’s in the final year of his contract. The Flyers are in a position to pump up his value if this is the route they want to go, as he was one of the few guys who produced on a terrible power play last year and will always score a healthy amount of goals because he creates so many chances from close range. Pairing him with a great passer or a strong territorial line could fetch Philadelphia a decent return come March.

Travis Konecny

Figuring out Travis Konecny’s ceiling will be an important part of the Flyers next chapter. Not even three years ago, he looked like a player who could regularly score 20+ goals and be one of the better right-wingers in the league. The past two seasons he has scored 27 total goals in 129 games, stuck in a major shooting percentage rut last year. There were parts of Konecny’s game that stayed consistent, as he still has the wheels to gain the zone and create off the rush like he used to. The shot volume is there, but the chance creation isn’t as high quality as it used to be. Part of it might be not having Claude Giroux by his side, as the two had great chemistry with stretch plays to get Konecny rush chances with speed. He had to alter his game a bit the past year, moving to a line with Sean Couturier or Scott Laughton and acting as more of a playmaker. Konecny had trouble getting space to shoot on his own, but his passing still gives him some high-end skill. He made the most out of a revolving door of linemates last year, leading the Flyers in assists and showing that he isn’t just a guy who can score off the rush. His play has been inconsistent the past two years, but he started to look like a guy who can drive his own line without an elite talent to supplement him. He should be the Flyers top offensive option behind Couturier next year.

Scott Laughton

A solid middle-six forward who won’t move the needle but keep the dial at a neutral pace when he’s out there. Laughton will have flashes of high-end skill and will go on a scoring tear from time-to-time, but for the most part he’s just a steadying presence who will work hard and stick to his assignments. The Flyers depend on him more than his statline suggests, as he has spent a lot of time alongside Kevin Hayes and James van Riemsdyk the past couple of years with some special teams’ time on top of that. He had to pick up a lot of slack with Couturier out last year, used all over the lineup and he eventually found some chemistry with Travis Konency. The two connected on some great deflection plays and injected some life into the Flyers offense for a brief spell. Like for most of his career, it was just a brief spell for Laughton and a head injury in early March all but ended his season. With new forwards coming into the fold, Laughton will likely slide into more of a pure third line role, but he is the type coaches will move up if the one of the top lines needs a spark.

Owen Tippett

It might not feel like it, but Owen Tippett is entering his third NHL season, albeit the first one where he actually has an opening night lineup spot penciled in. He showed in Florida that he isn’t afraid to shoot the puck and can command the offensive zone when he’s out there. The ability to score at the NHL level, however, is another story. He is currently stuck on 18 career goals in 115 games. He showed some improvement last year getting to the 10-goal mark but still leaving some goals on the table relative to how much offense he creates in volume. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a prospect who scored from distance at lower levels, but him taking the next step would go along way for the Flyers rebuild. If he doesn’t, he’s still a solid winger and having a guy in your lineup who can create chances is still a plus. Injuries should keep him in the Flyers lineup come training camp, but he is more of a sleeper pick for being an impact player next year.

Cam Atkinson

One of John Tortella’s trusty horses from the Blue Jackets, Cam Atkinson was an early fan-favorite for the Flyers last year. He got off to a roaring start with six goals in his first seven games, which summed up how most of the season went for him as it was a tale of peaks and valleys. He scored only twice in November but responded well after that. He was the most reliable player on the Flyers for offense and all-around play during the doldrums of the season, tallying 28 points in 32 games from December through February. He ended the season on a tough note with only 5 goals in his last 21 games and recorded only 3 assists in his last 12. On the whole, it was a solid bounce-back year for the former Jackets sniper, although the process of getting there was a little rocky. He’s a shoot-first player and that’s not going to change but carrying so much of a workload for the Flyers seemed to wear on him as the season went on. You can usually count on his line to be on the right side of the goal and scoring chance battle and that fell off dramatically as the season went on. Inconsistent linemates from trades and injuries along with becoming a “go-to” guy at 33 years of age will do that. He should be a fixture in the Flyers lineup and is one of their more proven goal-scorers along with van Riemsdyk.

Morgan Frost

There were reasons to be excited about Morgan Frost’s potential heading into 2021. He showed flashes of becoming a future top-six player in his brief stint with the Flyers two years ago, showing a great knack for the details of the game as well as being a great playmaker. Shoulder surgery prematurely ended his 2021 season, and he didn’t make the Flyers out of training camp to start last year. Called up in late November, the former first round pick had an okay start centering a line with Cam Atkinson and Joel Farabee, getting on the scoresheet and looking like the guy they saw back in late 2019. As the season went on and the Flyers struggles continued, Frost became more of just another guy than a difference maker. Not doing anything bad but struggling to standout. Part of that is being relegated to a more of a grind line role and the other is just him struggling to translate his high-end skill to the pace of the game. They go hand-in-hand when you’re a player like Frost whose best skill is his passing and vision. It’s tough to setup any plays when the puck is always in the corner or you’re chasing the game. He’s an interesting puzzle piece for John Tortorella. There’s a lot of raw skill with Frost and encouraging him to lead the play a little more and use the tools that got him drafted could go a long way to him sticking around at the NHL level.

DEFENSE

Tony DeAngelo

Given yet another chance to turn his career around, DeAngelo’s one-year deal with the Hurricanes appeared to do just that. He quarterbacked a power play that was top-third in the league for most of the year and earned a promotion to the team’s top defense pair with Jaccob Slavin after a couple months. It was a good setup for him with Slavin handling most of the work along the boards and DeAngelo just needing to read the play and jump in when he needed to. It allowed him to play to his strengths and spend more time in the offensive zone, an area where he’s very proficient. That said, it also showed his limitations. He’s a smaller defenseman who doesn’t handle forecheck pressure well and his passive nature in the defensive zone left him open to some blown assignments and misreads. The hope is that his talents on offense would outweigh the bad and that he could keep his emotions in check, which he did up until the playoffs when the games got tougher. The Flyers will have a more difficult time utilizing DeAngelo in the same role unless Provorov has a rebound season. There is a lot he can do for a power play that will be restructured this year, but they aren’t as well-equipped to play him top-pair minutes and his five-on-five impact will take a hit. DeAngelo was able to coast for most of the year in Carolina and he won’t have that luxury with the Flyers.

Ivan Provorov

There are tough minutes and then there is playing top-pairing minutes on a struggling team. Provorov fell into that class, playing his usual 24-25 minutes a night and going through the motions once the Flyers fell into a rut. At the age of 25, he has a career’s worth of miles on his tires and his level of play usually follows the rest of the team. When the Flyers are good, Provorov’s an effective, mobile top-pair defenseman who does a little of everything for you. When the team is struggling, he has a hard time helping the team dictate the play. It might speak to his own limitations as a player that even if he has the conditioning to play heavy minutes, he doesn’t have the skillset to carry the defense on his back. Provorov still does a lot of things well and skates better than most forwards, but his game is a little more reactionary now. He’s more effective at angling off forwards into a corner than going for the poke-check at the line. He can make safe plays out of the zone to mitigate damage but gets knocked off the puck more often now when retrieving dump-ins. The mistakes added up more than they used to, and the Flyers plans to supplement him were foiled with Ryan Ellis’ injury problems. He will be the most interesting player to watch under the new coaching staff, as John Tortorella and Brad Shaw have a great track record with defensemen and will find a way to take some of the burden in the d-zone off Provorov.

Travis Sanheim

One of the few players on the Flyers who objectively had a good year and the only Flyer defenseman to post a positive on-ice goal differential. Sanheim’s accomplishments last year might not seem like a big deal, but it was a big development for the Flyers in what was as tumultuous year. Having a player who didn’t let the team’s struggles drag down his own game is a big deal for a rebuilding team and potentially gives them a building block. Sanheim has more of a “jack of all trade” skillset by the eye but had more moments where he could drag the Flyers back into a game with a great rush or a pass to setup a scoring chance. The downside for the Flyers is that they already signed him to a two-year deal that will take him to UFA status after this season, giving them huge decision to make. You’d figure Sanheim would figure into their long-term plans. He showed last year that he can drive play and bounce-back in a tough environment, but with three defensemen already making over $5 mil., things start to get dicey. As good as Sanheim is, he doesn’t produce a lot of points and that could work in the Flyers favor as far as a new contract goes. Seeing if he can repeat his success from last year will likely be the deciding factor on if he’s part of the Flyers long-term plans.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Ristolainen’s first season as a Flyer was similar to his many years as a Sabre. Poor underlying numbers mixed with a wide range of opinions on his play from observers. Casted in more of a pure defensive role, Ristolainen acted as a safety valve for Travis Sanheim, not used on the power play and staying high in the zone instead of pinching for offense. It’s a little different from his peak years, as Buffalo got a lot of mileage out of him on the power play, an area of the game he thrived in. With the Flyers, he almost never touched the puck and if he did, it was gone within a second. His job was to throw hits and protect the front of the net. Whether or not he did that depends on who you ask but the Flyers saw enough to want to keep him around for five more years, re-signing him around the trade deadline despite interest from other teams. Shutdown defensemen come in all forms and players who throw their weight around like Ristolainen are still highly regarded in hockey circles. It gets magnified when they’re casted in a pure defensive role and you see a lot of good mixed with bad. Some might see Ristolainen putting himself out of position to throw a big hit or chasing a mistake, others might laud him for his willingness to play physical. Tortorella’s been one to value players like him (see Dan Girardi and David Savard) so he should continue to get heavy defensive usage in Philly next year.

GOALTENDING

Carter Hart

There might be no goaltender in the NHL being asked to do more with less than Philadelphia’s Carter Hart. The Flyers, who have struggled for years to establish a consistent baseline in net, responded to a lackluster third year in the league for Hart by adding a struggling reclamation project in Martin Jones in 2021-22 – then thanked Hart for a moderate statistical bounce-back by walking Jones in free agency and failing to replace him with just a month and change left before opening night.

The woes aren’t entirely the team’s fault, as there was little way to predict that Russian-born prospect goaltender Ivan Fedotov would be detained by the Russian military and hospitalized after being sent to a remote detention center. Still, it’s hard once again to piece together what the Flyers are hoping for as they enter the 2022-23 campaign offering Hart no backup outside of prospect Felix Sandstrom. Hart’s game is based on a foundation that sees the Canadian netminder operate from a central reset position, hinging out to challenge shots as they approach but returning to a consistent and established ‘home base’ once the action has died down. That makes it hard to feel overly confident that he can regain his form, which relies on accuracy and precision to go with predictive tracking over reactionary movements, when being asked to provide high-volume reps behind a team that still hasn’t managed to right the ship. If he can’t start off the year with his technique in top form, he’ll be trying to fix his game from a tougher position if he doesn’t have reinforcements. The good news, though, is that the vote of confidence the team is clearly giving him with their current goaltending depth offerings could be the catalyst he needs to shake off the goalie ‘twistys’ he seemed to suffer during his last few years. It’s too early to write off what Philadelphia is trying to do – even if it’s also too early to applaud it, per se.

Projected starts: 60-65

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – RANK: #23 – TIER IV

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:08:29 +0000

Toronto Maple Leafs

#23 Toronto - A three man draft class hurts, as the Toronto system thins out. They still have three notables (Robertson, Amirov, Niemela), but the rest is low end and/or far from the NHL. To their credit, the Leafs had a lot more players in competition for the last few spots in the top 15 than many other organizations.

Rodion Amirov of Russia skates during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Russia and Sweden on December 30, 2020 in Edmonton.
Photo: Andy Devlin / BILDBYRÅN

Nick Robertson

A knee injury really derailed Robertson’s 2020/21 season. After breaking camp with the Leafs and looking like a potential top nine contributor as a rookie, he was injured only a few minutes into his season debut. Upon returning, he spent the majority of the year in the AHL with the Marlies (able to be assigned there due to the OHL hiatus). There is no denying Robertson’s talent and potential, but the mounting injuries at the pro level have to be concerning given his style of play and lack of size.

Given the cap crunch the Leafs are currently under, Robertson’s development this upcoming season has to be considered one of the most critical components to a successful season. They need him to contribute on his ELC salary, and he certainly is capable of that. An electric goal scorer, Robertson’s quick feet allow him to bring so much energy to the ice, and he consistently sniffs out scoring chances. The issue being that his injuries thus far, coupled with a lack of strength, have prevented him from playing the kind of aggressive game that he played in the OHL. He needs to play this way to be successful. After brother Jason was a Calder candidate last year, following a breakout campaign, the hope is that Nick can follow in his footsteps and establish himself as a full time NHL player this year. No question, he has the talent to be a consistent 30-goal scorer in the NHL. - BO

Rodion Amirov

Amirov's skillset and scoring talents were never in much doubt, as those were the main reasons why the Maple Leafs had selected him in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft. This past season he started showing that those work well on the KHL level too. With that being said, one would refrain from calling last season a good one for Amirov, as he was pretty inconsistent and far from being called an all-around player at the KHL level. To add to that, Amirov's World Juniors performance also raised some questions, as he disappeared right in the most important knockout stage games.

Amirov has signed with the Maple Leafs, but it was already announced that next season he will spend on loan with his home KHL team of Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Unfortunately, he was recently injured in a KHL exhibition game and will miss the start of the season with an arm injury. The task for the next season should be pretty clear for him once he gets healthy: he needs to work on becoming a more consistently well-rounded player. With respect to his skill and goal scoring abilities, those things alone likely will not get him to the NHL. Still early in his development, these improvements are not only achievable, but likely. His combination of speed and skill should make him a Top nine forward for the Leafs within the next few seasons. - VF

Topi Niemela

Not long after a stellar performance for Team Finland in the WJC, Niemela took a hard and awkward hit in the corner of a league game and with that, his season was over. Well, not exactly, as he got into a couple of games in April, but a young player trending in the perfect direction was shelved. His 28 total games played on the season isn’t a great means of judging his progress, but unlike normal seasons, last year 28 games were more than most prospects were able to get. A fine skater who plays with a very high panic threshold, Niemela is afforded an extra beat to see how the play could develop and make a better play out of it.

The main concern about his profile at this point is his lack of size, which some might allow to color their opinion on injury-susceptibility, especially given what we saw him go through this season. Even if there is truth to that opinion, he was named the best defenseman at the WJC for cause. Niemela’s abilities in the offensive side of the game – before even accounting for his right-handed shooting – give him top three upside, and he has a history of earned trust in defensive situations as well. Assuming a healthy upcoming season, Niemela should be expected to sign with Toronto in the spring, and debut in the NHL by 2023-24. - RW

Roni Hirvonen

One of several recent promising picks out of Finland for Toronto, Hirvonen had a strong post-draft season in a return to Liiga, playing more assertively with the puck and without, while also playing a key role on a Bronze Medal winning Team Finland at the WJC. He fits a profile that has long found success with the Maple Leafs, that being the smaller forward who plays large, repeatedly putting himself in harm’s way to make a play, and ultimately producing above what you might expect based on his tools. His low center of gravity helps in the former area, as he can avoid being knocked down as easily as most with his measurements.

As for his production, it comes from his vision, and ability to read opponents quickly, so he can capitalize on their mistakes before they even realize that a mistake has been made. He likes playing behind the net to best take advantage of that skill. As an intelligent playmaker, he should not be expected to score a ton himself, but his progress will be recognized by him playing a more central play-driving role for his team in the coming two years. He recently moved from Assat to powerhouse HIFK, on a two-year deal, where the stronger teammates should both push his own game forward and give him a better shot of seeing his efforts rewarded. Hirvonen has middle six upside on the ice, and fan favorite status off of it. - RW

Timothy Liljegren

Liljegren has been in the AHL for four seasons straight and should become an NHL regular defenseman in the upcoming season. The Maple Leafs´ prospect looked really well with the Marlies and should be ready for the next step. Liljegren didn't get much love from the Leafs´ fans, but he is expected to make the team, even if he was to start as the 7^th defenseman.

The Kristianstad native has been praised for his puckhandling skills, skating and exceptional abilities in the offensive zone. Timothy Liljegren has always been more of an offensive defenseman and his scoring stats from the AHL prove it. Furthermore, he has improved his defensive game and should get more NHL time than he had in the past. He played a total of 13 games in the League, including two from the 2020-21 season. Liljegren is a former first round pick, who was taken by the Leafs from the 17^th place, and still has a ton of potential. He is an NHL-ready player who should find a spot in the best league in the world. If he is given a chance, he will be on a very good path to become a top four defenseman in the NHL. There are question marks about his game; he still needs to improve the defensive side of the game and it is not certain he will translate his great AHL performances into the NHL. However, the potential is still there and Liljegren should expect an NHL spot soon. His progression the last few seasons has flown under the radar. - MD

Nick Abruzzese

Not that the pandemic was good for anyone (it really wasn’t), but the year wasn’t as bad as it could have been for Abruzzese. In his third year of draft eligibility, he led the USHL in scoring, and garnered enough NHL attention to hear his name called by Toronto in the fourth round. Looking to prove that his age 19 season was no fluke, he proceeded to Harvard and led his conference (ECAC) in scoring, taking home a bushel-full of awards in the process. On the downside, to his fantastic freshman campaign, he tore the labrum in his hip and underwent surgery in the offseason. He had been hoping to be able to return to game action around March of 2021, but Harvard – along with the entire contingent of Ivy League schools – elected to cancel all winter sports in light of the global pandemic. So Abruzzese was granted the chance to rehabilitate from the surgery without the pressure rushing things to get back on the ice.

An incredibly cerebral player with a real gift for creating scoring chances, he was trending to an unlikely Cinderella story before the injury. If his recovery is complete – and there are no signs that it hasn’t been – he has a legitimate chance to develop along the lines of current Maple Leaf Alexander Kerfoot – another undersized Harvard grad who has carved out a nice middle six NHL role over the years. - RW

Michael Bunting

Development is nonlinear, a phrase that we state a lot here at McKeen’s Hockey. Michael Bunting is the perfect example of that, coming off of a breakout season at the pro level with the Arizona Coyotes. A 2014 draft selection, Bunting finally got a shot at the NHL level and finished the season with 10 goals in 21 games, in addition to a spot on Team Canada at the World Championships (where he won gold). However, as a longtime minor league player, Bunting did not play enough games at the NHL level last year to keep his RFA status. This allowed Bunting to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason, re-uniting him with his former OHL managers in Sheldon Keefe and Kyle Dubas.

Bunting has always excelled as a high energy player. He is the kind of player who never stops moving his feet in the offensive end, and as such, he is often rewarded with a lot of high-end scoring chances. With 10 goals in 21 games last year, it is clear that Bunting has found the confidence to finish off those chances at the highest level. Look for Bunting to be a jack-of-all-trades player for the Leafs this upcoming season. It is likely that we see him slot up and down the lineup, in addition to getting some secondary powerplay time as a net front presence. This could prove to be a very savvy signing by the Leafs, as Bunting looks to prove that he is more than a flash in the pan. - BO

Mikko Kokkonen

Already a veteran of close to two full seasons of men’s hockey in Finland when he was drafted, Kokkonen has since spent two more seasons in Liiga, and his overall game has grown, but his offensive production has not. At all. Yet he is still a viable prospect, and in more than a few regards, a valuable one. He will never be asked to run a power play, even if his slap shot has decent strength in a vacuum. On the other hand, he just might be asked to head up a penalty kill unit. His best puck skill is making that valuable first pass out of the zone. He isn’t the fastest skater, but his feet work well, helping his transition game, and giving him a clean change-of-direction. He brings an above-average physical presence to his defensive duties, although he doesn’t play violently, or strike fear into opposing forwards. He’s just difficult to play against.

Though he is still only 20, his lack of appreciable growth in his game over the past few years (some improvement in the areas that were already strengths, none in his relative weak spots) indicates that Kokkonen will be what he already is. A strong #4/5 defender who can play tough minutes against strong competition and keep your team in a good position. He has yet to sign an NHL contract, but there is a great chance that he will after his current two-year deal with Pelicans in Finland expires. - RW

Matthew Knies

After a point-per-game performance in 2019-20, setting him up for a lot of scouting attention in his draft year, Knies fell flat to start this year, with only two points in his first eight games. However, he did turn things around late and finished 2021 on a very high note.

Knies is a physically developed winger who makes up for average skating with excellent balance. He is a bull on the puck and very tough to dislodge from the net-front area. For as strong as he is, his hands are very soft, another beneficial trait that serves his team well in a net-front role. He can receive a pass smoothly and immediately turn the puck around into either a chance at the net, or a redirected pass to a different teammate. Spending most of his time between the hashmarks, means Knies doesn’t engage in puck battles as much as we might like, as his strength would doubtlessly serve him well there, but his combination of a strong lower half and soft hands is most effective where he is. A product of the same Phoenix Jr. Coyotes program as Arizona prospect Josh Doan, Knies moves on next year to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. His ability to avoid additional slow starts will play a role in how long his collegiate career lasts. If he can also add just a bit more explosiveness in his skating, he could project as a James van Riemsdyk type at his peak. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Veeti Miettinen

Last year’s NCHC Rookie of the Year, Miettinen started off very hot, but finished ice cold, with a single goal (no assists) in St. Cloud State’s final seven games of the year, which mostly consisted of the NCHC playoffs and the Frozen Four. He wasn’t invisible in those games, averaging around 2.2 shots on goal per game, but even that metric was notably lower than his overall seasonal numbers (2.6 shots on goal per game). Being charitable, we can attribute the fallow period as a young player showing exhaustion after his first season of North American hockey. He is still rather undersized, lacking both height and bulk.

One of the top goal scorers in Finland’s junior leagues before moving to the US for college hockey, he has a strong shot and knows how and when to release it, and he has some giddy-up to his stride as well. The Maple Leafs have no real need to push Miettinen faster than the player himself proves he needs to be pushed, but they will certainly be hoping that he takes some demonstrable steps forward this coming season. A recent sixth rounder, expectations were never high to begin with, but we felt that he was a steal at that point, and taken altogether, his first post-draft year was a positive step. One thing to be looking for is a sign that Miettinen is not a top-six-or-bust player. He may not be dynamic enough to play a premier role in the NHL, so he will need to demonstrate some bottom six utility in the next few seasons on campus. - RW

Mikhail Abramov

Abramov capped off a very successful three-year QMJHL stint with Victoriaville by leading them to a QMJHL championship last season. The shifty playmaking center not only served as captain, but he led the QMJHL playoffs in assists. Abramov will turn pro this coming season and hopefully transition seamlessly with the Marlies of the AHL.

Ty Voit

This is certainly an aggressive ranking for Voit, a recent late round selection by the Leafs. However, we at McKeen’s were pretty steadfast in our belief in him. Voit is a creative and intelligent playmaker who elevates the play of those around him. He should have a great year with Sarnia of the OHL after not playing last season.

Adam Brooks

It has been a long road to NHL playing time for the former WHL star. Now 25, this season may be Brooks’ last opportunity to secure a fulltime spot in the NHL. Brooks had never looked better than he did with the Maple Leafs late last season, and he will once again compete for a checking line role this fall. At this point, he is not only competing for a job on the Leafs’ roster, he is auditioning for the other teams in the NHL too.

Joey Anderson

Acquired from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Andreas Johnsson, Anderson was largely disappointing in his first season as part of the Toronto farm system. He has the skill and pedigree to become a high-end bottom six forward, but he is also now waivers eligible. The competition will certainly be fierce in Maple Leafs’ training camp this fall.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

Long been a polarizing player in the Leafs’ farm system, SDA (the common abbreviation utilized in the scouting community) is certainly skilled, creative, and a talented playmaker. But there have long been concerns over whether his game can adapt to the pro level in North America. He will get his chance to prove critics wrong this upcoming season with the Marlies, after playing the majority of last year in the KHL for Torpedo.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Toronto Maple Leaves Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 22:20:07 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Rangers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Nick Robertson, LW (53^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

As a draft eligible player, the physically immature Robertson had a tough time being a consistent contributor. This was especially true about his engagement level without the puck. Last year, with improved strength and conditioning, he was able to maintain that high intensity level through every shift. He has become one of the better forecheckers in the OHL, who seemed to force multiple turnovers per game due to his energy and IQ. Stronger on the puck, he also took his goal scoring ability to new heights. His shot is a weapon that can score in so many different ways. He can create his own shooting lanes with deceptive hands cutting through the middle. He can be a triggerman near the dot. His wrist shot release allows him to score from practically anywhere. Kyle Dubas has already stated that Robertson will be given every opportunity to make the Maple Leafs roster next year. However, he will need to improve his top end speed and his strength both on and off the puck in order to be able to play his game at the NHL level. He has the potential to be an impact top 6 player within a few years. – BO

Rodion Amirov, LW (15^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Amirov split his draft year between four distinct levels. The plurality of his games played were in the KHL, although his ice time there was very limited, and he had more ice time in fewer games in the MHL, Russia’s junior league, where he dominated. He demonstrates excellent skating prowess, in terms of power, lateral movement and shiftiness. He also has high end finishing ability. More than a mere offensive force, he has spent time on the penalty kill and uses his stick well defensively. Between his various levels of competition, he has played against strong competition for long enough to have a pretty good picture of who he is and what he can do. Amirov’s puck skills suggest an easy top six outcome in his prime. His hands are quick and soft. He reads the game at an advanced level, enabling him to spot avenues for scoring chances better than most. He doesn’t force plays and tries to keep things simple. He skates well, too, keeping up a healthy pace. The main concern is his underdeveloped frame. Additional muscle would give his skating stride more power while improving his stamina and assist him for puck battles. – RW

Roni Hirvonen, C (59^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

2018-19’s top U17 scorer in Finland’s top junior league and last year’s top scorer among U18 players in Liiga, where he received ample ice time, we know that Hirvonen can produce against older players. He is also a fascinating player to watch. A natural center who has spent extensive time on the wing, he is very comfortable playing up the middle in all three zones. His skating stride is inefficient, yet he gets from A-to-B quickly and plays a dynamic East-West game, spurred on by excellent edge work. On the other hand, there are no concerns about Hirvonen’s puck skills. He can cut slaloms through multiple layers of the defense with ease. Despite being undersized, he drives hard to the net when he has the puck, and when the puck is with a linemate, he installs himself on the lip of the crease creating a nuisance for the netminder. In fact, he has done well at making his presence felt in all facets of the game. I would be surprised if he does not make the Finnish WJC roster as an 18-year-old this year. He isn’t too far away from a productive middle six NHL role. – RW

Topi Niemela, D (64^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

The only 17-year-old blueliner to spend all of last season in Liiga, Niemela earned the trust of his coaches with his mature ability to read the play and his reliability off the puck. While his decision making sometimes betrayed his inexperience, he kept his head up, his feet active, and his gaps tight. A right-handed shot, his hockey IQ trails only his skating ability among his assets. He has great mobility, with a smooth and strong skating stride. He is balanced and moves very well laterally and backwards as well as his straight-ahead speed. His feet keep him in the right place at the right time. Niemela has never been a big goalscorer, but he loves to shoot the puck. He tends to sacrifice some power in order to quicken his release, but the shot are accurate and he generally gets the puck past the initial point coverage. Niemela is also a plus puck mover. His hands are quick and secure, and he is a precise passer. He has a lot of physical maturing in front of him, but projects as an all-situations middle pairing defender who can eat up a lot of minutes. – RW

Filip Hallander, LW (58^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Hallander, acquired as part of the Kasperi Kapanen trade with Pittsburgh, is coming off a season shortened due to a leg injury. He may not be that flashy, but he has good hands and is incredibly competitiveness and plays with great awareness. He can be creative on the rush, but he still needs to work on his approach when the game is standing still, as he can play impatient. Even so, he is a smart player who reads the forecheck well and seem to know where to position himself to stop an attack. Hallander is useful on both the power play and the penalty kill. On the power play, he is strong around the crease and in the slot and has been compared to Patric Hornqvist in that sense, earning significant minutes on one of the top teams in the SHL last season as a result. He is expected to spend one more season with Lulea before stepping over in 2021-22, by which time, he should be ready. He lacks elite tools but with strong poise, competitiveness, and awareness on the ice combined with the ability to play various roles he is a good bet to be impactful. – JH

Nick Abruzzese, C (124^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Abruzzese led all freshmen in scoring nationally last season. For his efforts, he was named both the ECAC and the Ivy league Rookie of the Year. He seems set to give the Maple Leafs far more value than they expended with the 2019 fourth-round pick. He has an incredibly calm demeanor, be it on the forecheck or the backcheck. He has excellent vision and can make clean passes without too many turnovers. He was often the player leading the rush although he tended to hang out around the blue line in his defensive zone and trailing on the back check, suggesting he still has work to do on his game away from the puck, although his spot on the Crimson’s first power play unit suggests that his offensive game is doing quite alright. He is a good skater and glides effortlessly up and down the ice. Abruzzese is on the smaller side, but he is not afraid to battle for the puck along the boards. While he can finish, he is fonder of dishing out the puck than of taking the shot himself. His development curve so far suggests that his game is still growing. – JS

Joey Anderson, RW (73^rd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5 [New Jersey[])

Anderson has had his ups and downs where performance is concerned and adjusting properly to the pace of the NHL game, but remains a highly likely long-term NHLer. He hasn’t yet hit the mark on the little things that turn into bigger things at the higher level. Offensively, he has talent when it comes to getting to the net and finding scoring opportunities. On the other hand, his play on the backend needs to tighten up ever so slightly to be considered for a role with more dynamic players. He will also have to find more grit and an extra gear to reach his ceiling and solidify a spot in Toronto’s crowded NHL roster. Anderson is great at capitalizing on turnovers and recognizing plays before they happen and if he can keep on adding to his hockey IQ and anticipating instead of reacting more often, his path will become clearer. With the NHL experience he already has, he may be ready to stay up with Toronto, who acquired him from New Jersey for Andreas Johnsson, but a little more AHL time could also be beneficial in the long run. - SC

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Although he was overshadowed by some of the other young defensemen on the Jukurit last year, Kokkonen’s play improved as the season went on. He is an effective distributor of the puck and can start offensive transitions with crisp and accurate long-range passes. He could be a bit more creative with the puck, but he shows poise and good offensive vision. He has a good wrist shot with a quick release and the ability to get pucks through traffic on a regular basis. He reads the game well and his positioning is solid in all three zones. He shows calculated movement as he rarely gets caught out of position. He plays a stable, if unspectacular two-way game, although his skating remains a concern. It is somewhat clunky and lacks explosiveness. He will have to improve his foot speed and lateral mobility as well. On a more positive note, he is sturdy and has good balance. Kokkonen is physically strong for his age and may be closer to a finished product than others of his level. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but he could develop into a dependable NHL defenseman on a moderate timetable. - MB

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Korshkov is a good fit as a top Leafs prospect at the moment. Not only is he a big body but he moves well, plays with a strong drive and makes his presence known on the ice. People count his size as one of his top attributes but his ability to carry the puck is actually what allows him such success in the goal scoring department. As a player coming from the KHL, Korshkov had few adjustments to make in order to keep up at top Marlies pace and earn a call up to the Leafs, even scoring in his debut. That being said, Korshkov is a good defensive player, yet he tends to be a little too cautious in his own end and is prone to standing still too long. The only time he seems motivated is when he is breaking out or with the puck on his stick, and he needs to keep in mind that hockey is a two way game and to be a top level player he will have to be good in his own end as well. Aside from that, he is both a physically and mentally mature enough player to find himself with a spot on the Leafs and frankly it would come as little surprise to see him up as an occasional second liner. The future is bright for a player as strong and hard working as Korshkov, with size, skill and a keen eye for playmaking. The Leafs would be smart to try him up more frequently this coming season. - SC

Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

With Liljegren approaching the end of his entry level contract and his best season in the with the Toronto Marlies yet, he is hopefully proving his worth when it will come to re-signing the first rounder. Although his career has not come without struggles and inconsistencies as well as a severe ankle injury that put him out for a long stretch last season, his turbulent career has proven his durability. Liljegren has grown tremendously over last season and his offensive play has grown even more to the point where he was playing both penalty kill and powerplay. He continues to carry the puck with ease and has improved his scoring chances, and he is no longer afraid to shoot and does well at getting the puck to the net. His weak spots continue to be in his own end and defending one on one during turnovers, where he desperately needs to work on his physicality in order to compete at the next level. He also needs to keep his feet moving and his eyes off the puck. Despite not making the main camp roster, look for Liljegren to show up as a bottom four defenseman should the Leafs call him up again. – SC

Veeti Miettinen, RW (168^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Born only a few days too late to have been eligible for the 2019 draft, Miettinen spent a second full season in Finland’s junior league, once again producing at elite rates, far above one point-per-game, and this time leading the Jr. A SM-liiga altogether. He is a versatile player who proved last year that he can kill penalties in addition to his offensive exploits. Miettinen’s game is well-rounded; He is a strong skater with a dangerous shot, featuring both wrist shots and snap shots. He is a fine stickhandler who utilizes his linemates well and he plays a proactive game off the puck. His primary downside at this juncture is his size. Short and lean, he doesn’t have a physical game to speak of. He is headed to North America next season to play collegiately at St. Cloud State. Because of that path, he will have plenty of time to grow accustomed to the North American game before he turns pro, where he currently projects as a reasonable third line type. – RW

Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Hollowell has been a pleasant surprise for the organization. Sure he is on the smaller side for a defenseman, measuring up at 5-10”, 170lbs, but can he ever skate. He is a dynamic skater whose smooth strides help him keep space between himself and his opponents and his passing skills help to keep him from entering danger zones with the puck or over carrying it. Hollowell still has a lot left to learn, having just completed his rookie professional season, but with any luck he will be fit to aim for a debut with the big squad next season for a game or two. That being said, once he is physically mature, look for Hollowell to be a bottom four defenseman as he already has the skill to fit in at the NHL level. His work ethic and fearlessness alone will be what helps set him apart from the rest of his defensive cohort. - SC

Filip Kral, D (149^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Kral is a steady defensive player with limited offensive upside. Last season he has shown more confidence with the puck and better decision making overall which has led to a bit of an offensive outburst. The hard shooting Czech had his best offensive production with his 12 goals and 36 assists as an overage player. He is a good skater who manages his own zone very well. He is a first pass guy but isn’t really a rush-leading defenseman. His vision and passing skills are both fine but he doesn’t ooze offensive skill. Defensively he is sound with a good control of his gaps and spacing in his own zone. He manages the cycle well despite not being an overtly physical player. His production comes from making smart, safe, fundamental hockey plays while on the ice with some lethal offensive weapons such as he had last season with Spokane. Don’t expect him to flash big production at the next level but he could fit nicely into a bottom pairing. - VG

Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

For a rookie goaltender in the AHL, Woll did fairly well considering the change of pace coming from the NCAA Boston College to the Toronto Marlies. As a younger goaltender he does tend to bite a little early when it comes to dekes but stays strong in two-on-one situations. As a big body, he moves well and his rebound control is good as he stays strong in his crease. The future is still bright though, for Woll, as he has the potential to be a starting goaltender for the Leafs in the future. He still needs to work on playing the puck better and positioning when it comes to finding ways to see past players and find the puck in scrum situations but overall he made a good adjustment to the harder shots and quicker pace of the AHL level. As far as Toronto’s system goes, Woll stands a good chance of seeing starting time in the future but as always keep in mind that goaltenders often take a longer time to develop. – SC

William Villeneuve, D (122^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

One of the top sleepers out of the QMJHL in the 2020 draft class, it may be easy to forget that he was selected second overall in the circuit’s 2018 Entry Draft. Despite his slow start to the current year, Villeneuve was the top scoring defender in the ‘Q’ last year. His game is predicated on solid decision making and finesse. A right-handed shot, he plays with poise at both ends and moves the puck soundly. He is not the most physical defender and needs to add strength in addition to his skating, which holds him back from a higher ranking as his technical efficiency is not quite matched by power or speed. The only CHL player drafted by the Leafs in 2020, He may not have the tools you look for in a power play quarterback, although his shot and puck skills will help him contribute in the offensive end. The overall game will have a chance to play at higher levels. – RW

Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Despite being a hard worker and trying to keep a focused attitude, forward Brooks has yet to really differentiate himself from his other Toronto Marlies teammates. He plays a simple game, does well on the penalty kill and keeps attackers to the outside in his own end and there is nothing wrong with that or his skill level. It simply comes down to the fact that Brooks has a good stride, can shoot and plays in a compact way where he does not get in the way and is aggressive enough to win puck battles but the details in his game are the loose ends that he needs to tie up. He does a lot of chasing of the puck and not enough anticipating of the play where he gets sloppy and ends up responsible for turnovers. At this point, Brooks will have to fine tune his game in time for next season or run the risk of becoming a trade commodity if he wants a chance at returning with the Leafs again as a bottom six call up, to say nothing of securing a full-time role. - SC

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

A skilled playmaker, Der-Arguchintsev had his best season to date in the OHL that saw him finish third in the league in assists with 63. Playing alongside fellow Leafs’ prospect Nick Robertson, SDA (as he is affectionately known) showed some progress physically which helped him to utilize his creativity and puck skill more consistently. However, it is important to note that while Der-Arguchintsev was near the top in total assists, the majority of those were either secondary or powerplay assists. His 18 primary assists at even strength were tied for 21st in the OHL, and his 42 total primary points were tied for 68th in the circuit. Additionally, he saw a shift to the wing later in the year, with his projection as an NHL center looking bleak. Maple Leaf fans will need to be patient with SDA as he continues to mature physically. His upside remains high, but with each passing year, it seems less likely that he reaches it. - BO

Mikhail Abramov, C (115^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

While Abramov’s point totals may not look totally impressive at first glance last season, his 35 goals alone nearly bested any teammate’s point totals. To say Abramov was on an island with Victoriaville last year is more or less accurate; the team took a step back from the previous season and teammate Yegor Serdyuk missed significant time. Despite this, Abramov still put on a clinic as the team’s primary option in terms of offence. He is slight of build but a great skater and confident puckhandler. At 161 pounds, he is hardly a finished product, but he has some potential as a scoring option down the line. It is a commendation to his hockey sense and skating that he can play some center at that size. However, due to his sight build, it is likely scoring lines or bust for the Russian forward. - MS

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Holmberg has shown steady progression as a player since he was drafted in 2018. He is a puck skilled winger with good hockey sense who can make creative plays. He plays a quick-thinking game and controls the puck well. His skating is good, and while he is not the fastest player, he has strong lower body-balance and is quite agile. His production is still inconsistent, and he still takes too many nights off. He is the type of player that can have five brilliant games and then not show up on the scoreboard for ten straight games. He finished the season on a high note though, which hopefully is promising. He has a good wrist shot but has averaged fewer than one shot on goal per game. He has not earned the coaches trust to play top line minutes in the SHL, but he has signed a two-year extension with the team. His NHL projection is long-term, and the 21-year-old will need more time to develop before he can compete for a spot in the NHL. - JH

Ian Scott, G (110^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: UR)

Originally drafted after a statistically awful season in the WHL, Scott had a moderately better one to follow before everything came together in a season for the ages to finish off his junior career, leading his team to a league championship. He was expected to compete for the title of “goalie of the future” with Joseph Woll last year, but a hip problem led to surgery last December, ending his professional debut before he actually suited up in a game. There is a ton of mystery in what happens next for Scott. He is healthy, but the WCHL will not be an option next year as Toronto’s affiliate in Newfoundland will not play this season due to the pandemic, while the organization brought in Alex Stalock and Michael Hutchison to play with Woll in the AHL. Clearly, Scott needs to play. He flashed enough in 2018-19 that a return to that trajectory would make for a great feel-good story of perseverance. Flashes of excellence aside, we don’t really have a way to currently project his ultimate ceiling. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 19

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:51:56 +0000

Toronto Maple Leafs

We can’t really discuss the state of the farm for the Toronto Maple Leafs without first noting the presence on the NHL roster of stars Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. The three homegrown forwards were all relatively recent first round picks of the Original Six club and currently make up three-fourths of the core that is expected to drive the team past the first round of the NHL playoffs, and possible even all the way.

I mention these three – John Tavares, a free agent signing, is a different case – as they are all in the early stages of their respective primes, and they are the primary cause for General Manager Kyle Dubas’ willingness to trade future pieces, including prospects and high draft picks in the service of strengthening the current NHL roster.

Last year, he traded the team’s 2019 first round pick, in addition to prospects Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi to Los Angeles in exchange for solid blueliner Jake Muzzin, who the team has since signed to a long-term extension. Then, during the 2019 draft, he traded (lottery-protected) the team’s 2020 first rounder to offload the last season of Patrick Marleau’s contract onto the Carolina Hurricanes, as the team needed the salary cap space to ink Marner to his second contract.

To put those three talents, along with Tavares and a broader core including luminaries such as Morgan Rielly, Fredrik Andersen, and others, Toronto management had to maximize the organization in the service of now. What had been one of the stronger pipelines in the league is now one of the weakest.

The current trough is not only the result of future-for-present trades, as the truncated 2019-20 season has seen the graduations of Rasmus Sandin, Pierre Engvall, Ilya Mikheyev, and others from our pre-season top 20. Those three alone would have seen Toronto rank significantly higher on the organizational rankings.

Alas, their graduations are not the only reason for the team’s current fall from grace. The franchise has suffered close to as much from the negative regression of some of the players still in the system and still below the NHL level. As we assess player skill sets every season, we see many players make positive steps and improve their projections, and we see at least as many others fail to make those steps and respectively lower their potential ceilings.

Look even at the top five below. Just from these players, the cream of the remaining crop, we have two in Jeremy Bracco and Yegor Korshkov, who we would have said as recently as last summer have potential second line outcomes. Now both have been downgraded to third line upside as they are both one year older, yet not really any closer to deserving an extended NHL opportunity. You might say that those backwards steps were mitigated by bigger than expected steps forward from the likes of Nick Robertson and Abruzzese, and the improvements shown by former first rounder Timothy Liljegren in his second AHL campaign, but on balance, more players failed to live up to expectations in 2019-20 than exceeded them. Mac Hollowell and Joseph Woll both struggled in their first pro seasons. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev has still not been able to recapture the summer after his draft. Former second rounder Eemeli Rasanen has struggled to gain any traction in his return to Finland.

The books on the above players are not yet finished and any or all could still alter their trajectories, but to ensure a prolonged stretch as true Stanley Cup contenders, the Maple Leafs need to see improved development outcomes from more of their players next year and beyond – especially if they keep offloading top picks. - RW

Nick Robertson of the Peterborough Petes. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Nick Robertson, LW (53^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Few players in junior hockey improved their status as prospects as much as Nick Robertson did this past season. Less a year removed from falling to the later part of the second round, Robertson exploded to lead the OHL in goals with 55 in only 46 games. His goals per game rate of nearly 1.2 was the 7th highest all time in the league, and the highest since John Tavares and Patrick Kane both bested that figure in the 2006-07 season.

As a draft eligible player, the physically immature Robertson had a tough time being a consistent contributor. This was especially true about his engagement level without the puck. At times, he would take over shifts with his tenaciousness, and at other times, he failed to be noticeable. This year, Robertson was able to maintain that high intensity level through every shift, likely by improving his conditioning. He has become one of the better forecheckers in the OHL, who seems to force multiple turnovers per game because of his energy and IQ combination.

Stronger on the puck, Robertson was also able to take his goal scoring ability to new heights. His shot is a weapon. He can score in so many different ways too. He can create his own shooting lanes with his hands and deception cutting through the middle. He can be a triggerman near the dot. His wrist shot release allows him to score from practically anywhere. Kyle Dubas has already stated that Robertson will be given every opportunity to make the Maple Leafs roster next year. However, he will need to continue to improve his top end speed, especially given his lack of size, and his strength both on and off the puck in order to be able to play his game effectively at the NHL level. Even if he is not ready yet next year, Robertson has emerged as one of the NHL’s best goal scoring prospects and has the potential to be an impact top 6 player within a few years. – BO

Filip Hallander, LW (58^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Hallander had a shortened season due to a leg injury that also held him back from playing at the WJC where he would have been one of the top forwards for Sweden. I see him as equally important and effective as top scorers Samuel Fagemo and Nils Hoglander were at that tournament.

Hallander may not be as flashy as those two to but he has good hands and an incredible competitiveness and awareness in his game. He can be creative on the rush, but he still needs to work on his game when the game is standing still. He needs more patience in his game at times. Still, I definitely consider Hallander to be a smart player. He reads the forecheck well and seem to know where to be on the ice to stop an attack.

He is useful on both a power play and the penalty kill. On the power play he is strong around the crease and in the slot and has been compared to Patric Hornqvist in that sense. He was fifth in ice-time per game by forwards on Lulea, the top team in the league. He will stay there for another season making it the third season in a row that he has been loaned there by the Penguins, who signed him to an ELC a few weeks after drafting him. I would say that he will be ready to step over in 2021-22.

Even though the Penguins’ system was pretty barren, Hallander was traded to Toronto in the Kasperi Kapanen deal, and he immediately becomes one of the better prospects in his new organization. He lacks elite tools but with strong poise, competitiveness and awareness on the ice combined with the ability to play various roles he is a good bet. - JH

Nick Abruzzese, C (124^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Abruzzese led all freshmen in scoring nationally this season with Harvard. There is a catch, though, as he joined the Crimson as a 20-year-old, making him more mature than his counterparts like Trevor Zegras, who are true freshmen. Abruzzese spent two years playing junior hockey, both with the Chicago Steel, and his point total more than doubled in his second year. As a freshman, Abruzzese was named the ECAC Rookie of the Year as well as the Ivy League Rookie of the Year.

Age aside, he is an excellent player and could give the Maple Leafs far more value than their fourth-round pick. He appeared on the team’s first power play unit. He has an incredibly calm demeanor, be it on the forecheck or the backcheck. Abruzzese owns excellent vision and can make clean passes without turning the puck over under pressure. He is often the player leading the rush and tends to hang out around the blue line in his defensive zone and trails on the back check, suggesting he still has work to do on his game away from the puck. He is a good skater and glides effortlessly up and down the ice.

At 5-9”, 161 pounds he is on the smaller side, but you wouldn’t know it from the way he plays. He is not afraid to battle for the puck along the boards. While Abruzzese can score, he is fonder of dishing out the puck than of taking the shot himself. His development curve so far suggests that he will most likely continue to develop, whether in college hockey or at the pro level. - JS

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Kokkonen had a decent 2019-20 season with Jukurit in the Liiga. He was overshadowed by some of the other young defensemen on the team, such as Jakub Galvas, Axel Rindell and Aleksandr Jakovenko. Kokkonen averaged sixth most ice-time among Jukurit defensemen and recorded ten points (3+7). Half of the points came in his last four games and overall his play improved as the season went on.

He is an effective distributor of the puck and can start offensive transitions with crisp and accurate long-range passes. He could be a bit more creative with the puck, but he shows poise and good offensive vision. He has a good wrist shot with a quick release and he has the ability to get pucks through traffic on a regular basis. He reads the game well and his positioning is solid in all three zones. He shows calculated movement as he rarely gets caught out of position. He plays a stable, if unspectacular two-way game.

However, an area of concern that remains is skating. It is somewhat clunky due to a lack of explosiveness. He will have to improve his foot speed and lateral mobility as well. One a more positive note, he is sturdy and has good balance. Kokkonen is physically strong for his age and therefore may be closer to a finished product than many other NHL prospects. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but he could develop into a dependable NHL defenseman on a moderate timetable. - MB

TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 12: Egor Korshkov of the Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

That being said, Korshkov is a good defensive player, yet he tends to be a little too cautious in his own end and is prone to standing still too long. The only time he seems motivated is when he is breaking out or with the puck on his stick, and he needs to keep in mind that hockey is a two way game and to be a top level player he will have to be good in his own end as well.

Aside from that, he is both a physically and mentally mature enough player to find himself with a spot on the Leafs and frankly it would come as little surprise to see him up as an occasional second liner. The future is bright for a player as strong and hard working as Korshkov, with size, skill and a keen eye for playmaking. The Leafs would be smart to try him up more frequently this coming season. - SC

Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61^st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 3)

The dark sheep of the Toronto organization, Bracco’s talent and hockey IQ are unquestionable but after a brief leave of absence from the team it is hard to determine where he fits in his return to play. From powerplay to odd man rushes, he takes the lead in capitalizing on breaks and has proven to be dangerous. He can skate and shoot, and he knows when to make a pass or when to hold onto it.

He has enough experience to earn an NHL callup, but the adjustment may be harder in terms of physicality and space. A weak spot seems to be knowing when to let go of the puck, oftentimes he gets himself into trouble by holding onto the puck too long and getting closed out and cut off.

Given the chance, Bracco could do well as a third liner but discipline on and off the ice will need to be established first. Regardless of personal matters, Bracco remains a top talent and a forward who is capable of putting up 30+ point seasons in the NHL, he will hopefully come back next season better than ever. - SC

Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Liljegren has grown tremendously over last season and his offensive play has grown even more to the point where he was playing both penalty kill and powerplay. He continues to carry the puck with ease and has improved his scoring chances, and he is no longer afraid to shoot and does well at getting the puck to the net.

His weak spots continue to be in his own end and defending one on one during turnovers, where he desperately needs to work on his physicality in order to compete at the next level. He also needs to keep his feet moving and his eyes off the puck. Despite not making the main camp roster, look for Liljegren to show up as a bottom four defenseman should the Leafs call him up again. - SC

Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Hollowell has been a pleasant surprise for the organization. Sure, he is on the smaller side for a defenseman, measuring up at 5-10”, 170lbs, but can he ever skate. He is a dynamic skater whose smooth strides help him keep space between himself and his opponents and his passing skills help to keep him from entering danger zones with the puck or over carrying it.

Hollowell still has a lot left to learn, having just completed his rookie professional season, but with any luck he will be fit to aim for a debut with the big squad next season for a game or two. That being said, once he is physically mature, look for Hollowell to be a bottom four defenseman as he already has the skill to fit in at the NHL level. His work ethic and fearlessness alone will be what helps set him apart from the rest of his defensive cohort. - SC

Filip Kral, D (149^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Kral is a steady defensive player with limited offensive upside. This season he has shown more confidence with the puck and better decision making overall which has led to a bit of an offensive outburst. The hard shooting Czech had his best offensive production with his 12 goals and 36 assists as an overage player. He is a good skater who manages his own zone very well. He is a first pass guy but isn’t really a rush-leading defenseman. His vision and passing skills are both fine but he doesn’t ooze offensive skill.

Defensively he is sound with a good control of his gaps and spacing in his own zone. He manages the cycle well despite not being an overtly physical player. His production comes from making smart, safe, fundamental hockey plays while on the ice with some lethal offensive weapons such as he had this season with Spokane. Don’t expect him to flash big production at the next level but he could fit nicely into a bottom pairing. - VG

Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

The future is still bright though, for Woll, as he has the potential to be a starting goaltender for the Leafs in the future. He still needs to work on playing the puck better and positioning when it comes to finding ways to see past players and find the puck in scrum situations but overall he made a good adjustment to the harder shots and quicker pace of the AHL level. As far as Toronto’s system goes, Woll stands a good chance of seeing starting time in the future but as always keep in mind that goaltenders often take a longer time to develop. - SC

Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

It simply comes down to the fact that Brooks has a good stride, can shoot and plays in a compact way where he does not get in the way and is aggressive enough to win puck battles but the details in his game are the loose ends that he needs to tie up. He does a lot of chasing of the puck and not enough anticipating of the play where he gets sloppy and ends up responsible for turnovers.

At this point, Brooks will have to fine tune his game in time for next season or run the risk of becoming a trade commodity if he wants a chance at returning with the Leafs again as a bottom six call up, to say nothing of securing a full-time role. - SC

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 11)

However, it is important to note that while Der-Arguchintsev was near the top in total assists, the majority of those were either secondary or powerplay assists. His 18 primary assists at even strength were tied for 21st in the OHL, and his 42 total primary points were tied for 68th in the circuit.

Additionally, he saw a shift to the wing later in the year, with his projection as an NHL center looking bleak. Maple Leaf fans will need to be patient with SDA as he continues to mature physically. His upside remains high, but with each passing year, it seems less likely that he reaches it. - BO

Mikhail Abramov, C (115^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

While Abramov’s point totals may not look totally impressive at first glance this season, his 35 goals alone nearly bested any teammate’s point totals. To say Abramov was on an island with Victoriaville this season is more or less accurate; the team took a step back from the previous season and teammate Yegor Serdyuk missed significant time.

Despite this, Abramov still put on a clinic as the team’s primary option in terms of offence. He is slight of build but a great skater and confident puckhandler. At 161 pounds, he is hardly a finished product, but he has some potential as a scoring option down the line. It is a commendation to his hockey sense and skating that he can play some center at that size. However, due to his sight build, it is likely scoring lines or bust for the Russian forward. - MS

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

His production is still inconsistent, and he still takes too many nights off. He is the type of player that can have five brilliant games and then not show up on the scoreboard for ten straight games. He finished the season on a high note though, which hopefully is promising. He has a good wrist shot but has averaged fewer than one shot on goal per game.

He has not earned the coaches trust to play top line minutes in the SHL, but he has signed a two-year extension with the team. His NHL projection is long-term, and the 21-year-old will need more time to develop before he can compete for a spot in the NHL. - JH

Michael Koster, D (146^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

Koster might be the player furthest from his projection of any in not only the top 15, but anywhere in the Toronto system. Drafted out of high school, the undersized defenseman spent the entirety of last year with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, on the road to the University of Minnesota.

As productive as he was for Chaska High in Minnesota, earning a spot on the All-USA Hockey First Team in his draft year, his role with the Storm is closer to what we should expect from him going forward. Koster is an above average skater who is at his best carrying the puck out of his own zone and up the ice.

He is poised in his own zone, both with and without the puck. He is generally on the right side of the puck and consistently makes the right decisions. He still lacks any real physical presence, without the bulk to be very effective along the boards and without the shot to have much of an impact from the point. His strengths are enticing enough to have hope that he could be the puck carrying half of a decent third pairing given additional physical growth. - RW

Toronto Maple Leafs 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:16:46 +0000

Although he was only hired as the General Manager of the Maple Leafs less than six weeks prior to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the 2019 draft was Dubas’ third at the helm. Some forget, but he, along with Mark Hunter served as interim GMs for a few months in 2015, a time period which included that draft.

The 2015 draft has already been a tremendously successful draft for Toronto, as the team selected current superstar Mitch Marner with the fourth overall choice. While that selection could be excused as the aforementioned Hunter had also come from the storied London Knights’ organization in the OHL, second rounder Travis Dermott has also been very impressive, racking up his 100^th NHL game late last season. The Leafs also still have high hopes for the second second rounder of that haul, Jeremy Bracco.

None of the players selected by Dubas and company in 2018 have yet to appear in the NHL and the same is obviously true for the recent 2019 haul. We have three draft classes – two of which were wholly under his philosophy for player acquisition and the third one a joint function – to understand the Dubas MO and make judgments about it.

The first thing I think about when looking at those three draft classes is the complete absence of size concerns with the players picked. In the 2015 draft, working in tandem with Hunter, Toronto blended big and small players. Marner, Dermott, and Bracco are all smaller than the average NHLer, but later picks Andrew Nielsen, Stephen Desrochers, and Nikita Korostelev are all built large. Neither of the last two draft classes, led by a singular Dubas, had that characteristic. Of the eight skaters the Maple Leafs drafted in 2018, only one stands taller than 6-0”, the 6-1” fifth rounder Filip Kral.

2019 featured more of the same. Six players were drafted. Three stand 5-11” ad the other three all stand 5-9”. Five of the six are also on the slight side. Of course every player they drafted had supporters both inside and outside of the organization, but Toronto ensured that this wave would not bring size or strength to the NHL team. That said, the team has not been completely size averse in their prospect acquisition. Shortly before the 2018 draft, Toronto gave an ELC to undrafted winger Mason Marchment, a 6-4” crasher who plays a game based on strength. This offseason, they signed Ilya Mikheyev from the KHL, whose frame is above league average in the current climate.

Mikheyev is not alone among Toronto’s top 20 who has above average size, with Lamoriello acquisitions Eemeli Rasanen and Yegor Korshkov more known for their impressive figures than they skill components of their games. But even with Rasanen’s gigantic 6-7”, 209lbs frame, the pipeline for the Leafs is full of smaller players. As more of them graduate to the NHL, we will learn a valuable lesson about how well a team can do when it skews so drastically to smaller players. Further, we will see if the team brings in (or calls up) lesser, bigger players, just for the sack of adding a different dimension. It will be fascinating to watch, even if former GM Brian Burke is rolling in his comically loose tie as he watches it.

-Ryan Wagman

1 Rasmus Sandin, D (29^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 3) Sandin is a versatile defenseman capable of leading rushes and quarterbacking them as well. He is a skilled player with a good shot and great hockey sense. He sees the plays before they happen and stays one step ahead and remains focused while doing so. Last year with the Marlies was an adjustment year after he came from Sault Ste. Marie, and as the season went on, he managed to become more comfortable with the pace of the play. His only downfall, which he will hopefully grow out of, is not knowing when to let go of the puck as he tends to hold onto it for too long. With more maturity and experience he will become smarter with how and when he carries the puck to avoid giving up too many turnovers. Sandin has the potential to lead as a top pairing blueliner with the Maple Leafs at his peak. - SC

2 Nick Robertson, LW (53^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) What Robertson lacks in size, he makes up for in skill. One of the youngest 2019 draft eligible players, he is one of the most creative players in the OHL. He uses great edgework and quick hands to open up space to operate; ripping off his powerful wrist shot, or a cross ice pass to an open teammate. His puck control draws defenses in to him, which opens up those lanes and space for his linemates. He is also very tenacious on the puck in the offensive end and is terrific at forcing turnovers with his quick feet and stick. Far from a finished product, he needs to mature physically to help him gain an extra step in his stride and to make him stronger playing through checks. The Leafs can afford to be patient with Robertson in hopes that he hits the growth spurt that his brother Jason did (a top Dallas prospect). The upside here is incredibly high, with Robertson possessing the skill set to be a front line player. - BO

3 Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 11) Bracco is a creative playmaker to say the least and every play holds different possibilities thanks to his level of hockey sense. He is a powerful and agile skater that can easily maneuver around opponents with his edgework, often opting to use his inside edges for turns rather than traditional crossovers. There is nothing bad to be said about his level of skill, but without the puck he will need to be more present in keeping pressure on opponents in the defensive zone. Physicality is another weak point to his game and he will have to start to play more physically next season if he wants to prove he is ready for a more intense level. Bracco has the potential to be a top six forward with Toronto and his game is certainly NHL ready. Due to the Maple Leafs’ offensive strength he may have to settle for a lower spot until he gradually works his way up. - SC

4 Ilya Mikheyev, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 6, 2019. Last Year: IE) A smooth-skating forward with a good knack for the net, Mikheyev is coming off a stellar season in the KHL, even if the campaign was ruined right at the climax as he picked up an injury during the playoffs. He still managed to earn a nod as a All-Star. The Leafs signed a forward who always plays hard no matter what, and can even be useful on the penalty killing, although in the NHL he won’t go that far on will alone. In Russia, he also scored plenty of clutch goals and showcased himself as a very talented player with great hands and an excellent shot. Mikheyev can play on any line and show great energy, will, and technique. The Leafs may have found a diamond in the rough here, and he can become a very valuable player should he manage to adapt fast to his new reality. - ASR

5 Trevor Moore, LW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 26, 2016. Last Year: Not ranked) Moore is a sparkplug of a player and he brings 100% effort every time his feet touch the ice. He never quits on a play and his angling on the forecheck is superb. His shot is nothing spectacular and his hands are alright, but he can move and he is lightning quick which makes up for his average puck skills. The major reason why he has been successful is his natural skill combined with his work ethic, as they balance each other out and make him a persistent threat capable of forcing turnovers and capitalizing on them. Moore had the opportunity to finish the season up with the Maple Leafs last year and will be starting this season up with them as well. He is a good bottom six forward at the NHL level, capable of playing on the penalty kill especially well. He will need to keep improving the speed at which he moves the puck to see his game reach new heights. - SC

6 Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) When Liljegren is at his best he can be a great playmaker and a strong passer capable of making crisp, tape-to-tape passes. On the contrary, when he is not on his game, he stands still, fails to play the body, makes bad passes, and causes turnovers. He can be terribly inconsistent from one shift to the next which he will needs to improve upon if he wants to succeed at the next level. He will also have to aim for higher offensive production and more shots in the coming year, as he has paled in comparison to Sandin, whose shots per game nearly double that of Liljegren’s. Hope is not lost for Liljegren, however, as he still has potential and has managed to do well with the Marlies as a top four defenseman. With a more consistent season and an improvement in physical play, he could start as a bottom four defenseman and work his way up in the NHL. - SC

7 Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 12) A large netminder with remarkable athleticism, Woll proved last season that he can also be a workhorse in the sense that he can withstand seeing a lot of rubber on any given night and still keep his team in the game. The USNTDP grad spent three years at Boston College, consistently chipping away at his save percentage, raising it each year, from a starting place of .913 to .915 and finishing off at .919. There were collegiate goalies with better numbers, but few who played as much, or against as strong a set of opponents. Woll’s technical game is also a strength, in part assisted by his ability to read the flow of the game and anticipate puck movement. The Leafs will give him time to grow accustomed to the pro schedule in the AHL, in hopes that he could be a starting option once Frederick Andersen’s contract expires after the 2020-21 season. - RW

8 Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 19) A true testament to Hollowell’s maturity is how well he handled playing in the AHL playoffs after his OHL season finished. The leading defenseman scorer in the OHL last year, he is more than an undersized offensive defender. He has the ability to play in any situation, with his lack of size at 5-9”, really the only strike against him. He is a great skater. He is aggressive and tenacious in the defensive end, willing to block shots or take a hit to make a play. He quarterbacks the powerplay well and is extremely aggressive in jumping up in the play at 5 on 5. It comes down to how effective Hollowell will be at the pro level, and how well he can defend with his diminutive stature. The Toronto Maple Leafs are very high on him and feel that he can be an NHL defender for them down the road. The best case scenario likely sees him as a Jared Spurgeon type. - BO

9 Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 5) A talented but fragile player, Korshkov had to pass through uncountable injuries over the last three seasons that have prevented him from showing his full potential. With a fresh start in Toronto, he may finally get the chance to play a full season as a healthy player and show all his potential. He has an NHL body with smooth skating ability and soft hands. However, he may lack the consistency and the conditioning necessary to play at a high level. Considering his age, this is nothing that can’t be resolved with some good coaching – something that he will certainly receive within the Maple Leafs system. In the KHL, Korshkov showed glimpses of elite playing, but he needs to be more consistent. - ASR

10 Eemeli Rasanen, D (59^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8) Räsänen's past season was hampered by an injury, limiting him to only 23 games. After spending the end of the season with the Marlies, he now returns to Jokerit in an attempt to have a bigger role in the KHL. He is a massive right-shot defenseman with strong physical tools and decent puck moving abilities. He can find his teammates with simple and accurate passes. He has a hard shot. The main issue continues to be his skating. His stride is fairly powerful but he lacks in mobility and backwards skating ability. He also has work to do on his play reading and positioning without the puck, particularly in his own end. Räsänen is a long-term project whose overall game and especially skating require quite a bit of refinement. - MB

11 Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 16) If there is one prospect who has frustrated Toronto Maple Leaf fans, it is Der-Arguchintsev, affectionately called SDA. He opened eyes at last year’s training camp, earning a long look and a contract thanks to his creativity as a playmaker. Unfortunately, his OHL season was a major disappointment as other areas of his game failed to progress. While his hands are terrific, he remains a perimeter player who lacks the strength to fight through checks or create chances consistently below the hash marks. His shot also remains very weak, which affects his effectiveness as a playmaker. It is too early to give up on SDA as a potential top six forward down the line, especially given his physical immaturity, but the coming OHL season will be a big one for his development as definitive NHL prospect. - BO

12 Mikko Kokkonen, D (84^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Kokkonen is a stable, physically mature two-way defenseman. He can start the attack with accurate long-range passes which is an asset for his team's transition game. He has a solid shot and is adept at getting his shots through bodies and on to the net. He most often prefers to make the safe play instead of taking risks. On the downside, he lacks explosiveness and has less than stellar lateral agility. He can also struggle on the breakout due to not processing the game quickly enough. Kokkonen has proved himself against high end competition for several years. He had a respectable season in the Liiga as a 17-year-old and will look to build on that in the upcoming season. That said, he does not truly excel in any areas of the game which may ultimately limit his NHL potential. - MB

13 Michael Koster, D (146^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) For both of the last two seasons, Koster has split his time between his hometown Chaska High – captaining the squad both years – and with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. While he was an offensive force from the blueline back home, with the Storm he played a more conservative, defense-first game. That being the case, he was still able to demonstrate his high end speed and flash puck skills occasionally, pushing opponents back on their heels as he rushed the offensive zone. His draft stock was helped by his USHL work, as he proved that he could hold his own and even succeed against the more uniformly bigger and more talented level of opponent he faced in that league. Koster is expected to spend all of next season in the USHL before joining the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2020-21. He is a long-term project, but has top four upside. - RW

14 Dmytro Timashov, LW (125^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 10) Timashov is a fun player whose feet never stop moving. He can play a physical game and is dynamic enough to play well on both powerplay and penalty kill. He is much weaker in the defensive zone than the offensive zone and will need to work on his defensive positioning, especially when on penalty kill as his movement seems unsure and his timing is sometimes off. Notwithstanding, he is a smart player and has enough natural skill to be considered for a bottom six roll in the future. His development in the AHL with the Marlies has been good and his last year had over 40 points, which could cause him to be a front-runner for a call-up to the NHL if he can repeat that production. Playing another year as a top forward will give him the responsibility and confidence to be able to try skating at the NHL level. - SC

15 Teemu Kivihalme, D (140^th overall, 2013 [Nashville]. Last Year: Not ranked [Not Affiliated]) The former Predators’ draft pick joined the Toronto organization after two impressive seasons with Karpat in the Liiga. Kivihalme is a high-end skater with terrific two-way mobility He gets around the ice effortlessly and has very good speed. He can carry the puck up the ice and controls the puck well at high speeds, yet he is more effective when delivering the puck quickly to the forwards. In order to become an everyday NHL defenseman, he needs to gain toughness, strength, and to round out his defensive game. His positioning and decision making in the offensive zone can be somewhat questionable at times, but with small refinements, those shortcomings can be fixed. Kivihalme’s development is trending upwards and he will challenge for a roster spot on the Leafs’ defense sooner than later. - MB

16 Ian Scott, G (110^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Scott is a polarizing goalie as he has all the physical traits, and has met all of the statistical targets that you look for in a prospect goalie. Height (6-3”), GAA (1.93) and SV% (.932) are all fantastic and yet often he leaves you wanting just a bit more. He uses his body well and is effective at getting in front of the first shot however he can be challenged when forced to move cross ice. He makes some excellent saves off the rush and has impressive agility that enables him to make saves he shouldn’t get to. On the other hand, he does seem to let in a few that he probably shouldn’t. If he can avoid the soft goals he could project as a NHL backup after some experience in the minors. - VG

17 Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Holmberg is a good late round pick as he has bloomed late and a nice set of skills. He has a lot of good traits in his game that could translate well to the NHL, like the way he can cover the puck in the corners and create scoring chances from there. He has strong balance which will get stronger with more overall strength. His production hasn’t taken off yet but should with more strength and poise. He won a roster spot in the SHL last year and had an okay rookie season in a small role. He should be able to earn a bigger role this season and his game should rise accordingly. Holmberg isn’t a sure thing to make the NHL but if he can continue to take steps forward in his development, he could become a creative middle six forward. - JH

18 Jordan Schmaltz, D (25^th overall, 2012 [St. Louis]. Last Year: 15 [St. Louis]) The Leafs acquired a reclamation project in Schmaltz in an offseason trade that sent Andreas Borgman to St. Louis, and only time will tell if they win the trade. A first-round pick in 2012, the lanky right-hander has had a rocky developmental path, but can still make a future splash in the NHL as a solid skating, mature two-way defender. An intelligent playmaker, his anticipation on offense is matched only by his smarts on defense, which helps him shut down opposing forwards with tight blueline gaps. Though he is not much of a shooter, his vision and sense in transition allow him to hit friendly open sticks with relative ease. He possesses some intriguing skill, but he simply ran out of time with the Blues; with time, he could be more with Toronto, such as a decent depth blueliner at the NHL level. - TD

19 Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 17) Brooks stood out in his major junior years with the Regina Pats in the WHL and has so far had the same growth pattern at the professional level with the Marlies. His rookie year was a decent start and last season saw him double his points total to 40. He is a quick and smooth skater who likes to carry the puck and is confident in his zone entries. He can struggle to hold onto the puck the same way he did in major junior and his play in the neutral zone led to many turnovers this past season. Brooks has a good set of hands but he has less space now and he will have to be more aware while carrying the puck. He will also need to work on moving the puck quicker and being less selfish. He is natural playmaker with the potential to be a second line center if he really pushes himself, but has been building his game to also fit in a bottom six role. - SC

20 Pierre Engvall, LW (188^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 14) Engvall is a surprisingly good prospect to be occupying the last spot on this list, however he does not yet play a mature enough game to meet the NHL criteria. He is a strong skater and reads the play well, is a good team player, and can play every forward position well. He does not have a particularly quick or powerful shot but it is at least accurate. He will need to up his intensity and work on gaining momentum in the physical side game before getting to the next level, taking better advantage of his plus size. With a more high pressure attitude, he could end up being listed as valuable special teams contributor and an everyday bottom six forward in the future. Engvall will have to make sure that he starts the season working hard and carries that work ethic through the whole season. - SC

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 15:15:16 +0000

Thommie Bergman was a big defenseman whose career was centered in the 70s. An early Swedish transplant to the North American game, he had a few years in a depth role with the Red Wings before moving to the old WHA to play with the original Winnipeg Jets where he found an offensive component to his game. Bergman eventually moved back to the Wings for a few more seasons before heading back home to Sweden for a three-year run in his mid thirties before hanging up his skates.

As is the case with many old pros, Bergman moved into coaching, spending six seasons behind the bench in his native land, mostly in lower leagues, but also one season in the SHL with Skelleftea. He spent a few years out of the public eye before emerging in 1993 as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks with whom he worked for five seasons.

The Mighty Ducks drafted six players out of Sweden in those five years, two of whom (Johan Davidsson and Michael Holmqvist) played in the NHL for a combined 239 games. After that, Bergman disappeared again, emerging as a Swedish scout for Toronto in 2005 and he has been in the Maple Leafs’ employ ever since. From his inauspicious beginnings as a scout for Anaheim, Bergman is now widely recognized as a super scout.

In his first draft with Toronto, the Leafs used a sixth-round pick on a big winger named Viktor Stalberg. In his second draft, a seventh-round pick was used on Carl Gunnarsson. Toronto did not select a player out of Sweden over the next two years, and their three Swedish selections from 2010 did not have the success experienced by Stalberg or Gunnarsson, nor did their Swedish pick from 2011.

In fairness to Bergman, picks from the range of the draft where his recommendations were being selected were not often successful, and the success of those first two had earned him a long leash. The Maple Leafs have selected at least one prospect from the Sweden in each draft since 2010 and without fail, they have exceeded expectations, even the ones who did not go on to NHL fame.

Between the reins of John Ferguson Jr., Cliff Fletcher, Brian Burke, Dave Nonis, Lou Lamoriello and now Kyle Dubas, Bergman has been a constant. The Maple Leafs’ system is now chock full of Swedish prospects, and many, if not all of them, have Bergman’s fingerprints all over them.

Although we lack proof, it is hard to imagine that the two Swedish first rounders picked by Toronto in recent years who were already playing in the OHL in their draft year, were not selected without Bergman’s input and blessing. So, as we look at a Toronto system whose top four players were born, raised and schooled in Sweden, in addition to another two from the top ten and a seventh in the next group of ten, we know where the credit lies. We can also look at how pivotal those Swedish players were in the Calder Cup championship run by the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

Tommie Bergman will turn 71 years young shortly before the next WJC in Vancouver but is still going strong. As new GM Dubas, himself with a scouting background, grows accustomed to his present role, he can rest assured that he has an asset in Bergman that most other teams would kill for.

Timothy Liljegren

1 Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017 Last Year: 1^st) As the only 18-year-old defenseman to play regularly in the AHL last year, the bumps were expected and Liljegren experienced his share. But he also had his moments of magic. He regularly demonstrated high end puck carrying skills and the mobility that had him seen at one time as one of the top prospects eligible for the 2017 draft. He is a fantastic passer and has nice whip on his wrist shot from the point, all indicative of a strong top four blueliner, with top pairing potential. He could occasionally show his youth and inexperience when defending against first rate talent, although his instincts are in the right places. He will provide tight coverage but can sometimes fail to finish a check or close strongly enough. He has even shown the occasional willingness to use his still developing body. The things he lacks are coachable. The things he has are less so.

2 Andreas Johnsson, LW (202^nd overall, 2013. Last Year: 11^th) Andreas Johnsson was impressive in his first full campaign in North America. He was fantastic in his second season. Not only did he produce at a point per game clip in the AHL, during the regular season, and at 1.5 points per in a AHL postseason run that ended in a title and the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoffs MVP, but he also brought his highly skilled, and gritty game to the NHL scoring three times in 15 combined regular season and playoff games for the Leafs. Johnsson has all of the tools needed to be a high-end top nine winger with top six upside. His IQ shows on both sides of the puck and seems to have a magnetic attraction to getting the biscuit on his stick. His time is now.

3 Rasmus Sandin, D (29^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) In addition to his years under the watchful gaze of Thommie Bergman, Sandin spent much of his draft year in Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL, where Toronto GM Kyle Dubas took his first steps as a hockey executive and still has deep connections. So it is fair to say that the Maple Leafs knew what they were getting when Sandin was available to them in the first round. The most impressive facet of his game is his highly advanced hockey brain, but his skating ability and puck skills also both grade out as above average. Undersized, but not without a physical element to his game, he is a prototypical modern age defenseman, one who can gain control of the puck and make the right plays in getting it into a favorable position.

4 Carl Grundstrom, RW (57^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) For the second year in a row, Grundstrom finished his Swedish season and then came to Canada to get his feet wet in the AHL. This time, with their lengthy playoff run, he got enough ice time to prove that he belonged, scoring eight goals during the postseason campaign. A rugged power winger, Grundstrom has a very good motor, and excellent hands. His first few steps are above average, and he can gain separation. Once he gets the puck, he moves it along quickly but with purpose. His strength is also evident in his ability to maneuver with the puck under heavy coverage without coughing it up. He will likely spend the majority of 2018-19 in the AHL before taking the next step.

Yegor Korshkov

5 Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 15^th) Drafted by Toronto in his third year of eligibility, Korshkov has since improved his offensive output year over year in the KHL, finishing last year fifth among all skaters aged 22 and under. Although a physically imposing specimen, his game is centered more around a high-end hockey IQ and impressive offensive skills. He sees the game very well and is able to create chances for himself, or his linemates. He also moves very well for his size, suggesting an ability to hold up in the fast-paced style of play Toronto prefers. The main question with Korshkov is when he will come over. Toronto is interested, but he is expected to play at least one more season in Yaroslavl.

6 Garret Sparks, G (190^th overall, 2011. Last Year: unranked) After appearing in 17 NHL games in the Maple Leafs’ lost season of 2015-16, it was largely expected that Sparks would have graduated from this list long ago. Instead, the rebuilding Maple Leafs sent him back to the AHL and his 1.79 GAA and .936 save percentage both led the league last year, earning him a well deserved Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the top netminder in the circuit. A highly athletic goalie who skates very well for his position, he plays an aggressive game, and is calm under pressure, trusting in his quick legs to get him out of jams. He has also improved upon his propensity to let one bad goal snowball. He has a good chance of stealing the backup job in the NHL this season.

7 Calle Rosen, D (UDFA: May 16, 2017. Last Year: 10^th) One of two undrafted free agent defenders signed out of Sweden in the 2017-18 offseason, Rosen started slower than Andreas Borgman, but was more integral to the AHL Marlies in the second half, exhibiting a real dynamic element from the blueline. A high-end skater with very impressive puck skills, he excels when he dips into the offensive end as a trailer on the rush. He is very poised on the puck and has a strong enough shot that his goal scoring rate should with more North American experience. Ostensibly an offensive defenseman, he is competent off the puck, although his slight frame will necessitate that he be protected to an extent.

8 Eemeli Rasanen, D (59^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 16^th) A gigantic defender with intriguing natural gifts, Rasanen is a big presence from the point, although his production in his first post draft year was a mild disappointment. He skated very well for his size and has a killer point shot, although his wrist shot can also get through the crowd and on net. A bit of a gentle giant the 6-7” Finnish blueliner was fine in Kingston of the OHL, but often left you wanting to see more. Like many players of his stature, it looks like slow development is the best course and he has returned to Finland to spend 2018-19 with Jokerit, competing against KHL competition. The step up in competition might be the challenge he needs.

9 Sean Durzi, D (52^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Although he spent some time on the sidelines last year due to an ankle injury, Durzi’s production when he was healthy was top notch, with his 1.23 points per game rate placing him second among all OHL defensemen and earning him a call in the second round in his second year of draft eligibility. Like most of the defensemen above him on this list, Durzi has above average mobility and puck skills while lacking somewhat in the size department. The right-handed shot grades out as above average in most of his core attributes, outside of physicality. His vision is advanced although he needs to time his pinches better. His tracking ability suggests that he has value off the puck as well.

10 Dmytro Timashov, LW (125^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 18^th) After struggling at times in his first year as a pro, Timashov began to right the ship in his follow up campaign, flashing dynamic playmaking abilities in both the regular season and the postseason for the Marlies. Still inconsistent, the core elements of above average skating – with edgework that help that attribute play up – and very impressive puck skills suggesting that his sneaky skill set will allow him to continue to improve. Short but stocky, he has strength although he rarely initiates physical play. There is a boom or bust quality to Timashov’s overall game, but his ability to generate offense will ensure that he gets as many chances as he needs to end up on the right side of that coin flip.

11 Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 5^th) In a lot of ways, Jeremy Bracco has a lot in common with the player immediately above him on this list. Slightly better wheels perhaps, slightly less dynamic as a play maker. Where Bracco still has ground to make up is in his ability to not be an anchor away from the puck. For that reason, he often found himself on the press-box last season, especially in the postseason, appearing in only four games. As with Timashov last year, it is far too early to condemn Bracco as a bust after only one year in the AHL, especially when we see that his scoring numbers were actually pretty good. More will be expected of him is his follow-up, but he has the good to deliver.

12 Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 8th) A highly athletic netminder, Woll had some ups and downs in his sophomore season at Boston College, as well as his second stint with Team USA at the WJC, although for both teams, he consistently kept his squad in the game. A pure butterfly goalie, he enjoys handling the puck and can help kickstart the transition. He can struggle seeing the puck cleanly and is known to whiff with his glove, but he has some elements of a promising netminder and the Maple Leafs, who have enough at the pro level to staff their NHL, AHL, and ECHL squads, will let him take his time on campus.

13 Josh Leivo, RW (86^th overall, 2011. Last Year: 7^th) Josh Leivo shouldn’t be on this list. After putting up 10 point in 13 NHL games in 2016-17, he was expected to make the NHL roster out of camp. And he did. But then he spent nearly the entire season in the press box, dressing only 16 times, a victim of head coach Mike Babcock’s preference for veteran grinders on the fourth line. In fairness to Babcock, Leivo lacks in pace and does not have a reputation as a defensive stalwart, although he knows how to handle himself in his own zone. Leivo plays a strong game, knows how to push possession and has a fantastic shot. With three more games played, he will graduate from this list.

14 Pierre Engvall, LW (188^th overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) A late round find from Sweden in the mold of Victor Stalberg (see above), Engvall performed very well in his first season in the SHL, earning an ELC after the season there ended, and he continued to impressed in a cameo with the Marlies. Engvall has a long, rangy frame, skates quite well and earns accolades for his offensive tool kit. He can get the puck nicely through the neutral zone and shows strength on the puck. He still has to develop his game away from the puck and can come across as a bit soft despite his length, but to his credit, he spent this year adjusting to two new levels of competition. A full, healthy AHL campaign will teach us a lot about what is in his future.

15 Igor Ozhiganov, D (UDFA: May 17, 2018. Last Year: IE) A 25-year-old with six full seasons in the KHL under his belt, Ozhiganov is a prospect in the technical sense of the word, if not in the pure sense. While his final season with CSKA Moscow was a bit of a disappointment, there was great speculation that his diminished role on the club as at least as much a reaction of his coaches to the rampant rumors that would be leaving after the season for North America, as it was about anything to do with his actual level of play. A beefy right-handed shooter, he offers a bit of everything, including fine wheels, solid offensive instincts and skills, and a mature overall game. Ozhiganov could make the Leafs out of camp in a #6/7 D role, or spend some time getting acclimated to the North American game in the AHL first.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

16 Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A smooth skater with slick skills with the puck, Der-Arguchintsev is so slight that it is a wonder his full last name can fit on the back of his uniform. Notably, if he was born one day later, he would not even have been eligible for the draft until next June. His lack of strength shows up in his shot as much as it does in the parts of the game that are normally attributed to physicality, but he is as projectible as anyone from the 2018 draft class. His hockey smarts currently are more geared towards the offensive side of the puck, but his ability to process the game bodes well to continued development in that area. He is one to watch.

17 Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 6^th) One the one hand, for a player who led the WHL in assists for two years running, with a combined 169 over 138 games, to put up only 19 points in a roughly full first season in the AHL was a letdown. He still shows a knack for setting up teammates with a clever pass, helping extend possessions and moving the puck in the right direction, but the finishing was lacking. On the other hand, Brooks was pleasantly surprising in both his willingness and his ability to play a two-way game. A slight 5-11”, he plays a cerebral game, and can be suitable for a variety of roles. I expect improved offensive output in his second season with the Marlies, but it is fair to question how much better he can be.

18 Dakota Joshua, C (128^th overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) In a system teeming with speed and skill, it can be easy to overlook Joshua, a beefier power forward playing for a non-powerhouse NCAA program. Although he played a critical role as a junior for the Buckeyes, helping the team to the Frozen Four, he was more of a secondary offensive threat than a primary scorer. A solid two-way player who has decent hands although not a frequent puck player. His utility in his own zone and the penalty kill, as well as his sheer strength when moving the puck, should be enough to convince the Leafs to offer him a contract after completing his collegiate eligibility this season.

19 Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A teammate of first rounder Rasmus Sandin’s with Sault Ste. Marie, Hollowell is tiny in a system already loaded with smaller defenders. After being overlooked in his first year of draft eligibility, he more than doubled his offensive output in his second go-round. Despite the gaudy point numbers (56 points in 63 games in the regular season), Hollowell’s tools are only around average. Where he stands out is in his feet as he is an excellent skater as well as his hockey smarts. He plays within his limitations and generally makes the right play. A critical part of one of the best possession team in the CHL, the hope as that he can carry some of that to the pros within two seasons.

20 Fedor Gordeev, D (141^st overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) Still new to the blueline, the gigantic (6-6”, 212) Gordeev can struggle to take care of business in his own end. On the other hand, playing with a moribund Flint squad in the OHL, he nearly doubled his point production, showing more assertiveness with the puck from the blueline. He skates well for his size and has begun to play with the jam expected of a player with his imposing stature. Gordeev still has a way to grow, in his game if not in his frame, but it cannot hurt for an organization so saturated with smaller defenders to have a few bigger men as points of comparison and to offer a different look.

Toronto – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 11:57:55 +0000

Apres Matthews, le deluge. After Matthews, comes the flood. The Brian Burke era in Toronto, begun with so much truculence and aggression – at least from the front office – ended with a whimper. As good as Phil Kessel was in Toronto – and he was good, even if he could never live down the price paid to get him – the Maple Leafs were a decade-long tire fire, broken up only by the vagaries of a strike-shortened season.

Freed from Burke and his pugilistic bent to team building, the Leafs tanked hard and began the rebuild with a hyper-skilled approach to the draft. In three consecutive years, Toronto had a top ten choice and maxed out on each, selecting William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and Auston Matthews in consecutive years.

In the latter two years, the Maple Leafs also had a number of extra picks to play with and it seemed like each and every selection was made with upside in mind. In fairness, the organization left over by Burke was fairly barren, with Connor Brown and Josh Leivo representing the best of a bad lot. Even with the top picks of those two drafts already NHL stars, nine of the 20 players drafted in those two classes are ranked among the current top 20. The talent influx was so great, the Leafs had to literally walk away from three of the players they selected, for sheer lack of available contract space.

Not only did the Leafs run out of contract room. Between the high end players drafted, and a few others signed as free agents from Europe, the team found itself at the draft this year with a loaded talent base, and now actually in need of some of character players. If not exactly hearkening back to the days of “truculence and aggression”, they have now turned their sights on players who, while not lacking in skill, are more fitting to the high-energy, two-way types that new head Coach Mike Babcock likes to use to fill out the bottom end of the NHL roster.

Whereas in the last two years they took hyper-talented players like Dmytro Timashov, Martins Dzierkals, and Adam Brooks with their mid-round picks, all three offensive minded junior hockey producers who made up in points what they lacked in size and strength, this year, those middle round picks were used on Vladislav Kara, Fedor Gordeev, and Ryan McGregor. These three all have in common questions about their offensive skills, and plaudits about their two-way games. They also all have projectable frames, especially the 6-6”, 215 pound Gordeev.

A system can never have enough talent in its ranks, but there is something to be said for having diversity in the types of talents available. The approach to their 2017 draft class is not necessarily a statement about a new direction for their scouting staff, as much as it an admission that they did not have enough of that type of player and that the talented youngsters they already had did not seem like locks that they could remain effective when playing down in the lineup. That said, some of the putatively offensive players in the system have already been accruing experience playing bottom six minutes in the AHL, such as Timashov, and Trevor Moore.

Timothy Liljegren

1 Timothy Liljegren – Seen as one of the top draft prospects 12 months ago, Liljegren’s draft year was slowed by being repeatedly shuffled between levels and teams, as well as a bout with mononucleosis. One of the best skaters available in the 2017 draft class, his raw puck skills verge on the elite, although they have not often showed themselves yet in game situations. Can be devastating when he plays the aggressor. Effectiveness in his own zone comes and goes, but flashes enough to expect that part of his game to grow and improve with time and steady development.

Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Kasperi Kapanen (37). (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire)

2 Kasperi Kapanen – One of the main pieces coming back to Toronto in the Phil Kessel trade, Kapanen took a big step forward last year, finally converting his mature and toolsy game into high end offensive production. A strong skater, he regularly shows good instincts with and without the puck. He has quick hands, which he combines with good patience with the puck. Plays with high energy and effort levels. Showed in the NHL playoffs that he was ready for a middle role with the Leafs.

3 Travis Dermott – Although he missed a stretch of time to injury, when healthy Dermott was showed a dynamic, puck moving modern day game from the blueline in his rookie pro season. Undersized, but he maximizes every inch and pound of his frame, catching opponents off-balance with some explosive hits. Can create danger with the puck on a rush. Very mature defensive game highlighting aggressiveness and positioning. Heads up player who loves to walk the line.

Carl Grundstrom HELSINKI, FINLAND - JANUARY 4: Sweden vs Finland semifinal round - 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

4 Carl Grundstrom – A hard working forward with a strong and diverse collection of offensive tools, Grundstrom’s prospect stock took a big step forward last year between great performances for Sweden at the WJC, for Frolunda in the European champions Hockey League and in a late season cameo with the Marlies in the AHL playoffs. An excellent skater with a high hockey IQ and great hands, he is expected to play in Sweden again this year, but could be in the NHL sooner than later.

5 Jeremy Bracco – Ending his junior career on a high, winning both a WJC gold medal and a Memorial Cup, Bracco’s decision to leave Boston College only five games into his freshman season seems to have paid off. He is a fantastic skater with breathtaking puck skills. Undersized but with a nose for the net, he will sometimes play possum only to strike with deadly force once opposing defenders are occupied with one or other of his linemates. Has near elite hands.

6 Adam Brooks – The two-time defending assist leader in the WHL is finally going to bring his sublime passing skills to the AHL this year. Forced into an overage WHL season due to the Marlies’ numbers crunch last year, Brooks creates plays for linemates more through his high hockey IQ and instincts than through pure puck skills. Although undersized, he is more than functional in his own zone and plays a valuable role in getting the puck back and beginning the transition to an offensive attack.

7 Josh Leivo – Along with Garret Sparks, one of only two prospects left in the system from the Brian Burke era, Leivo plays with some of the jam that characterized that time in Maple Leafs’ history. Hampered by injuries throughout his pro career, he produced very well with the NHL club when healthy last year, but that was rare. A solid skater with energy who loves to crash the net, this year is likely his last chance to break through with Toronto.

8 Joseph Woll – By far the highest upside goalie among all netminders in the system, Woll had a very promising first NCAA season with Boston College. Very strong at blocking the bottom half of the net, thanks to quick legs. Likes to challenge the shooter when the puck is straight ahead, but will play deeper in his crease the closer the puck is to the walls. He reads plays fairly well, but can get in trouble due to sloppy footwork.

9 Andreas Borgman – A dynamic skater with great acceleration who relishes open ice hits, Borgman signed as a free agent this spring after helping to lead HV71 to an SHL title. He plays a two-way game, although his play is stronger in his own end than when supporting the attack. He reads the play well and tends to keep a tight gap. His upside is somewhat limited due to his moderate offensive tools, but between his skating and his off-puck work, he will play in the NHL.

10 Calle Rosen – It is not by design that the two talented Swedish blueliners signed by Toronto this offseason rank one next to the other. Of the two, Rosen is more physically unassuming, but carries a bomb from the point. He is also a powerful skater who demonstrates good puck control and precise passing. He is advanced positionally, but can exhibit a general lack of poise when playing without the puck. Has top four upside, but needs own zone refinement to get there.

11 Andreas Johnsson – A smart, smallish player with great instincts, Johnsson proved last year that his game can translate nicely to North America. While he was not the offensive force that he had been in the SHL, he was still able to flash soft hands and a very hard shot. Has a special talent for getting off clean shots through a maze of legs. Will play in the dirty areas, but avoids getting directly involved in puck scrums. Can get to a second gear with his feet.

12 Frederik Gauthier – Although he has less offensive upside than anyone on this list, excepting (probably) the goalie, Gauthier is almost exactly what Mike Babcock looks for in a fourth line center. Huge, with a gigantic wingspan, he plays a strong possession game and is great defensively, particularly on the penalty kill. Solid skater for his size. Has good faceoff technique. Can be used for tough shifts, leaving the favorable situations for his more talented teammates.

13 Kerby Rychel – An offensive force as a junior, Rychel’s game has slowly been morphing into that of his father Warren’s since turning pro. Of course he will never be a 1980’s style goon, but it is fair to point out that he has gone from a bruising power forward with good discipline to a bruising, undisciplined power forward. To his credit, he is a strong skater and he loves to unleash his powerful shot. Attitude issues helped him get traded from Columbus. Will need to earn his chances with Toronto.

14 Martins Dzierkals – The most effective player on last year’s Latvia entry at the WJC, Dzierkals is an exciting player with great puck skills. Drafted out of Latvia before moving on to Rouyn-Noranda, the Maple Leafs had an extra year before needing to sign him to an ELC, so he will play with the Marlies this year on an AHL-only contract. He is a dynamic offensive threat who grades very well on both his skating and puck skills. Plays with more jam than many players his size.

15 Yegor Korshkov – A big physical winger who’s playing style seems more geared to the North American game than the KHL where he is now entering his fourth season. Korshkov uses a variety of shot types to threaten opposing netminders, although his release could stand to be quicker. Although his shot is the stronger tool, his tendency is to play in a passing role. A 200-foot player, his KHL contract expires after this season.

16 Eemeli Rasanen – As awe-inspiring as Rasanen’s towering 6-7” frame is, he also has game to go along with his length. A very good skater, particularly for his size, can be part of the rush instead of only a trailer. His short area quickness still needs refinement. Better at moving the puck around than teeing one up from the point. Came along defensively in leaps and bounds in his first OHL season. Very comfortable at closing gaps and pushing opponents to the walls. Uses his size, but plays clean.

17 Andrew Nielsen – A big boy with an even bigger shot, Nielsen was the runaway scoring leader among Marlies’ defensemen as an AHL rookie, thanks largely to his cannon. In many cases, the facts embedded in the last sentence would be enough for a top ten or even top five ranking. Nielsen lands here due to his clunky, slow skating. He can get away with it at times in his own zone due to great reach and a willingness to get inside opponents and force them to the outside.

18 Dmytro Timashov – A fantastic scorer in the QMJHL with sublime playmaking skills, Timashov still flashed those elements of his game in his first pro season, but struggled in general at even strength. He was still able to get himself into position to score, but was not able to capitalize nearly as much as he did as a junior. Although short, he is stocky, and his stature should not be what holds him back. Needs to prove he can produce on a depth line before moving up.

19 Miro Aaltonen – A small skill player, Aaltonen had a great season in the KHL before signing as a free agent with Toronto. Never signed by Anaheim, which drafted him in 2013, he developed for a few years in Liiga before his year in Russia. He can be selfish on the puck, has a strong enough shot that his approach often pays off. Will shoot from anywhere. His skating is average at best, which results in him disappearing from the action when the puck is not on his stick.

20 Rinat Valiev – Although his second pro season was beset by injuries, Valiev still has a lot to recommend him as a potential third pairing NHL blueliner. He has a solid frame, coupled with excellent mobility and edge work. He makes smart plays in all zones and helps the puck keep moving in the right direction. Can play a very strong game, as well, although could do better at maintaining discipline. Has been passed on the Toronto depth chart, but still worth keeping an eye on.

Even with so many breathtaking young talents already established in the NHL, the Maple Leafs still have an upper echelon system bursting with the next wave. Fully rebuilt from Brian Burke’s mismanagement, Toronto has been able to target different types of players giving the system both breadth and depth. The next question the management team will have to answer is how it plans to integrate their youth now that there is legitimate NHL talent up and down the NHL roster.

Scouting Reports: WHL – Sam Steel, Adam Brooks, Cale Fleury, Nick Henry, Callan Foote.

Kevin Olexson — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 19:40:46 +0000

A note on the 20-80 scale used below. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

McKeen's Hockey welcomes Kevin Olexson. In his own words "I reside in the sunny Okanagan in the beautiful city of Kelowna. I was born and raised in the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where I spent many freezing days and nights on outdoor rinks and watching hockey games in small arenas. This is my second year of analyzing and writing about prospects."

Sam Steel	2016 Draft (30th - Anaheim Ducks)
Position: C, Shoots L	H/W: 5-11", 180 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Regina Pats, WHL (38-34-48-83-18)

Sam Steel, Regina Pats

Skating: Steel is a strong skater who is quick with good speed and agility. He’s really smooth on his feet, takes quick, strong, powerful strides, is very agile and moves around the ice easily. Speed is a huge part of his game, and he accelerates quickly and uses it to his advantage. He has great wheels and can burn defenders as he will catch them off guard and blow by them as he shifts gears. He’s also sturdy on his feet, and despite being light framed, he doesn’t get knocked around. Steel has impressive edgework, maintains his balance well while working his edges nicely to change angles and maneuver around defenders. He can make hard cuts and sudden shifts, and is really smooth on his skates. Grade: 55

Shot: Steel has a very good shot, and a range of them. He has a good accurate wrist shot that snaps off his stick. He has a really quick release, and the puck comes off of his stick instantly in the slot. He also possesses a good slap shot, with good velocity and accuracy that he should use more. He’s good at shifting his body and maneuvering to change the angle of and get off different shots. Grade: 55

Skills: Steel is a highly skilled player with exceptional passing skills and top notch vision. He sees the ice very well, is patient with the puck and can create open ice and space for himself and his teammates by attracting defenders with his puck dangling abilities. He’s a smooth passer with great hands who makes nice crisp passes to his line mates, and is able to thread passes to them through crowded areas setting up great scoring chances. Steel is a good faceoff man with quick hands who likes to play a puck possession game. He likes to carry the puck and stickhandle up the ice, along the boards or in traffic while using his high end peripheral vision to open lanes and find open teammates. Grade: 60

Smarts: Steel is an extremely smart player who is offensively gifted yet defensively smart. He always hustles back to help out in his own end by dropping down low in front of the net, and is very rarely caught out of position. He has very strong hockey sense and understands the game very well. His positioning is great, and he knows where to be or go, and works his way in to high scoring areas. He has incredibly high hockey IQ, is a reliable two-way player who uses good instincts along with an active stick to break up passes and create turnovers. He has the ability to both read and adjust to the plays on the ice, and has to the skill and fortitude to make sure that he gets to where he needs to be. He uses his speed effectively to effectively transition his team from defense to offense and gets himself open or breakout passes. Grade: 65

Physicality: Steel plays a game that is heavy on finesse and does not throw the body around a lot. He will engage in board and puck battles, and does dig for pucks, but not by using his body, as he does not play overly physical. Steel is a smaller player, and needs to add to his light frame. As he is only 18, he will fill out and add strength. Grade: 45

Summary: Steel has been a proven scorer at every level, and has really stepped up this season to lead the Regina Pats to a top ranking. Anaheim selected him in the first round of last year’s draft at the 30^th position, and will certainly be a real steal and quality pick. After being a surprising cut from Canada’s junior team, Steel has continued to dominate the WHL. Steel is a scoring threat every time he steps on the ice, and makes the players around him better. He is primarily known for being a playmaking center, but has developed himself in to a first rate finisher with 32 goals in 35 games and buries the puck with ease. He is a hardworking two-way center, who is versatile and plays in all situations. Steel plays the game with speed, has excellent vision, smarts, and puck skills. He loves to have the puck on his stick, is creative with the puck, and has no trouble handling the puck at top speeds. He is a good puck mover, is very calm with the puck on his stick, and his passing skills are elite. Steel is a smart player with good anticipation who reads the plays well and can adapt to the situations at hand.

Adam Brooks	2016 Draft (92nd - Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: C, Shoots: L	H/W: 5'10", 175 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Regina Pats, WHL (38-25-55-80-35)

Skating: Brooks is a solid skater with good speed, agility and balance. He keeps a wide stance, is very solid on his skates, and uses strong strides to accelerate quickly with a good top speed, and gains speed quickly through the neutral zone in transition. He has good footwork and navigates himself very well in traffic and in tight spots. Grade: 55

Shot: Brooks has a very accurate wrist shot and triggers a quick release when he lets it go. His shot is above average, and he should use it more. He likes to shoot in close to the net, otherwise he is looking to make a play. Brooks gets the puck off really quick on his one timers, and he also has a soft touch and easily picks the high corners. He has great hand eye coordination around the net and gets his stick on a lot of pucks for deflections. He has a quick hard snap shot or wrist shot, and gets good shots sliding back from the puck and changing angles. Grade: 55

Skills: Brooks is a highly skilled player who has been extremely reliable and stepped up and taken leadership of the Pats. He has great passing skills with quick hands who distributes the puck very well and can get the puck where it needs to be. He has good vision, is a very good puck handler who controls and protects the puck really well. He has good awareness, especially in the offensive zone and is always involved in the game. Grade: 55

Smarts: Brooks is a very smart player with high hockey IQ and good instincts. He reads the play very well and sees openings and breakdowns, and has good anticipation being able to take away space and set up teammates. He is used in all situations and is able to play well in his own zone and help transition his team to offense in a hurry. Brooks can react well, and make adjustments to adapt his game, which is why he has been successful. Grade: 60

Physicality: Brooks may not be the biggest guy on the ice, but he stays low and is solid on his feet. He plays with grit and does not shy away from the physical game. He will make a hit and stand his ground, or take a hit and make the play. He is not afraid to go the net or get involved in the corners or along the boards. Grade: 50

Summary: Brooks has really come a long way in the past two seasons in Regina. From getting very little playing time in his first two season with the Pats, he has been a student of the game and has paid his dues, matured, and turned in to a well rounded player. He could be labelled as a late bloomer, and with his emergence last season where he led the WHL in scoring, he has been even more dominant this season. One would expect that with an overage player, but he has learned to adapt his game, and works hard each and every shift on the ice. He is a dependable two-way player who competes hard each and every night, and his consistency has earned the trust of his coaches and teammates. Brooks is a good playmaker who sees the ice very well, will play in all situations, and does all of the little things right. Brooks has good speed and likes to play the game at high speed. He is been a great influence with his teammates as many of them have elevated their games around Brooks, who last year finished 50 points ahead of his team’s next leading scorer. Brooks also plays a gritty game, can be physical, and can get under the skin of his opponents. He is always involved in the play and somehow finds himself in the center of it. Whether he is cutting through the middle of the ice on the offensive zone to the net or stretching out the defenders to set up teammates for good scoring opportunities, there is always something happening when he is on the ice. Brooks should translate into a solid 2^nd or 3^rd line center in the NHL, and is definitely ready for the AHL.

Cale Fleury	2017 NHL Entry Draft
Position: D, Shoots: R	H/W: 6-1", 205 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Kootenay Ice, WHL (48-8-20-28-45)

Cale Fleury, photo by Cranbook Photo

Skating: Fleury is a smooth skater with good speed. He takes quick strong steps and has good acceleration. He makes hard stops with fast foot work to move the opposite direction and elude attackers. He has good balance, is strong on his feet and can walk the blue line to make good passes or change his angle to get off good shots on net. Grade: 50

Shot: Fleury has a great shot, quick, hard and accurate. He likes to shoot, and finds shooting lanes to get pucks to the net. He has a strong accurate one timer that comes off his stick quickly. He also possesses a nice quick and deceptive wrist shot that generally finds its way to the net. Grade: 55

Skills: Fleury is a highly skilled player that is growing and developing every game as he gains more and more confidence. He is a great puck mover, makes nice crisp hard passes, and makes good first passes out of the zone to start the breakout. He is comfortable with the puck on his stick and likes to carry the puck and get involved up the ice. He has good hand eye coordination and active stick, always getting his stick in the way and deflecting pucks and breaking up plays. In the offensive zone, he manages to get his stick on shots and passes for deflections and redirections on net. His good passing skills give him opportunities to get good shots off as he can fool defenders, then pull back and change angles to get off a quick hard wrist shot. Sometimes he tries too hard to create things and tries to force pucks, but with more maturity he will become more patient and give himself and his team mates more time and space. Grade: 50

Smarts: Fleury is a smart player who is well disciplined, and can support and lead his teammates. He does a lot of things right away from the puck, and plays a strong man to man game as well as good zone coverage, keeping opponents at bay and maintaining his position. He has an active stick, breaking up plays and deflecting passes, and likes to join the play in transition. He reads plays well, and puts himself in the right spots and positions.Grade: 50

Physicality: Fleury plays aggressively and has a strong physical game. He is a strong kid with decent size who likes to engage and plays with an edge. He will lay big punishing hits, and step up and drop the gloves when needed. He is strong on the puck, battles hard to block out opponents, and wins puck battles. He protects the puck very well when it is on his stick and he moves up the ice, is not afraid to go in to corners or engage in front of the net. Grade: 55

Summary: The younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes’ prospect Haydn Fleury, Cale Fleury is the leader of a young rebuilding Kootenay Ice squad. Although things have not been all good down in Kootenay, the Ice are happy to have a young talent like Fleury in their fold. He is a smooth skating defenceman comfortable with the puck on his stick, likes to join the rush, and has good passing and puck skills. Despite his poor plus minus numbers (-23), he is sound in his own end positionally, and man to man. It looks bad because he is the leader on a young team that is rebuilding and is not stacked with talent, so many of the older , more experienced teams seem to push the play on the young Ice squad. He works hard on and off the ice, and is respected by his peers and teammates. He is maturing and developing quickly and gaining confidence with each and every shift. He has good size, is strong on his skates, has good offensive instincts and a great shot.

Nick Henry	2017 NHL Entry Draft
Position: RW, Shoots: R	H/W: 5-11", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Regina Pats, WHL (44-21-30-51-26)

Nick Henry, photo by Keith Hershmiller

Skating: Henry is a strong skater that has good speed. He keeps a low stance, is light on his skates, and accelerates very quickly with short quick steps and strong crossovers. He moves easily around the ice, and is able to get behind defenders where they have a hard time catching him. He will get faster and stronger as he develops. Grade: 50

Shot: Henry has really heavy shot and likes to shoot and fire from all over the ice. He has a range of shots that he uses. Whether a nice low hard wrist shot with good velocity as it comes off of his stick, or a good slap shot that he really leans in to and gets full extension on. He has a quick release on his one timer and wrist shot as the puck just snaps off his stick. He can shoot short side coming in on net, or change his angle, push the puck and shoot far side as he pulls the goalie and defender away. He has good accuracy, a good quick release, and a really hard one timer. Grade: 55

Skills: Henry is a playmaker with finishing ability who has really good offensive instincts. He has good hand eye coordination, and can lean back to pick up pucks and get underneath them for good scoring chances. He likes to handle the puck, especially down low, keeps his head up and can thread nice passes to teammates for good scoring opportunities. Grade: 55

Smarts: Henry has good puck skills and offensive smarts. He has good net presence, likes to go to the net with his stick on the ice, and capitalizes on loose pucks and mistakes. He has the tendency to slide in to the slot for a one timer or quick release, and scores a lot from the slot or at the doorstep. He follows the play well, keeps his head up, and goes to the net. Grade:50

Physicality: Henry has decent size, but I never witnessed him play a physical style. He considers himself a rugged winger, but does not push the physical edge. The way that his club has played this season, there is no reason for him to do so. Grade: 45

Summary: This is Henry’s first year in the WHL, and he has the luxury of playing with the best team in Canada, and learn from guys like Steel and Brooks. Henry will learn to adjust and adapt to the WHL game where he will mature and get stronger, and learn to develop his two-way game. He plays a hard game, and likes to go to the net with the puck on his stick, where he will jump on loose pucks and capitalize on rebounds. He has good net presence and positioning, and goes to the net with his stick on the ice in which he benefits from quite often. He considers himself a playmaker, but has shown that he has great finishing skills as well. He turns and shoots quickly, likes to cycle low, and uses his speed to forecheck hard and create turnovers. He has a very good shot that he will use just about anywhere on the ice.

Callan Foote	2017 NHL Entry Draft
Position: D, Shoots: R	H/W: 6-4", 215 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Kelowna Rockets, WHL (48-5-32-37-26)

Cal Foote #25 of Kelowna Rockets, Prospera Place, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze)

Skating: Foote is a much better skater than he is given credit for. He is a good skater for his size, and really does surprise with his speed and agility. He uses a wide stance, and takes strong powerful strides when he gets going. He picks up speed in stride, has fast feet and takes quick steps, but is not the fastest skater and does not have a great top end speed. With his size, he seems to hunch over a bit, and his skating can look a little clunky at times as he adjusts to different scenarios or reaches for passes instead of moving towards them. He even appears slow at times because he is so big, but he moves well, and skates the puck out of danger nicely using his body to shelter the puck and block out forecheckers. Once he gets moving he looks solid taking long strides, moving his feet quickly to build up momentum. Grade: 50

Shot: Foote is pass first defenseman who has a real cannon for a shot. He has a lot of power and gets off hard shots. He keeps his shot low and creates rebounds and bounces for teammates in front of the net. Foote also has a great wrist shot that he leans on and flexes his stick which snaps the puck with good force towards the net. He is able to place his wrist shot high from inside the point which catches opponents off guard. Grade: 55

Skills: Foote is a highly skilled player who keeps things simple, thinks pass first and makes smart decisions with the puck. He has strong passing skills, and good puck skills in general. He distributes the puck very well and makes a strong first passes out of his zone. He is very calm and collected with the puck on his stick, keeps his head up and is always looking to make plays. He has very good and active stick, as he gets it out to poke check easily and deflects pucks away. He is also very active with his feet or skates in controlling or moving the puck. Grade: 55

Smarts: Foote is an extremely smart player for his age, and has excellent hockey sense and IQ. He plays a really sound game in his own zone, and plays a defense first style, always taking care of business in his own zone first and foremost. He reads plays, can react to them, and uses an active stick to get into shooting and passing lanes to both break up plays and clear pucks out of dangerous areas. He understands his role on the ice and how to play in every situation. He keeps his head up and is aware of what is going on around him, and keeps things simple on the ice. He plays great one on one, takes away space and ice, closes gaps quickly, and separates players forcing them outside and around the perimeter. He plays calm and composed, uses his large frame to protect the puck, block and box out opposing forwards. He likes to pinch and sneak in offensively, and he knows that he does not have the speed to catch up once forwards are behind him. Instead he knows to hustle back and supports his teammates by getting himself into good positions to take away passes and options to take away scoring opportunities. Grade:55

Physicality: Foote is a big defenseman who is almost NHL ready from a physical perspective. He has great size and strength, and is still growing and filling out. Although he does not play overly physical, he still plays physical enough to intimidate his opponents. He is strong on the puck and along the boards, and makes good use of his size and strength. He can be physical along the boards and in the corners, and can hold off forecheckers and be an intimidating force. Grade: 60

Summary: The ceiling is high for Kelowna Rockets prospect Cal Foote. He is a smart, confident and consistent two-way defender who plays a defense first game, who can also contribute offensively from the back end. He is a shutdown type of defenseman who competes hard, and dominates in his own zone with his exemplary defensive play. He tends to be underrated as he plays a simple game making one high percentage play after another, and frequently goes unnoticed with his style of play. Obviously his size and strength are big factors to his game, and he really knows how to use it all to his advantage. He plays in all situations, is highly popular with his teammates and has great leadership qualities. With his play on the back end, it helps support his teammates and gives them confidence to open up for a quick transition game. He plays such a smart game, and is rarely ever caught out of position. He holds the line well offensively and is usually the first man back as he reads plays so well and is able to adjust. All in all, he’s a complete player who has all of the skills and makeup to be a top two defenseman in the NHL.

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Toronto Maple Leafs

Grant McCagg — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 12:04:15 +0000

June 24, 2016: Auston Matthews poses after being chosen Number 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

When a team adds the first pick overall, it is enjoying a pivotal draft in team history, especially when that player is considered to be a cornerstone number one center like Auston Matthews. An extremely skilled skater who can stickhandled at high speeds and both distribute and shoot the puck impressively, Matthews will be a key component in Toronto’s rise back to respectability. Yegor Korshkov went a bit higher than expected given he’s a 1996-born prospect, but there was no denying the 6-4 winger’s physical dominance at the U-20 last winter. He’ll compete for a roster spot very soon. Carl Grundstrom doesn’t wow with his speed or offensive flair, but he’s a smart, hardnosed center with top-notch defensive skills that will compete for a bottom-line position in a few years.

RND	PICK	RNK	PLAYER	POS	CTY	HT/WT	TEAM
1	1	2	Auston Matthews	C	USA	6-2/210	ZSC Zurich (Sui)
2	31	63	Yegor Korshkov	RW	RUS	6-4/180	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)
2	57	41	Carl Grundstrom	RW	SWE	6-0/195	MoDo (Swe)
3	62	104	Joseph Woll	G	USA	6-2/200	NTDP (USA)
3	72	106	James Greenway	D	USA	6-5/215	NTDP (USA)
4	92	108	Adam Brooks	C	CAN	5-10/175	Regina (WHL)
4	101	NR	Keaton Middleton	D	CAN	6-5/235	Saginaw (OHL)
5	122	146	Vladimir Bobylev	RW	RUS	6-2/205	Victoria (WHL)
6	152	90	Jack Walker	LW	USA	5-11/180	Victoria (WHL)
6	179	NR	Nicolas Mattinen	D	CAN	6-4/220	London (OHL)
7	182	NR	Nikolai Chebykin	RW	RUS	6-3/185	MVD Balashikha (Rus)

HELSINKI, FINLAND - JANUARY 4: Sweden vs Finland semifinal round - 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Adam Brooks

Keaton Middleton of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Joseph Woll brings good size and skills to the goalie position…he’ll need to keep working on the mental aspect of his game. James Greenway is a gargantuan defenceman who improved as the season went along, impressing scouts at the U-18’s with his skating and skills while cutting down on mental errors that remain a significant issue. Adam Brooks showed the hockey world that passing on him a third time would be a mistake following a tremendous season in which he led all WHL scorers with 120 points. More than just a scorer despite his size, the 5-10 center plays a smart, competitive two-way game. Keaton Middleton…Jacob’s “little” 6-5 brother, was overshadowed at times by fellow Saginaw defenceman Markus Niemelainen, and wasn’t expected to be drafted in the fourth round. Lots of work to do, but certainly has the size and raw physical skills to be a candidate for a bottom pairing role at the pro level. Vladimir Bobylev is a 6-2 center/winger with soft hands and above-average playmaking skills who really developed in his second CHL season. Jack Walker’s transformation from junior defenceman to elite winger took place over an 18-month period. This past spring Walker was by many accounts the top forward in the WHL playoffs…he has NHL skills and competes hard. Look for him to be an AHL regular next season.

Mark Hunter reached out to his junior team in London to pluck Nicolas Mattinen...the third blueliner at least 6-4 drafted by the Leafs in this draft. Nikolai Chebykin is another large Russian forward passed in the draft who impressed at an international tournament…in his case it was the WJAC.

Grade: A+: Landing the prospect considered by many to be the best in the draft, and eight in total who were in McKeen’s rankings gives the Leafs the top grade in this draft. This should one day be looked back on as the pivotal weekend in Toronto’s rebuilding process.

Adam Brooks – McKeen's Hockey

GERMANY: 2024-25 Hockey season kicks off!

Draftees

U20 players

UFAs to be?

DEL2

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MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – NHL Player Profiles

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – RANK: #23 – TIER IV

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Toronto Maple Leaves Top 20 Prospects

Nick Robertson, LW (53rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Rodion Amirov, LW (15th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Roni Hirvonen, C (59th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Topi Niemela, D (64th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Filip Hallander, LW (58th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Nick Abruzzese, C (124th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Joey Anderson, RW (73rd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5 [New Jersey[])

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Timothy Liljegren, D (17th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Veeti Miettinen, RW (168th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mac Hollowell, D (118th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Filip Kral, D (149th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Joseph Woll, G (62nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

William Villeneuve, D (122nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Adam Brooks, C (92nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Mikhail Abramov, C (115th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Ian Scott, G (110th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: UR)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 19

Toronto Maple Leafs

Nick Robertson, LW (53rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Filip Hallander, LW (58th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Nick Abruzzese, C (124th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 3)

Timothy Liljegren, D (17th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Mac Hollowell, D (118th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Filip Kral, D (149th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Joseph Woll, G (62nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Adam Brooks, C (92nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 11)

Mikhail Abramov, C (115th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Michael Koster, D (146th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

Toronto Maple Leafs 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect System Overview

Toronto – System Overview

Scouting Reports: WHL – Sam Steel, Adam Brooks, Cale Fleury, Nick Henry, Callan Foote.

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Toronto Maple Leafs

Nick Robertson, LW (53^rd overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Rodion Amirov, LW (15^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Roni Hirvonen, C (59^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Topi Niemela, D (64^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Filip Hallander, LW (58^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Nick Abruzzese, C (124^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Joey Anderson, RW (73^rd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5 [New Jersey[])

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 5)

Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 7)

Veeti Miettinen, RW (168^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Filip Kral, D (149^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 10)

William Villeneuve, D (122^nd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 11)

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 12)

Mikhail Abramov, C (115^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 14)

Ian Scott, G (110^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: UR)

Nick Robertson, LW (53^rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 2)

Filip Hallander, LW (58^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Nick Abruzzese, C (124^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mikko Kokkonen, D (84^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 12)

Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 9)

Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61^st overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 3)

Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 6)

Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 8)

Filip Kral, D (149^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 19)

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 11)

Mikhail Abramov, C (115^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Pontus Holmberg, LW/C (156^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Michael Koster, D (146^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)