Dennis Hildeby – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #27

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:05:59 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (May 2025 - 29th)
GM: Brad Treliving Hired: May 2023
COACH: Craig Berube Hired: May 2024

The biggest storyline in Toronto this year was defined by a departure rather than an arrival. In a blockbuster “sign-and-trade” deal, star forward Mitch Marner was shipped to Vegas for Nicolas Roy. While the move doesn’t necessarily bolster their pipeline, it marks the end of an era and an obvious pivot away from a direction they have been following for years.

That approach was reinforced when Toronto dealt one of its few premium prospects, Fraser Minten, along with 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, to Boston and Philadelphia in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo and forward Scott Laughton. The transaction provided immediate roster support, but it left their already-thin pipeline in an even rougher state.

Easton Cowan now carries the weight of being the organization’s lone “must-hit” prospect. The 20-year-old capped off his OHL career in London with 69 points in 46 games and is on the verge of turning pro. While his NHL impact may be a season or two away, Cowan remains the most promising piece in an otherwise shallow system.

On defense, Ben Danford has quietly emerged as a potential long-term contributor, coming off another strong campaign with Oshawa. His development will be key for a team that lacks young blue line talent.

The 2025 draft added six new players to the organization, though none cracked McKeen’s top 250. Simply put, the Leafs’ pipeline is one of the weakest in the league, and recent trades have further eroded its long-term potential. With so much of their future capital spent, Toronto is firmly betting that its current core can deliver before the bill for this aggressive approach comes due.

Toronto Maple Leafs Top-15 Prospects

1 - Easton Cowan

The 2024 Red Tlison winner in the OHL as the league’s most outstanding player was also the MVP of the playoffs as the Knights captured the title two seasons ago. It would have been hard for him to replicate or build off that success, even if he did help London capture another OHL title last year. Some Leafs fans seem to be down on Cowan after a decline in production and a poor performance at the World Juniors for Canada. However, he’s still a terrific young prospect and someone with a significant chance of becoming a quality middle six forward for the Leafs in the near future. He brings speed. He brings tenacity. He has an attacking mindset and is hungry for the puck in all three zones. Best of all, he’s a skilled one-on-one player who can, both, play through defenders or around them. The key for Cowan will be refining his approach to fit the pro game. He’ll have to cut down on his offensive zone turnovers and be more calculated with the puck. He’ll likely settle into more of a complementary role, and that can be an adjustment for former junior stars. Even if the Leafs could have some holes to fill next year in the bottom six, it could be wise for them to take a cautious approach and start Cowan in the AHL to allow him to build confidence and adjust.

2 - Ben Danford

Don’t be alarmed by the decline in offensive production from Danford this past year. With Luca Marrelli still in the fold, he wasn’t going to be asked to take on more offensive responsibility. That will be next year, when he has a shot to be the team’s top power play quarterback and true number one defender. For now, appreciate the defensive efficiency that Danford brings to the ice. He shuts down the transition game with his mobility and aggressiveness. He clears the net and wins 50/50 battles. He blocks shots extremely effectively. He has an active stick. He even emerged as one of the OHL’s elite body checkers this past year, really upping the ante physically. Danford’s projection still hasn’t changed much in a year; we’re still looking at a potential second pairing defensive anchor who can help neutralize the opponent’s best.

3 - Tyler Hopkins

“Hoppy” as he’s affectionately known by, is a versatile pivot with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and a recent third-round selection of the Leafs. He’s a well-rounded player who does a lot of things well. He’s a strong skater. He competes away from the puck and is an effective forechecker. He can make plays in transition and will drive the net. After a breakout season with Kingston last year, Hopkins’ goal this year should be to hone into an identity. His versatility makes him a possible pro, but his jack-of-all-trades skill set does make his upside somewhat uncertain. What kind of pro will Hopkins be? How will his skill set translate? Added strength to his wiry frame should help him become a more consistent player and he will be leaned on more heavily by the Frontenacs this coming season, which will be great for his offensive development.

4 - Noah Chadwick

Over the past few seasons Chadwick has quietly developed into one of the best and most underrated defencemen in the entire WHL. The Hurricanes captain is a responsible, trustworthy player who brings an impressive amount of shift-to-shift consistency and efficiency in all three zones. There really isn't much that he couldn't do if asked, and that primarily stems from just how smart he is. To go so far as to say that he's one of the smartest prospects in all of junior hockey wouldn't even be an exaggeration, as evidenced by him winning the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year award in 2023-24. He's a major minute-eater at his current level of hockey and it's easy to see him eventually doing that in the NHL one day too. Finding prospects of this caliber late in the draft is a difficult task for scouts, so the Maple Leafs must be thrilled that they were able to bring in Chadwick using only a sixth-round pick.

5 - Luke Haymes

It’s been a long road to relevancy for Haymes, a former draft selection of the Soo Greyhounds. A year with Ridley College. A year in the BCHL. Three years with Dartmouth College, including an injury riddled one this past year. But, after signing with Toronto as a free agent, he’s firmly on the NHL radar. Haymes is a workhorse pivot who wins 50/50 battles down low, gets to the net, and is a strong finisher under pressure. He was excellent for the Marlies to end last season after turning pro, suggesting that he could actually be close to being ready for an NHL roster spot. Haymes’ upside is not likely significant. He projects as a bottom six player. But in a system that’s a little thin currently, Haymes’ mature game stands out. Expect him to play out this coming season with the Marlies before pushing for a depth role in 2026.

6 - Tinus Luc Koblar

The Leafs picking Koblar was a shock to many, but a savvy move to those in the know. Despite his lack of production at the J20 level, the young Slovenian-Norwegian forward has a ton of projectable tools that could make him a capable depth NHLer and has the IQ and compete to drive him forward in his development. Koblar is an intelligent, big bodied two-way center. He plays with a ton of skill and has exceptional timing on his passing plays. He’s great at using his frame to shield the puck from defensive pressure and he leverages his size in puck battles at an advanced level. He just seems to play the right way, as cliche as it sounds. Koblar is a raw prospect who will need a fair bit of seasoning before he’s ready to play in the NHL. He’s very lanky and needs to fill out a fair bit. Despite moving the puck well at the junior level, his quickness and acceleration will need improvement to be able to replicate that at higher levels. Next season, Koblar will most likely split time between Leksands U20 and Swedish pro hockey, be it the SHL or a loan to the HockeyAllsvenskan.

7 - William Villeneuve

After William Villeneuve matched both his points and games played totals in his first two AHL seasons, he took a big step forward this past season. William isn’t exactly agile on his feet, something exposed in his rush defence, but grace doesn’t matter as much when you're a top 15 scoring defenceman in the AHL. That said, Villeneuve will need to make big strides in his skating before getting a real NHL look, as the pace of play would likely overwhelm the Sherbrooke native in his current form. He’s someone to keep tabs on over the next couple of seasons, but odds are he settles in as an AHL regular and steady top four presence on the Marlies’ blueline. This is a contract year for William; he must put up another productive season and show he can do more than score. Adding a layer of bite to his defensive game could be what he needs to start getting some NHL looks when opportunities arise.

8 - Jacob Quillan

Jacob Quillian was signed as a free agent by the Leafs following his championship run with Quinnipiac. This year marked his first in the AHL, and he impressed, finishing above a half point per game while playing third-line minutes. He has a good motor and fits well into the Marlies’ middle six, bringing energy on both the backcheck and forecheck. He won’t drive a line, but Quillian can pull off nifty moves to win one-on-one rushes, a trait that boosts his chances as a north-south grinder at the NHL level. He consistently scans well in the defensive zone, identifying threats and plugging lanes. His defensive IQ and effort make him a strong call-up candidate if injuries hit. Quillian will likely return to the AHL next season to work on his offensive consistency, as his points came in bunches, but so did the quiet games. If Steeves is the scoring injury fill-in, Quillian is the defensive energy option.

9 - Artur Akhtiamov

After dominating the VHL and having a very impressive backup season in the KHL at 22, Akhtiamov numbers-wise, took a step back in his Marlies rookie-year. There are a lot of things that could have affected this seeming decrease in performance, but none that should be of any major concern. Transitioning to NA hockey is harder on goalies. Generally, European leagues are more perimeter based and slower paced making it more goalie-friendly. His actual skill set is much more dynamic than someone like Hildeby. He’s a prototypical Russian-style goalie in that he has extreme athleticism and speed. But his skating and anticipation are actually what stand out the most. He has incredible edges and an innate ability to change directions on a dime, reacting quickly to passes. He does struggle with rebounds, excessive movement and needs to learn to engage sooner, but his raw talents are high level. His situation isn’t amazing with the Toronto system as it is, but the ceiling is there to potentially crack a 1A role; it just may be a bit more of a long shot.

10 - Dennis Hildeby

As one of the biggest goalies to play in the NHL this past season at 6-foot-7, Hildeby understandably isn’t overly athletic. His speed, skating, and athletic abilities are about average and are good enough for the NHL, but he makes his paycheque off of his positional game. He’s very positionally sound, having great depth and really smart movement selection. He seems to know what to do; he just hasn’t yet adjusted to the speed of the NHL to fully anticipate plays. But I do think it will come to him easier than most. His level of composure for someone so big is very impressive, as well as how quick his hands can be in making saves. He does struggle with rebounds, which hurt him in the NHL this season. Because of that, he showed that he wasn’t quite ready for the NHL as of yet. His potential could reach a decent tandem goalie by being a calm, reliable presence, but he isn’t dynamic enough or elite in any one thing to become a true starter.

11 - Miroslav Holinka

It was all “veni vidi vici” for Holinka this past winter, who had a successful first WHL season (save for the playoffs) and an upstart WJC before signing his ELC with Toronto this past July. Having made a quick transition to his new surroundings, Holinka brings a solid frame, a multifaceted toolbox, and some natural athleticism to the table. Although a loan-out to a European club isn’t out of the question, Holinka’s versatility and defensive acumen indicate he’s AHL-ready.

12 - Victor Johansson

Slight in frame but big on competitiveness, Johansson comes from a true hockey family. Not only was his dad a long-time pro in Sweden, but his older brothers Simon (Minnesota) and Anton (Detroit) were also NHL draft picks. Oh, and Alex Wennberg (SJS) is a direct cousin. Johansson is coming off a very promising U20 season in Sweden that culminate in 2:13 minutes of SHL action. We’re looking for more pro reps and a WJC push this winter.

13 - William Belle

We had the Minnesota native who is on his way to Notre Dame this fall ranked 121st overall this past summer, ahead of where he went at 137. And sure, we weren’t happy to see him fall down the ranks at the USNTDP (didn’t make the U18 Worlds roster either), but we know Belle’s quite the competitor who can be a wrecking ball of a player. Toronto can bide its time as Belle proves he’s got more to show.

14 - Cade Webber

Very large defensive defencemen - which Webber very much is - take time to develop and Cade has indeed been biding his time to date. Unspectacular with a yeoman style game, the Pennsylvania native understands his role and what is expected of him. Acquired for a sixth-round draft pick from Carolina shortly before becoming a UFA, Webber had a solid, progress-filled first season of AHL play and could be a depth option on the blueline for the Leafs as soon as this winter.

15 - Borya Valis

Valis is a Colorado native who was signed to an ELC this past spring as a WHL free agent. Four successive seasons there were topped off by a breakout offensive campaign in which Valis showed himself to be very adept at getting pucks to the net, driving them there himself whenever possible. He’ll kick off his pro career looking to work on many aspects of his game and it’s up to him to turn himself into an NHL option.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sat, 17 May 2025 14:15:06 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 28: Easton Cowan (53) of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the third period of the NHL pre-season game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens on Sept 28, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

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Toronto 25 Prospects

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD (October 28th to November 3rd) – Jets’ Perfect Start, Sharks’ Slow Start

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 18:00:14 +0000

_{DENVER, CO - APRIL 17: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) makes a pass during a Western Conference match-up in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 17, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire)}

Last week I noted the Avalanche and Predators’ 0-4-0 start and focused quite a bit on Colorado goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s disastrous play, so it seems only fair to check back in with those teams, beginning with the Avs.

Colorado has done a full 180, winning its last four games to reach 4-4-0. As noted during the Avalanche section of that article, Colorado’s recent schedule has been favorable (the Avalanche have beaten Anaheim, San Jose, Seattle and Utah), which has doubtlessly aided in the turnaround, but credit still needs to go to Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. With the team’s depth gutted by injuries, those three have driven the offense. Makar leads the league -- not just defensemen -- with 15 points (three goals) through eight contests. MacKinnon and Rantanen aren’t far behind with 13 points each.

As for Georgiev, he hasn’t been in net since allowing three goals on just 19 shots against Anaheim in the Avalanche’s 4-3 overtime win Oct. 18. Justus Annunen has taken over the starting gig, saving a combined 75 of 79 shots (.949 save percentage) across the Avalanche’s past three victories. Georgiev is going to get other opportunities but given that the veteran netminder struggled last season as well as this one, it’s entirely plausible for Annunen to wrestle away the No. 1 job long-term, provided he remains solid.

Nashville hasn’t enjoyed the same turnaround, but the Predators finally earned their first victory Tuesday with a 4-0 showing against Boston. Steven Stamkos’ cold start has continued with a goal and no assists through six appearances, so we’ll have to see where that leads.

While the Predators’ slow start has been surprising, probably the biggest shock in the early going of the campaign is Minnesota’s 5-0-2 start. The Wild missed the playoffs last year with a 39-33-10 record, and it was expected that this would be another challenging campaign, in large part because they still have over $14 million of dead cap space due to the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts (though that crashes to just a combined $1,666,666 beyond this campaign).

Goaltending has been a big part of that turnaround. Filip Gustavsson disappointed last year with a 20-17-5 record, 3.06 GAA and .899 save percentage in 45 outings, but he’s rebounded in the early part of 2024-25, posting a 4-0-1 record, 1.40 GAA and .952 save percentage through five outings. It’s still early, but Gustavsson is still a relatively young goaltender at 26 and demonstrated in 2022-23 that he can be a high-end option, so it wouldn’t be completely out of nowhere if he goes on to have a great season.

Boston Bruins

One goaltender who isn’t having a great campaign thus far is Jeremy Swayman, who missed training camp but joined the Bruins after being presented with 66 million reasons for doing so. Perhaps because he didn’t get any preseason action, Swayman hasn’t been able to find a rhythm, posting a 2-3-1 record, 2.99 GAA and .904 save percentage through six appearances in 2024-25. Jonas Korpisalo hasn’t shown himself to be a good alternative, though, allowing nine goals on 60 shots (.850 save percentage) across two starts.

The good news is the Bruins don’t have the best of scoring teams on the docket for the upcoming week. Boston will host the Flyers on Tuesday before a two-game road trip that will see the Bruins play in Carolina on Thursday and Philadelphia on Saturday. They’ll return home to play the Kraken on Sunday. The Flyers rank 29th offensively with 2.29 goals per game while Carolina and Seattle are in the middle-of-the-pack in scoring.

Swayman isn’t the only Bruins player who has underperformed. While David Pastrnak is tied for the team lead offensively with six points (five goals), that’s less than you’d expect from him through eight appearances. Brad Marchand has fared worse though, providing no goals and four assists across eight outings.

Pastrnak should rebound, but is there reason to be more concerned about Marchand given that he’s 36 years old? It’s a little early to say, but there’s nothing that stands out to me as terribly wrong thus far. His skating hasn’t declined, and his shots/60 is largely unchanged from last year. His shots are perhaps less concentrated in front of the net compared to last year, but we’re also comparing a large sample size to a relatively small one. He merits monitoring, but not panic yet.

On the other end of the spectrum, Cole Koepke has impressed with three goals and six points through eight appearances. I recommend caution when evaluating him, though. Despite his strong start, he’s averaging just 11:04 of ice time, and that includes almost no work on the power play. He’s also been held off the scoresheet in Boston’s past two games, so the hot streak appears to be over. Don’t put high expectations on the 26-year-old.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets entered the campaign the low expectations of being projected as a team likely to be in the running for the first overall draft pick, but so far Columbus has held its own with a 3-3-0 record. We’ll see if the Blue Jackets will be able to keep that going amid a busy week that will involve a home stretch against Edmonton on Monday, the Islanders on Wednesday and Winnipeg on Friday and conclude with a road game in Washington on Saturday.

Columbus’ early success has been in no small part thanks to Kirill Marchenko and free agent signing Sean Monahan developing chemistry on the top line. Marchenko took a step forward as a sophomore in 2023-24 with 23 goals and 42 points across 78 appearances, and he seems to be destined for greater heights this season after starting with three goals and eight points through six outings. Monahan has collected three goals and seven points of his own with the duo showing up on the scoresheet together five times so far.

Yegor Chinakhov is giving the Blue Jackets some offensive depth from the second line. The 23-year-old has supplied three goals and seven points through six appearances after finishing 2023-24 with 29 points (13 goals) in 53 outings. The 22-year-old Kent Johnson also looked good early on with two goals and five points in four appearances, but unfortunately, he sustained an upper-body injury and is expected to be unavailable for a significant chunk of time.

He had been playing alongside Mikael Pyyhtia and Cole Sillinger, and due to Johnson’s absence, that line was broken up with Sillinger now joining Marchenko and Monahan, while Pyyhtia is with Chinakhov and Adam Fantilli, who has just two points (both goals) in six games this year but is averaging an encouragingly high 17:49 of ice time.

There’s a lot of potential with this Blue Jackets team, but young forwards tend to be streaky, so don’t be surprised if Columbus deals with a lot of inconsistency in 2024-25.

New York Islanders

As noted above, the Islanders will play Columbus on the road Wednesday. That’s part of the start of a three-game road trip for the Islanders that will also feature games in Buffalo on Friday and against the Rangers on Sunday. However, the Islanders will host Anaheim on Tuesday before that trip begins.

New York is off to a 2-2-2 start despite allowing just 2.50 goals per game. The offense just hasn’t been there, though. Noah Dobson leads the team with just four assists and no Islanders player has more than two goals.

Scoring was an issue for the Islanders last year too -- they ranked 22nd with 2.99 goals per game -- so this isn’t a completely shocking development. They did sign Anthony Duclair over the summer in the hopes of at least bolstering their secondary scoring, but after providing two goals and three points through five outings, Duclair suffered a leg injury, and the team announced Thursday that he’ll be out for the next 4-6 weeks.

Duclair was playing alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal on the top line, and due to the injury, Simon Holmstrom is projected to take that first unit spot. However, Holmstrom had just 15 goals and 25 points in 75 regular-season games in 2023-24, so while playing on the top line should provide him with some additional opportunities, he’s probably not worth a pickup in most fantasy formats even with his new role.

The Islanders' other new forward is Maxim Tsyplakov, who is making the transition to the NHL after scoring 31 goals and 47 points across 65 regular-season appearances with the KHL’s Moscow Spartak in 2023-24. Tsyplakov has been okay, but not special so far, supplying a goal and three points through six outings. He has gotten looks on the top power-play unit, which is interesting, but for now, I’d recommend just keeping an eye on him rather than grabbing him if you’re in a standard fantasy league.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are winless through eight games (0-6-2), but perhaps they’ll finally get a victory in the upcoming week. They’ll start on the road against Utah on Monday before heading home to host the Kings on Tuesday, the Blackhawks on Thursday and the Canucks on Saturday.

San Jose’s fairly is largely because it ranks dead last offensively with just 1.88 goals per game. Macklin Celebrini, who was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, would have been a major help there, but after scoring a goal and an assist in his NHL debut, he sustained a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup. It was announced Monday that he would miss at least two more weeks, so don’t expect him to make his return at any point during the four-game stretch mentioned above.

Things might be even grimmer for captain Logan Couture. There haven’t been any updates on the status of his groin injury since the start of the season, which leads me to believe he’s still a ways off from playing. If they were both healthy, Couture and Celebrini would probably comprise two-thirds of the first line. Instead, Mikael Granlund, Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund are the top unit.

You could do worse than that trio. Granlund has exceeded expectations with three goals and nine points through eight contests while Toffoli and Eklund have made their presence felt with seven and five points, respectively. However, while San Jose can still ice a viable first line without Couture and Celebrini, the Sharks can’t do much else. No other player on that team even has four points through eight games. Daniil Gushchin has gotten looks on the second line and with the man advantage despite the 22-year-old having no points and five shots through five appearances. Gushchin did record 20 goals and 54 points in 56 AHL outings in 2023-24, so I don’t want to pick on him, but he’s not currently a great option on the top six.

Meanwhile, Will Smith is experiencing some growing pains. He looked amazing with Boston College in 2023-24, supplying 25 goals and 71 points across 41 games as a freshman, but he has no points, a minus-4 rating and nine shots across six appearances with the Sharks this season. In the long run, he should be a big part of the Sharks’ core group, but for now, he’s another reason why San Jose’s offense is floundering.

Tampa Bay Lightning

One team that has had no problems scoring is Tampa Bay, and the Lightning will try to keep that going next week when they host Stamkos and the Predators on Monday. The Lightning will then go on the road to play in Colorado on Wednesday, Minnesota on Friday and Winnipeg on Sunday.

Letting Stamkos walk couldn’t have been an easy decision after everything he brought to the franchise, and while Stamkos hasn’t impressed early in his Predators tenure, it’s way too early to say if passing on him was the right decision. If nothing else, though, Jake Guentzel, who the Lightning could afford to sign with Stamkos gone, has meshed well on the top line with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.

Guentzel has two goals and seven points across seven games, though his early success has been overshadowed by Nikita Kucherov, who already has eight goals and 13 points across seven appearances this year. Kucherov has managed at least a point in every game thus far. In case you’re wondering, Martin St. Louis (2009-10), Stamkos (2017-18) and Kucherov (2017-18) are tied for Tampa Bay’s franchise record for the longest scoring streak to begin a campaign at 11 games, so while Kucherov isn’t close to that, he has the opportunity to reach and surpass it next week (Tampa Bay has one more clash this week, a home game Saturday versus Washington, so next Sunday’s game versus Winnipeg will be the squad’s 12th of the season).

That top line’s strong start is just part of the Lightning’s bigger offensive success -- they are tied for fifth with 4.00 goals per game -- but the squad has a middling 4-3-0 record despite that. Andrei Vasilevskiy has an amazing opening to 2024-25, but that’s been erased after he allowed 15 goals on 84 shots (.821 save percentage) across his past four appearances. He also left something to be desired last season with his 30-20-2 record, 2.90 GAA and .900 save percentage in 52 regular-season outings, but that was partially handwaved because he missed a significant chunk of the start of that campaign due to injury. However, if he’s truly no longer the elite goaltender he once was, then Tampa Bay is in trouble. Jonas Johansson isn’t a viable alternative for any significant length of time, and Vasilevskiy’s $9.5 million cap hit runs through 2027-28.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto is one of the teams that added to Tampa Bay’s recent woes with a 5-2 victory over the Lightning on Monday, but the Leafs have their own issues after suffering losses to Columbus and St. Louis, bringing Toronto’s record to 4-4-0. Toronto will try to right the ship next week, but it will have to do so while being primarily on the road. The Maple Leafs will play in Winnipeg on Monday, host the Kraken on Thursday and then conclude the week with home games against St. Louis on Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday.

Toronto’s issues mostly stem from inconsistency rather than any particular underperformance, though Auston Matthews’ three goals and five points through eight appearances are certainly less than we’d expect out of him. The team in general hasn’t been as good offensively as it has been in recent years and currently is in a three-way tie for 21st with 2.88 goals per game.

That’s been offset by Anthony Stolarz, who has a 3-2-0 record, 1.83 GAA and .938 save percentage across five appearances. Notably, he wasn’t in net for either of Toronto’s recent losses. Stolarz stopped 32 of 34 shots in that victory over Tampa Bay on Monday, so naturally, he rested Tuesday with Dennis Hildeby getting the nod. Hildeby fell short in a 6-2 loss to St. Louis, but he’s back in the minors anyway because Joseph Woll (lower body) was ready to return Thursday. Unfortunately, Woll was a mixed bag in his season debut, stopping 22 of 26 shots en route to a 5-1 loss to St. Louis.

Stolarz has earned the right to be in contention for the Leafs’ starting gig, and with the packed schedule, he should be in net for at least two of Toronto’s four games next week. I’m also interested to see what happens to Knies and Bobby McMann after Matthew Knies was taken off the first line in the third period of Thursday’s loss. It wouldn’t surprise me if Knies went right back to being the third forward on the Matthews-Mitch Marner unit, but there’s also a reasonable chance McMann gets a longer look in that spot.

Maybe Nicholas Robertson also gets another look on the left wing? Robertson hasn’t demanded preferential treatment after supplying just one point through eight outings, but Toronto’s left wing is still a work in progress, so the possibility of Robertson getting a chance to serve on the top six by shifting from the right to left remains.

Washington Capitals

Washington has jumped out to a 5-1-0 record this year and will look to keep that going with a homestand with the Capitals set to host the Rangers on Tuesday, the Canadiens on Thursday and the Blue Jackets on Saturday. The Capitals will wrap up the week with a visit to Carolina on Sunday.

After a disappointing showing with the Kings last year (16 goals and 40 points in 82 games), Pierre-Luc Dubois got off to a slow start with Washington, providing two assists through five appearances, but he had his first big night with the Capitals on Wednesday, contributing a goal and three points in a 6-3 victory over Philadelphia. So far Dubois has played almost exclusively on the second line with Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael while also seeing time on the top power-play unit. That’s not a bad gig for him and could facilitate a rebound to something resembling his 60-ish-point performances in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Meanwhile, Aliaksei Protas is doing fine on the first line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome. Protas has a goal and four points across six appearances but be careful about overvaluing his top-line spot. While he does play with choice linemates when on the ice, he’s still logging a modest 13:40 per game and is rarely deployed on the power play, so while the 23-year-old might surpass his 2023-24 total of 29 points, this isn’t likely to be a breakout campaign for him.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets have gotten off to an incredible 7-0-0 start. They’ll try to stay strong with their upcoming action, which features a home game against Toronto on Monday, road tilts versus Detroit and Columbus on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, and a home game versus the Lightning.

Connor Hellebuyck has unsurprisingly been a part of the early success with a 6-0-0 record, 1.66 GAA and .940 save percentage, but he’s gotten some good offensive support too. Six players (Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti, Neal Pionk and Josh Morrissey) have supplied at least seven points through seven games.

That’s on top of Nino Niederreiter and Mason Appleton, who each have supplied six points through seven outings while playing on the third unit. That’s some tremendous depth to have, but we’ll see how long this lasts. I’m particularly skeptical of Appleton. The 28-year-old has never come close to the 40-point mark in a single season, and his early numbers are skewed due to two multi-point performances -- he's also been held off the scoresheet four times. In the long run, his offensive pace is likely to decline substantially.

Cole Perfetti’s scoring pace will probably drop too, but not by nearly as much. Although he recorded 30 and 38 points in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively, the 22-year-old has plenty of upside, and he might be starting to reach his potential. Like Appleton, he’s been inconsistent this campaign with seven of his eight points coming from just two games, but Perfetti’s offensive talent makes me more optimistic about him for the rest of the season. If nothing else, Perfetti will be nice to have on your roster while he’s hot.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #29

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Brock Otten — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:00:33 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 30: Fraser Minten (39) of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the first period of the NHL pre-season game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens on September 30, 2023, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 29th (Previous Rank - 25th)
GM: Brad Treliving Hired: May 2023
COACH: Craig Berube Hired: May 2024

The beat goes on for the Maple Leafs, who once again fell short in the NHL playoffs. Despite having several high-calibre talents anchoring the top half of their lineup, few teams have struggled as much as Toronto to find postseason success. As expected, the combination of consistently making the playoffs but failing to advance has taken its toll on the club’s prospect pool, as they now find themselves dropping toward the league's basement in our McKeen’s prospect rankings.

With five players consuming nearly 63% of their overall cap space, the need for affordable, talented options is greater than ever. On the positive side, the Leafs managed to graduate two players in 2023-24: Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson—the latter of whom may seek a more prominent role elsewhere? Knies, however, stands out as the team’s most promising graduate in years, following a 35-point rookie season. He has a strong chance of securing a top six role, potentially filling the secondary scoring void the team has long sought.

While the depth of the prospect pool is limited, there are still some reasons for optimism for the future. Easton Cowan (35th ranked), their 2023 first-round pick and the team’s lone prospect within McKeen’s top 50, is coming off a stellar season, racking up numerous accolades, including being named to the OHL First All-Star Team, winning the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player, and earning OHL Playoff MVP honours with the most points by any skater (34). He even enjoyed a 42-game point streak midway through the season. While the Leafs will have to wait a few seasons to realize Cowan’s impact at the NHL level, he’s a promising addition to an otherwise underwhelming prospect pool.

Rounding out their remaining three top 200 prospects are 2022 second-rounder Fraser Minten (106th), who’s slated to turn pro this fall, and two defencemen—Topi Niemelä (144th) and recent pick Ben Danford (161st).

In addition to their homegrown talent, the Leafs have also added a few NCAA recruits, most notably Jacob Quillan, who brings a versatile two-way game that adds some much-needed dynamism to the farm system. His development will be intriguing to keep tabs on, as he could serve as a low-key and cost-effective bottom-six option in the not-so-distant future.

With only one pick (second round) in the top four rounds of the 2025 Entry Draft, Toronto’s amateur scouting team will need to work overtime next year to find worthy talent to bolster this free-falling depth chart.

Toronto Maple Leafs Top-15 Prospects

1. Easton Cowan

42 games. That’s the number of games in a row that Easton Cowan registered a point during the stretch run last year, one of the reasons why he was named the Red Tilson Award winner as the OHL’s most outstanding player. He helped the Knights capture an OHL title and emerged as one of the best players in the CHL, one year removed from being a “reach” in the eyes of most Leafs’ fans. He has gone from being an overdraft in the eyes of the media and the fan base, to someone Leafs’ fans are extremely excited about in a matter of a calendar year. With improvements made to his puck skill, playmaking touch, and strength on the puck, Cowan has managed to alter the perception of his NHL projection. He’s still got a solid floor because of his high-end skating ability, two-way effectiveness, and great motor, however with the improvements made to his on-puck play, he’s become a potential top six forward down the line. It would be fair to say that few prospects in the NHL have improved their fortune more than Cowan did last season.

2. Fraser Minten

The former 38th overall pick started last season in Toronto after a terrific training camp, but he was returned to the WHL after only a few games. This was best for his development as it was deemed important that Minten return to the WHL to continue to improve his on puck play and offensive production. The captain of this past year’s Canadian WJC team, Minten likely doesn’t have significant offensive upside at the NHL level. He plays a pretty simple game; get to the net and get pucks in deep. He’s not a dynamic skater. He’s not a dynamic handler. However, he has a clear understanding of how he needs to play in order to be successful. While Minten is not likely to be a top six forward in the future, he projects as a high end third line player who can play the kind of heavy game that has been lacking in the playoffs for the Maple Leafs in recent seasons. For that reason, Toronto fans should be excited about the possibility of Minten taking up a permanent spot in the lineup in the near future.

3. Topi Niemela

After a stagnant development year in Liiga two seasons ago, Toronto couldn’t wait to get Niemela over to North America last season so that they could get him the kind of ice time and responsibility that they wanted for him. The top defensive prospect in the Leafs’ system, Niemela has rewarded this confidence in his abilities with a very strong rookie year with the Marlies. Not only did his offensive game translate seamlessly thanks to his high-end mobility and vision, but he was better defensively than anticipated. He defended small areas well with more intensity than previously shown and he adjusted to the small ice well from a decision-making standpoint. After bringing in three veteran defenders this offseason, Niemela is almost assured to be ticketed for the Marlies again and that’s just fine. Toronto can now afford to be cautious with his development in hopes that he can become a top four defender down the road.

4. Ben Danford

Just like Easton Cowan last year, the Leafs shocked a lot of people when they selected Oshawa defender Ben Danford in the first round this past draft. Danford had a strong second half with the Generals, helping them reach the OHL finals. During that time, he improved his confidence with the puck and overall decision making considerably. A terrific skater, it helped to reshape the perception of Danford’s upside as a possible two-way defender at the pro level. Even if the offence never comes around, Danford is strong enough defensively to be a highly effective NHL defender. He’s competitive. His mobility gives him a nice advantage as a transition defender. He is already an expert shot blocker, a testament to his strong defensive IQ. Danford will return to the OHL this season, to an Oshawa team that has a chance to repeat as Eastern Conference champions. Putting together a full season of strong play will be the focus.

5. Nikita Grebyonkin

Fresh off winning a KHL Championship with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the Leafs were able to sign the talented winger, bringing him over to North America for this season. This is huge for the Leafs, to get him into the fold after a breakout KHL season at 21. Armed with high end offensive tools, an argument could be made that Grebyonkin possesses the highest upside of any forward in the system. He’s a dynamic transitional attacker because of his speed and handling ability; he routinely takes on defenders one on one and wins. Over the last two seasons in the KHL, he’s managed to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame, and it’s helped him be more consistent off the puck and when fighting through contact against pro sized defenders. This bodes well for his adjustment to the AHL level this year, assuming that he doesn’t break training camp with the Leafs.

6. Dennis Hildeby

The massive Swedish netminders’ first pro season in North America had to be considered a big (no pun intended) success. Hildeby was excellent as the starter for the Marlies, posting a save percentage above .910 and showing terrific consistency for a younger netminder without a ton of pro experience. We quickly forget how meteoric Hildeby’s rise has been. A classic late bloomer, he’s only got a season as an SHL back-up and now a season as an AHL starter under his belt at 23. However, the marked improvement in his athleticism and quickness have helped unlock his potential in recent years and now he looks like a potential NHL netminder. One would assume that Toronto would like to see Hildeby play another full year in the AHL this season, before giving him a full-time look. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz should split time on the main club, leaving Hildeby as the top call up option.

7. Artur Akhtyamov

Grebyonkin wasn’t the only Russian prospect in the system to experience a breakout year at 22 (turning 23). Akhtyamov, a 6-foot-1 netminder, had quite the season as well. He won the VHL’s top goaltender award, a VHL championship, and played well in the KHL as Ak Bars Kazan’s backup. This prompted Toronto to sign him, bringing him over for the upcoming season. The problem will be finding playing time for all of these players. Matt Murray was brought back as depth and one would think that he and Hildeby will get the bulk of the action with the Marlies. That could leave Akhtyamov in the ECHL. The netminder could take some time adjusting to the pro level in North America anyway. He’s highly athletic and a solid play tracker, but netminders his size can sometimes struggle with the adjustment. Between him and Hildeby, the Leafs have built up some nice pro depth behind Joseph Woll, as they inevitably battle for the future of Toronto’s crease.

8. Ryan Tverberg

Injuries have not been kind to the former UConn Husky as he has started his pro career in Toronto’s system. When he’s been on the ice, Tverberg has played well. His speed, tenacity, and strong two-way approach have transferred well. He’s still very much on track to become a quality bottom six, penalty killing anchor for the Leafs in the future. However, lower body and upper body injuries limited him to 46 games with the Marlies in his first pro season. The focus this season will be on staying healthy, while continuing to be a valued contributor to the Marlies. Toronto’s AHL club should look totally different next year with so much movement on the depth front. That could clear a path for Tverberg to take on a critical AHL role, which would be outstanding for his development.

9. Roni Hirvonen

Speaking of injuries, Hirvonen is lucky to still be playing after a scary eye injury at the beginning of last season. Narrowly avoiding disaster, Hirvonen returned half-way through the year to a depth role on the Marlies. The team’s former second round pick showed flashes of being a quality two-way forward in limited action. Hirvonen is best described as one of those jack-of-all-trades types. He’s not elite in any category, but his well-rounded skill set, and high IQ make him a potential middle six type in the future. Much like Tverberg, Hirvonen stands to earn more ice time with the Marlies this season and that will be positive for his development. There’s a need to add strength to his undersized frame to help him be stronger on pucks and be an even more effective two-way option.

10. Noah Chadwick

Without a doubt, Chadwick was one of the WHL’s breakout players this past season with Lethbridge. He went from being a 6th round long shot to one of the WHL’s top defenders in a matter of a single season. One of the reasons for that has been an uptick in usage. He took over as the top powerplay quarterback and did a very good job running that unit, even if Lethbridge’s powerplay was one of the weaker statistically in the WHL last season. Another reason has been the improvement made to Chadwick’s skating. He’s improved his carrying ability and his confidence with the puck, which in turn made him a standout at both ends in his draft year plus one. The next steps? Chadwick’s skating still needs to improve overall. He can still struggle with his agility and overall footwork, even if he’s a standout rush defender. I’m sure the Leafs would like to see him use his size more consistently too, to be a physical standout in the defensive end. All things considered; his rapid progression has made him a very intriguing prospect in the system moving forward.

11. Alex Steeves

It’s now or never for Steeves in the Maple Leafs’ organization. The 24 (turning 25) year old has continued to improve in the AHL and was one of the Marlies’ best players last year. He’s ready to show that he can be a full time NHL player. He has continued to improve his skating and pace of play, and his versatility as an effective player, on and off the puck, makes him an ideal candidate for a bottom six role in today’s NHL.

12. Nick Abruzzese

13. Nick Moldenhauer

Moldenhauer had a solid freshman year for the Michigan Wolverines last season, playing a critical middle six role. The skilled and competitive forward just needs to keep improving his strength to overcome his lack of size, given the way that he likes to play through traffic. As a sophomore, he’ll get an opportunity to play more and could be in for a breakthrough season.

14. Joe Miller

If you’re only stat watching, Miller’s sophomore year probably looked like a lateral year for his progression. However, Harvard was not a high scoring team last season and Miller actually led them in scoring in his second go-round in the NCAA. Yes, Miller is small, but he’s a highly intelligent player. Will the lack of a true standout athletic or skill-based quality hurt his chances of being a solid pro? It will likely be at least another season before we know.

15. Ty Voit

Expectations were sky high for Voit last season, coming off a breakout performance with OHL Sarnia. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury wiped out pretty much his entire pro debut. That means this season will essentially serve as his introduction to pro hockey. Voit’s not big, but he’s quick and a dynamic playmaker. If he bounces back, he’ll move up this list considerably next time.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #25 Toronto Maple Leafs – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Brock Otten, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Fri, 31 May 2024 15:55:55 +0000

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 07: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Easton Cowan (53) and Detroit Red Wings Right Wing Lucas Raymond (23) in action during the game between Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings on October 7, 2023 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire)

Another first round playoff loss has Leafs Nation calling for heads and an offseason of change. The inability of the so-called ‘core four’ to move the playoff needle while in their prime, while commanding 53.8% of the Leafs cap space ($46,653,000), is under a glaring spotlight. If you add Morgan Reilly on defense at $7.5 million, you are at 62.4% of your cap, and clearly not much room to add around the edges. Depth has been an issue for years, particularly on defense and in goal. With all five players having full no-movement clauses, GM Treliving’s hands are largely tied. So, the first head to roll was coach Sheldon Keefe, replaced by veteran coach Craig Berube. This will be Treliving’s second summer as GM and he has not been afraid to pull the trigger on a blockbuster in his past career. Both John Tavares and Mitch Marner are free agents after next season, and it will take all his ingenuity to get something done before then.

Under both Kyle Dubas and Brad Treliving, the Leafs have been active in adding firepower for youth and picks for a number of years. Last year’s first round pick Easton Cowan (28th) was one of only two first round picks in the last five seasons. He enjoyed a remarkable year, including a 42-game point scoring streak, and is looking like a steal if he continues the same trajectory. They graduated Nicholas Robertson (53rd, 109) and Matthew Knies (57th, 2021) out of the last five drafts, so the scouting staff and development team have had some successes despite a dearth of picks. The team has already moved multiple picks but retain their first for the coming year. Brendan Shanahan has a brand-new boss in Keith Pelley, CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, who may not grant the same patience the Shanaplan has received in the past. Expect change.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Easton Cowan	RW	18	5-10/170	London (OHL)	`23(28th)	54	34	62	96	64
2	Fraser Minten	C	19	6-1/185	Kam-Sas (WHL)	`22(38th)	43	22	26	48	25
					Toronto (NHL)	`22(38th)	4	0	0	0	2
3	Topi Niemela	D	22	5-11/165	Toronto (AHL)	`20(64th)	68	8	31	39	43
4	Dennis Hildeby	G	22	6-5/210	Toronto (AHL)	`22(122nd)	41	21	11	2.41	0.913
5	Nikita Grebyonkin	RW	20	6-2/185	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	`22(135th)	67	19	22	41	17
6	Alex Steeves	C	24	5-11/185	Toronto (AHL)	FA(3/21)	65	27	30	57	26
7	Nick Abruzzese	C	24	5-10/175	Toronto (AHL)	`19(124th)	71	16	36	52	24
8	Ryan Tverberg	C	22	6-0/190	Toronto (AHL)	`20(213th)	46	9	23	32	18
9	Roni Hirvonen	C	22	5-9/175	Toronto (AHL)	`20(59th)	37	7	6	13	8
10	Noah Chadwick	D	18	6-3/185	Lethbridge (WHL)	`23(185th)	66	12	44	56	24
11	Nicholas Moldenhauer	C	19	5-10/170	Michigan (B1G)	`22(95th)	41	8	13	21	2
12	Artur Akhtyamov	G	22	6-2/170	Neftyanik Almetievsk (VHL)	`20(106th)	19	10	5	2.00	0.927
					Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	`20(106th)	17	6	7	2.51	0.921
13	Veeti Miettinen	RW	22	5-9/160	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	`20(168th)	37	20	15	35	0
14	Joe Miller	C	21	5-8/150	Harvard (ECAC)	`20(180th)	32	13	14	27	8
15	Ty Voit	C	20	5-9/160	Newfoundland (ECHL)	`21(153rd)	5	2	6	8	0

1. Easton Cowan, RW, London Knights (OHL)

42 games. That’s the number of games in a row that Easton Cowan has registered a point in the OHL, ending in the second round of the playoffs. Ending just short of the CHL record held by Alex Radulov (50 games). He has gone from being an overdraft in the eyes of the media and the fan base, to someone Leafs’ fans are extremely excited about in a matter of a calendar year. With improvements made to his puck skill, playmaking touch, and strength on the puck, he has managed to alter the perception of his NHL projection. He’s still got a solid floor because of his high-end skating ability, two-way effectiveness, and great motor, however with the improvements made to his on puck play, he’s become a potential top six forward down the line. It would be fair to say that few prospects in the NHL have improved their fortune more than Cowan has this season.

2. Fraser Minten, C, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

The former 38th overall pick started the year in Toronto after a terrific training camp, but he was returned to the WHL after only a few games. This was best for his development as he needed to continue to improve his on puck play and offensive production. The captain of this year’s Canadian WJC team, he likely doesn’t have significant offensive upside at the NHL level. He plays a pretty simple game; get to the net and get pucks in deep. He’s not a dynamic skater. He’s not a dynamic handler. However, he has a clear understanding of how he needs to play in order to be successful. He does project as a high-end third line player who can play the kind of heavy game that has been lacking in the playoffs for the Maple Leafs in recent seasons. For that reason, Toronto fans should be excited about the possibility of him taking up a permanent spot in the lineup in the near future.

3. Topi Niemela, D, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

After a stagnant development year in Liiga last year, Toronto couldn’t wait to get Niemela over to North America this year so that they could get him the kind of ice time and responsibility that they wanted for him. Undoubtedly the top defensive prospect in the Leafs’ system, he has rewarded this confidence in his abilities with a very strong rookie year with the Marlies. Not only has his offensive game translated seamlessly thanks to his high-end mobility and vision, but he’s been better defensively than anticipated. He’s defended small areas well with more intensity than previously shown and he’s adjusted to the small ice well from a decision-making standpoint. Nestled tight to the salary cap, one would have to believe that Niemela could be given an opportunity to replace pending UFA T. J. Brodie next season on the Leafs’ roster. He is a potential top four defender.

4. Dennis Hildeby, G, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

The massive Swedish netminders’ first pro season in North America has to be considered a big (no pun intended) success. He was excellent as the starter for the Marlies, posting a save percentage above .910 and showing terrific consistency for a younger netminder without a ton of pro experience. We quickly forget how meteoric Hildeby’s rise has been. A classic late bloomer, he’s only got a season as an SHL back-up and now a season as an AHL starter under his belt, at 22, turning 23. However, the marked improvement of his athleticism and quickness helped unlock his potential and now has the appearance of a possible NHL netminder. Even with Samsonov and Martin Jones coming off the books, one would assume that Toronto would like to see him play another full year in the AHL next season. Joseph Woll would have the inside track at a spot and the team likely signs/trades for a veteran to work with him. Either way, Leafs brass must be ecstatic with Hildeby’s development.

5. Nikita Grebyonkin, RW, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)

The Leafs have signed Nikita Grebyonkin to a three-year, entry level deal and he will be making the jump to North America next season. This is huge for the Leafs getting him into the fold after a breakout KHL season at 21-years-old. Armed with high end offensive tools, an argument could be made that Grebyonkin possesses the highest upside of any forward in the system. He’s a dynamic transitional attacker because of his speed and handling ability; he routinely takes on defenders one on one and wins. Over the last two seasons in the KHL, he’s managed to fill out his 6’ 2” frame and it’s helped him be more consistent off the puck and when fighting through contact against pro sized defenders. This bodes well for his adjustment to the AHL level next year.

6. Alex Steeves, C, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

It’s now or never for Steeves in the Maple Leafs’ organization. The 25-year-old has continued to improve in the AHL and has been one of the Marlies’ best players. He’s ready to show that he can be a full time NHL player. A pending RFA, it seems inevitable that he will be given a qualifying offer in hopes that he can battle for a depth role next year. He has continued to improve his skating and pace of play, and his versatility as an effective player, on and off the puck, makes him an ideal candidate for a bottom six role in today’s NHL. The issue is that Toronto has built up terrific depth there, especially with the acquisition of Connor Dewar and the emergence of Bobby McCann. No longer waiver exempt, it seems like that Steeves will be given a shot in another organization should he fail to crack Toronto’s roster next year.

7. Nick Abruzzese, C, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

It was another good season for the former Harvard captain, his second full pro year. He led the Marlies in assists and continued to improve his strength on the puck, critical for a somewhat undersized forward with his vision and playmaking ability. Abruzzese is a high IQ player, one of, if not the smartest player in the Leafs’ system. He understands how to control the pace of the game and he works hard to earn touches; it’s cliche but he plays bigger than he looks. Due to Toronto’s depth at forward, he didn’t get a look this year despite a few cups of coffee in previous seasons. That should not be taken as a slight. He’s still very much in Toronto’s plans moving forward. However, much like Alex Steeves, Abruzzese is not exempt from waivers next year. That means that he’ll be in the mix for a bottom six roster spot like several others. Is he a trade candidate?

8. Ryan Tverberg, C, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Injuries have not been kind to the former UConn Husky as he has started his pro career in Toronto’s system. When he’s been on the ice, Tverberg has played well. His speed, tenacity, and strong two-way approach have transferred well. He’s still very much on track to become a quality bottom six, penalty killing anchor for the Leafs in the future. However, lower body and upper body injuries have limited him to a half year with the Marlies. The focus next year will simply be on staying healthy, while continuing to be a valued contributor to the Marlies. Toronto’s AHL club should look totally different next year with so many players in flux with the organization. That could clear a path for Tverberg to take on a critical AHL role, which would be outstanding for his development.

9. Roni Hirvonen, C, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

Speaking of injuries, Hirvonen is lucky to still be playing after a scary eye injury at the beginning of the year. Narrowly avoiding disaster, Hirvonen returned halfway through the year to a depth role on the Marlies. The team’s former second round pick showed flashes of being a quality two-way forward in limited action. He is best described as one of those jack-of-all-trades types. He’s not elite in any category, but his well-rounded skill set, and high IQ make him a potential middle six type in the future. Much like Tverberg, Hirvonen stands to earn more ice time with the Marlies next year and that will be a positive thing for his development. There’s a need to add strength to his undersized frame to help him be stronger on pucks and be an even more effective two-way option.

10. Noah Chadwick, D, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

Without a doubt, Chadwick was one of the WHL’s breakout players this season with Lethbridge. He went from being a sixth round long shot (in 2023) to one of the WHL’s top defenders in a matter of a single season. One of the reasons for that has been an uptick in usage. He has taken over as the top powerplay quarterback and has done a very good job running that unit, even if Lethbridge’s powerplay was one of the weaker statistically this season. Another reason has been the improvements made to his skating. He’s improved his carrying ability and his confidence with the puck, which has in turn made him a standout at both ends in his draft year plus one. The next steps? Skating still needs to improve overall. He can still struggle with his agility and overall footwork, even if he’s a standout rush defender. I’m sure the Leafs would like to see him use his size more consistently too, to be a physical standout in the defensive end.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

DADOUN: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – January 8th to 14th, 2024 – Race for Hart Trophy a tight one at halfway point + Teams and players to target this week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 16:28:17 +0000

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire)

We’re approaching the halfway point of the season and if I had to pick who will win the Hart Trophy at this stage, I would have a hard time doing so. There are several major candidates in the running.

Nikita Kucherov was an afterthought in last year’s voting despite finishing with 113 points in 82 contests, but he’s making a strong pitch this season with 27 goals and 64 points through 39 games. Although Tampa Bay has several other stars, Kucherov has also been instrumental to the Lightning’s offense, leading the team’s scoring race by 24 points. However, Tampa Bay with its 18-16-5 record is also not a safe bet to make the playoffs and voters tend to penalize players on teams that fall short of the postseason, so that might end up holding Kucherov back.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) Photo by Andrew Bershaw /Icon_Sportswire)

Instead, Nathan MacKinnon, who has 22 goals and 64 points in 39 appearances, is likely the favorite. MacKinnon is also the hotter of the two with 14 goals and 33 points over his last 15 contests. The 28-year-old has been a Hart Trophy finalist three times before (2018, 2020, 2021) and finished fifth in voting last campaign. After so many close calls, this might finally be his year.

However, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, Connor McDavid, might still challenge him. McDavid’s totals of 14 goals and 53 points in 33 games are a step behind Kucherov and MacKinnon, but the Oilers superstar was held back by a slow, injury-riddled start to the campaign. From Nov. 13 onward, McDavid has 12 goals and 43 points in 22 appearances, so he might still be able to close the gap. Voters might also give him extra credit for the Oilers’ revival following their 2-9-1 start to the campaign, provided Edmonton can keep climbing and make the playoffs.

Auston Matthews might also stay in the conversation. He just has 45 points through 35 games, but he has scored a league-leading 30 goals. His 60 goals in 2021-22 was enough to earn him the Hart Trophy that year and Matthews is a contender to reach that milestone again this year.

One final longer-shot contender is Quinn Hughes. The defenseman has 10 goals and 46 points through 38 contests. He ranks 10th in the scoring race, which is pretty good for a blueliner, but he’d probably need to do even better if he wants to claim the Hart Trophy. Blueliners rarely win the award -- the last was Chris Pronger in 2000.

Dallas Stars – MON @ MIN, WED VS MIN, FRI VS NSH, SAT @ CHI (BTB)

Dallas has a home-and-home series in Minnesota on Monday and versus the Wild on Wednesday. Minnesota had a strong run from Nov. 28-Dec. 27 with an 11-3-0 record, but the Wild have run into injury issues, which has led to them faltering, so Dallas has a chance here to take both contests. Afterward, Dallas will host the Predators on Friday before traveling to face the lowly Blackhawks on Saturday.

Jake Oettinger hasn’t played since Dec. 15 because of a lower-body injury, which has led to the Stars leaning heavily on Scott Wedgewood with mixed results. Wedgewood is 6-2-2 with a 3.01 GAA and an .891 save percentage in 10 contests since Oettinger got hurt. Oettinger is day-to-day, so he might return by the start of the week. If that’s the case, then he’ll likely get into three of Dallas’ four matches with Wedgewood picking up either Friday’s game versus Nashville or Saturday against Chicago.

The status of Miro Heiskanen is murkier. He suffered a lower-body injury Thursday after running into Wedgewood and there was no update on his status at the time of writing. The 24-year-old defenseman averages 25:03 of ice time, including 3:10 with the man advantage, so to say he’s an important part of the Stars’ blue line would be an understatement.

If Heiskanen misses time, then Nils Lundkvist will likely play regularly after being a healthy scratch in five of Dallas’ last eight contests. Lundkvist would likely only be on the third pairing, but he should also see time on the second power-play unit, so he might make some offensive contributions. The 23-year-old defenseman has 10 assists in 27 appearances in 2023-24.

Thomas Harley would likely also see a boost in ice time and might even fill in for Heiskanen on the top power-play unit. Harley has been solid offensively this year with nine goals and 17 points in 34 contests this season.

Regardless of what happens with Heiskanen’s injury, Dallas should continue to stay competitive thanks to its strong forward corps. Lately, Mason Marchment has highlighted that group with three goals and eight points over his last three contests, bringing him up to 13 goals and 29 points in 37 outings.

Minnesota Wild – MON VS DAL, WED @ DAL, FRI VS PHI, SAT VS ARI (BTB)

As noted above, Minnesota will start the week with a game in Dallas on Monday and then versus the Stars on Wednesday. That will likely be a tough series for the Wild, but afterward, they have two home games against more middling adversaries in the Flyers on Friday and the Coyotes on Saturday. It’s still not an easy set for the Wild, but with it being four contests in one week, it’s good enough to highlight.

Dallas’ injury issues are minor in comparison to Minnesota’s. The Wild are missing starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson, a pair of top-four defensemen in Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon and top-six forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. To make matters worse, it wouldn’t be surprising if none of them returned next week.

Marc-Andre Fleury will probably be relied upon in goal, but if Gustavsson doesn’t return in time for the back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, then Zane McIntyre will likely get into one of those contests. McIntyre has a 3.54 GAA and an .884 save percentage in 12 games with AHL Iowa this season, though, so it’s probably better to avoid him, even if you need extra starts.

A better short-term pickup from Minnesota would be Nicolas Petan, who has two assists in three games since being recalled from Iowa on Sunday. With the Wild missing key players, Petan is serving in a middle-six capacity and seeing some power-play ice time. Although the 28-year-old isn’t likely to remain with Minnesota after the team starts getting its forwards back, Petan is a decent offensive force when given the opportunity, and he’s excelled in the minors with 10 goals and 28 points in 26 contests this campaign.

Montreal Canadiens – WED @ PHI, THU VS SJS (BTB), SAT VS EDM

Montreal will play just three games next week, but they’ll start against the slumping Flyers in Philadelphia on Wednesday and then host the lowly Sharks on Thursday. The Canadiens will conclude the week by hosting the Oilers.

The Canadiens have dropped four of their last five games, but not everyone on the team is struggling. Nick Suzuki has continued to excel, providing two goals and four points over his last four appearances, elevating him to 12 goals and 34 points in 38 contests this season. The 24-year-old hasn’t developed into a superstar, but he’s a solid top-line forward who is likely to surpass the 60-point mark for the third straight season.

By contrast, Juraj Slafkovsky still has lots of growing to do. The 19-year-old has four goals and 14 points in 38 contests this season. On the one hand, that’s at least a mild improvement over his 10 points in 39 games in 2022-23, but that’s a smaller jump than you’d hope for from the 2022 No. 1 overall pick, especially given that he’s averaging 16:24 of ice time this season, up from 12:13 in 2022-23, so he doesn’t even have the excuse of limited opportunities.

However, Slafkovsky has shown life recently, providing two goals and six points over his last seven contests, so perhaps he’s setting the stage for a stronger second half. He’s worth gambling on next week if he’s available in your league, especially given the quality of Montreal’s upcoming competition.

New York Rangers – MON VS VAN, THU @STL, SAT @ WAS, SUN VS WAS (BTB)

The Rangers have a full four-game set next week. They’ll get what should be their toughest matchup out of the way first when they host the Canucks on Monday. Afterward, the Rangers have a two-game road trip with contests in St. Louis on Thursday and Washington on Saturday, and they’ll finish the week with a home game versus the Capitals.

New York has continued to be led by Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, who have 11 and 12 points, respectively, over the Rangers’ last eight games. Panarin is having an especially remarkable season with 24 goals and 53 points in 37 outings. For all the 32-year-old’s accomplishments, he’s never reached the century mark in a single season, but that’s set to change this year if he stays healthy.

Alexis Lafreniere is a less consistent contributor but has done well lately, providing two goals and seven points over his last eight contests. That’s pushed him up to 10 goals and 23 points in 37 appearances in 2023-24 as he also chases career highs -- albeit less impressive ones than Panarin. Lafreniere’s 39 points in 81 contests from 2022-23 presently stand as his personal best.

Fantasy managers should also keep an eye on Kaapo Kakko (lower body), who started practicing in a non-contact capacity Thursday. He might not return next week, but he’s making progress. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs once healthy. Kakko had a respectable 18 goals and 40 points in 82 contests last year. However, he was off to a rough start in 2023-24 with two goals and three points in 20 outings. While getting hurt is never a good thing, the silver lining is it will allow him to start fresh once he’s healthy.

Philadelphia Flyers – MON VS PIT, WED VS MTL, FRI @ MIN, SAT @ WPG (BTB)

Philadelphia will host the rival Penguins on Monday and remain at home for the Penguins on Wednesday. The Flyers will then travel to Minnesota on Friday and Winnipeg on Saturday. Of that set, the Jets are the only adversary occupying a playoff position.

Cam Atkinson and Morgan Frost were both healthy scratches Thursday. Atkinson is a particularly interesting case. He started the campaign with eight goals and 12 points in 15 appearances, but he has just six points (all assists) over his last 22 outings. Maybe having a game to reset is what he needs. Atkinson is likely to draw back into the lineup soon and will probably serve in a top-six capacity while also being on the first power-play unit.

One player who doesn’t need time off is Travis Konecny. The 26-year-old forward is on a six-game scoring streak in which he’s contributed four goals and nine points. Konecny is up to 20 goals and 35 points in 38 outings this year and that’s despite getting just three points with the man advantage. He has a spot on the top power-play unit, so his offense on special teams might increase in the second half of the year.

Toronto Maple Leafs – TUE VS SJS, THU @ NYI, SAT VS COL, SUN VS DET

The Maple Leafs will have three home games next week against the Sharks on Tuesday, the Avalanche on Saturday and the Red Wings on Sunday. They also have a one-game road trip against the Islanders on Thursday.

With Joseph Woll (ankle) still hurt and Ilya Samsonov struggling to the point where he’s been sent to AHL Toronto, 22-year-old rookie Dennis Hildeby is with the team. Rather than allow him to make his NHL debut Wednesday versus Anaheim, the Maple Leafs opted to use Martin Jones in both halves of their back-to-back. That paid off, though, with Jones saving 58 of 59 shots over those two outings.

Jones has been stunning with Toronto, posting a 6-3-0 record, 2.21 GAA and .930 save percentage in 10 contests. I’m hesitant to get too excited about him, though. Jones has had an interesting career, but it’s involved a lot of rough patches -- there's a reason he went unclaimed on waivers back in October, allowing him to start the season in the minors -- and what we’re seeing now might be more of a hot streak than a resurgence. Regardless, Jones is expected to continue to be leaned on heavily during Woll’s absence.

I would still expect Hildeby to make at least one start next week, likely against Colorado on Saturday or Detroit on Sunday. It seems like a waste to summon the prospect if all he’s going to do is practice with the team and warm the bench. If that was the extent of the assignment, the Maple Leafs could have brought up Keith Petruzzelli from the Marlies instead, allowing Hildeby to continue to get work uninterrupted.

That aside, this might be another good week for Max Domi, who has four assists over his last four games. He’s been a steady presence lately, supplying three goals and 11 points over his last 15 contests to provide the Maple Leafs with some scoring depth.

Vancouver Canucks – MON @ NYR, TUE @ NYI (BTB), THU @ PIT, SAT @ BUF

Vancouver arguably has the most borderline schedule to be highlighted on this list. On the one hand, the Canucks will play four games, which is always desirable for getting the most out of players in fantasy formats, but the downside is they’ll be traveling for the full duration with games against the Rangers on Monday, the Islanders on Tuesday, the Penguins on Thursday and the Sabres on Saturday.

If Pius Suter is still available in your league, he’s worthy of selection. The 27-year-old has just 11 points in 24 contests this season, but over his last seven appearances, he’s supplied four goals and seven points. He has a position on Vancouver’s second line and second power-play unit, so while he’s not going to continue to produce at a point per game in the long run, he might be good for 25-30 points over Vancouver’s final 45 contests if he maintains his current role.

Teddy Blueger is another red-hot member of the Canucks, providing three goals and 10 points over his last nine outings. I don’t expect the 29-year-old’s offensive run to last much longer, though. He’s never recorded more than 28 points in a single season and doesn’t have a stable role on the power play, so if you’ve been enjoying Blueger’s recent success, just be prepared to move on without much hesitation when he shows signs of faltering.

Similarly, I’m not confident the good times will last much longer for Dakota Joshua, who has five goals and nine points over his last nine contests. The silver lining with Joshua is he’s a great source of hits with 113 in 37 appearances this season, and he should continue to help in that regard even after his offense fizzles out.

Winnipeg Jets – TUE VS CBJ, THU VS CHI, SAT VS PHI

In contrast to Vancouver, the Jets will play in just three games, but they’re all home games and feature weak to middling adversaries. Winnipeg will host the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Blackhawks on Thursday and the Flyers on Saturday.

The quality of Winnipeg’s opponents might allow Morgan Barron to continue his hot stretch after providing three goals and five points over his last five contests. Just keep in mind that Barron is serving primarily as a fourth liner, so he’s worth considering only as a short-term pickup.

Vladislav Namestnikov has a substantially bigger role with the Jets, averaging 15:10 of ice time, including 1:24 with the man advantage. He’s up to four goals and 20 points in 34 contests this season and has been especially effective recently, supplying a goal and five points over his last four outings.

Of course, the Jets’ MVP is still goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. He’s won his last three starts while saving 93 of 98 shots (.949 save percentage), giving him a 19-6-3 record, 2.28 GAA and .921 save percentage in 28 outings this year. Hellebuyck might start in all three games this week, and he should continue to excel.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Vilardi proving early returns for Jets – Nichushkin doing heavy lifting – Vets picking up pace in Anaheim – Youngs guns firing in Columbus plus much, much more

Scott Cullen — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 22:57:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 13: Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi (13) celebrates his goal during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on December 13, 2023 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, the Jets must like the early returns from Gabriel Vilardi, Valeri Nichushkin is doing some heavy lifting in Colorado, veteran forwards are picking up the pace in Anaheim, young guns are starting to fire in Columbus, and the Flames are finding some top line chemistry.

#1 Right winger Gabriel Vilardi was injured in his third game with the Winnipeg Jets and missed nearly six weeks with a sprained knee. He has fully recovered now, it appears, as Vilardi has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) and 15 shots on goal in the past four games. With Kyle Connor out, Vilardi has joined Winnipeg’s top line, alongside Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele, and that is working out just fine. Vilardi has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 13 games this season, putting him ahead of Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has 12 points (5 G, 7 A) in 29 games for the Kings after Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a second-round pick were sent to Winnipeg in exchange for Dubois.

#2 The Colorado Avalanche have decided that they are going to lean on winger Valeri Nichushkin, and he is thriving under the heavy workload. He is riding a six-game point streak, during which he has 11 points (5 G, 6 A) and 25 shots on goal, while averaging an astonishing 25:44 of ice time per game. Obviously, skating on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen is a great situation for anyone to contribute offensively, but Nichushkin is a strong two-way player in his own right and is an excellent complement to Colorado’s elite offensive talent.

#3 With injuries down the middle of the ice, the Anaheim Ducks have turned to Adam Henrique and the veteran forward has been thriving in his role, skating on a line with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome. Henrique has not only scored seven points (6 G, 1 A) in the past six games, but he has taken 121 face-offs, winning 70 (57.9%). A 33-year-old with an expiring contract, Henrique figures to be popular leading up to the trade deadline as a proven goal-scorer who has scored at least 20 goals in six different seasons.

#4 Another veteran providing offensive production in Anaheim is Alex Killorn, the 34-year-old who was signed as a free agent in the summer after a long stay in Tampa Bay to start his career. Killorn was injured at the start of the season and struggled in his first action, managing zero goals and three assists in his first nine games with the Ducks. Since then, he has contributed nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 40 shots on goal in his past 13 games, having success alongside rookie Leo Carlsson and veteran Troy Terry. Carlsson left Thursday’s loss to Calgary with an apparent lower-body injury, which could cause further upheaval among Anaheim’s forward group.

#5 Acquired by the Flames from the Devils in the summer deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey, Yegor Sharangovich took some time to heat up with Calgary. Sharangovich fits well alongside linemates Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane. In the past eight games, Sharangovich has tallied nine points (6 G, 3 A) and is averaging 19:51 of ice time per game. He has logged more than 20 minutes in seven of his past 12 contests.

#6 Demoted to the American Hockey League at the start of the season, 21-year-old winger Kent Johnson is showing the Columbus Blue Jackets that he belongs on the big club. In his past seven games, Johnson has accumulated eight points (3 G, 5 A) despite only registering nine shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Cole Sillinger and Emil Bemstrom and Johnson is getting opportunities on Columbus’ second power play unit.

#7 Staying in Columbus, 23-year-old Kirill Marchenko continues to boost his credentials as a finisher. Marchenko has seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 15 shots on goal in his past six games. Since the start of last season, Marchenko has recorded 34 goals and 12 assists, giving him 2.83 goals per assist, which is by far the highest rate among players that have recorded at least 30 goals in that time frame.

#8 With Barrett Hayton injured, opportunity has knocked for Arizona Coyotes centre Alexander Kerfoot, who has moved up the depth chart to skate between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on Arizona’s top line. Kerfoot has produced 14 points (2 G, 12 A) while averaging 19:56 time on ice in his past 12 games and even for a reluctant shooter like Kerfoot, those numbers are strong enough to draw the interest of fantasy managers.

#9 One of the most snakebit players in the league at the start of the season, Montreal Canadiens right winger Josh Anderson had zero goals and two assists through 23 games. Since then, though, Anderson is heating up, putting up seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 27 shots on goal in his past nine games. On a Habs team that is thin up front, Anderson is skating with Sean Monahan and Jake Evans at evens while also taking a turn with Montreal’s second power play unit.

#10 Veteran centre Matt Duchene is enjoying a strong season in Dallas, his first season with the Stars. Centering a line with Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin on his wings, Duchene has produced 12 points (5 G, 7 A) with 22 shots on goal in his past eight games. For a Stars team that can lean so heavily on its top line, getting this kind of secondary production out of Duchene is what keeps them at the top of the Central Division.

#11 Goaltending has been a major problem for the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Starter Frederik Andersen has been injured since early November and Antti Raanta was just demoted to the American Hockey League, leaving Pyotr Kochetkov as the best option between the pipes for the Hurricanes. Since getting called up after Andersen’s injury, Kochetkov does have a .913 save percentage in 14 games. For a Hurricanes team that can still control play consistently, above average goaltending can easily bring fantasy value.

#12 Through 17 games this season, Dallas Stars defenceman Thomas Harley had a modest five points (3 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal while playing 17:29 per game. In 10 games since then, Harley has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) and 21 shots on goal while averaging 19:00 of ice time per game. The 22-year-old has scored on 20.9 percent of his shots, which obviously can’t continue, but increased ice time and increased shot rates can surely lead to sustainable offensive production.

#13 It has not been easy for Maple Leafs defenceman Conor Timmins, who has battled injuries throughout his career, but injuries to others in Toronto opened the door for the 25-year-old blueliner to get some regular playing time and he is making the most of it. Timmins has produced five points (1 G, 4 A) with 10 shots on goal in his past seven games. He quarterbacks the second power play unit and has generally been quite effective in his limited role. Timmins has value for those in deep leagues and is well worth watching because if he could just stay healthy for an extended period, that would be a notable development.

#14 A second-round pick by the Seattle Kraken in 2021, defenceman Ryker Evans has stepped into the Seattle lineup and looks NHL ready. He just turned 22 -years-old and has four assists in his past four games, playing more than 18 minutes in each of those four contests. Evans had 44 points (6 G, 38 A) in 71 games as an AHL rookie for Coachella Valley last season, then added 26 points (5 G, 21 A) in 26 playoff games. He started this season with eight points (2 G, 6 A) in 18 games and it was enough to earn his promotion to the big club. There is a caveat with Evans, though. He did not play in Wednesday’s win over Los Angeles and, as well as he has played, he is still competing to earn a regular spot on the Seattle blueline.

#15 Veteran St. Louis Blues defenceman Justin Faulk is not scoring like he did last season when he tallied a career high 50 points (11 G, 39 A), but he is starting to launch shots on goal at an impressive clip. While Faulk has four points (1 G, 3 A) in his past eight games, he has also put 30 shots on goal and averaging nearly four shots on goal per game is a terrific way for a defenceman to generate offensive production. Faulk’s career-high average for shots on goal per game is 3.00, set in 2016-2017 when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes.

#16 At the start of the season, as the Edmonton Oilers struggled to get on track, it sure looked like defenceman Mattias Ekholm was still battling an injury that had kept him out of action in the preseason. The veteran blueliner has steadily improved, though. In his past 21 games, Ekholm has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) and 56 shots on goal. Last season, after he was acquired from Nashville, Ekholm contributed 14 points (4 G, 10 A) and 36 shots on goal in 21 games. He has 14 shots on goal in his past three games and 19 hits in his past five games, so he has picked up the pace and as the Oilers appear to be moving in the right direction, Ekholm’s production should be enough for fantasy managers to take notice.

#17 The key for Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett is to keep generating shots. When he is putting himself in position to fire on net Tippett tends to be effective, and the goals follow. He broke through last season with a career-high 27 goals and 49 points and that has raised expectations for him this season. Although he is playing less this season, Tippett is continuing to produce. In his past six games, he has five points (3 G, 2 A) with 25 shots on goal, landing six shots on goal in each of his two most recent games. That gives him 20 points (11 G, 9 A) in 32 games and his increasing shot rate is reason to expect that the production should continue.

#18 Also in Philadelphia, goaltender Samuel Ersson has recovered from a spectacularly terrible start to the season when he allowed 14 goals on 59 shots (.763 save percentage!) in his first three appearances. Since then, the 24-year-old netminder has been more than steady, posting a 8-2-1 record and .926 save percentage in 11 starts. That is the kind of play that will give Ersson a bigger role in the Flyers crease.

#19 The Vegas Golden Knights had five different goaltenders last season, on the way to winning the Stanley Cup, so they are probably not too fazed by recent injuries to Adin Hill and Logan Thompson. Enter 24-year-old Czech netminder Jiri Patera, a sixth-round pick of the Golden Knights in 2017. Patera played one season in the USHL and two in the WHL before toiling in the minors. He has a .907 save percentage in 74 career AHL games, which does not scream NHL ready, but it’s not terrible, and he has a .909 save percentage in five career NHL appearances. If he is going to get starts behind a quality team, though, Patera might offer some short-term value for fantasy managers.

#20 What can the Toronto Maple Leafs do in goal? Ilya Samsonov and Martin Jones are struggling, and Joseph Woll is hurt. It might be too soon, but would they consider giving Dennis Hildeby a shot? The 22-year-old was a fourth-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2022 and had a .918 save percentage in 21 games for Farjestads in the Swedish Hockey League last season. He has a .927 save percentage in a dozen AHL games for the Toronto Marlies this season and the way things are going for the Leafs with Woll injured, they might need to consider other options in net. At the very least, Hildeby should be monitored for those in dynasty leagues because the 6-foot-7 netminder has shown promise.

DADOUN: THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Sharks show some bite in tough season – Coyotes, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Devils, Islanders, Maple Leafs, Canucks and Golden Knights – Players to target

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:09:54 +0000

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 30: San Jose Sharks left wing Fabian Zetterlund (20) takes a shot in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks on November 30, 2023, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

This column was previously getting released at the start of the week, but starting today, it will come out Saturdays instead. It’ll still preview the upcoming week, but now you’ll have more time to plan your strategy. Please bear in mind that the information provided is reflective of the time of writing (in this case, the morning of Dec. 8).

That aside, I wanted to cast a light on San Jose, which has won five of its last seven games. The Sharks have been fun to watch recently with them overcoming a 4-1 deficit against the Islanders on Tuesday and a 4-0 deficit to the Red Wings on Thursday. After a 0-10-1 start to the campaign that included back-to-back games in which they surrendered 10 goals, the Sharks are now 8-17-2. Still not good, but given where they came from, that’s impressive.

Looking at their last seven games specifically, the big change for San Jose has been its offense. The Sharks have scored 4.00 goals per game over that span, compared to 1.09 over their first 11 outings. Tomas Hertl has been an important factor in their recent surge, providing five goals and nine points over his last six appearances, but the real standout performer has been Mikael Granlund, who went from recording four assists over his first 13 contests to contributing three goals and 12 points over his last seven outings.

The Sharks have gotten some support team-wide too. Seven different players have supplied at least two goals over the past seven games, including three markers from defenseman Jacob MacDonald, who had just three goals over 101 career NHL games going into this campaign.

Is this sustainable, though? Probably not. The Sharks don’t have a particularly good team. Goaltenders Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen are still struggling, so if the offense cools from its unreal pace, then the whole house of cards will likely crumble again. Plus overcoming three- or four-goal deficits is fun to watch, but not something that can be counted on to happen routinely.

It is encouraging to see youngsters William Eklund, who has two goals and five points over his last four contests, and Fabian Zetterlund, who has four goals and five points over his last seven games, do well though. They’re the future of the franchise, so strong performances from them matter much more to San Jose than whether the squad is winning or losing today.

Arizona Coyotes - MON @ BUF, TUE @ PIT (BTB), FRI VS. SJS, SAT VS. BUF (BTB)

The Coyotes enjoyed a five-game winning streak from Nov. 25-Dec. 4, bringing them up to 13-9-2 by the end of that run. After spending a few years rebuilding, Arizona has a real shot of making the playoffs this year.

Of course, the Coyotes still have a lot of work ahead of them, which they’ll continue next week with games in Buffalo on Monday and Pittsburgh on Tuesday, followed by home contests versus the Sharks on Friday and Sabres on Saturday. Those adversaries range from bad to middling this campaign, so the Coyotes should do well.

With two back-to-back sets, Karel Vejmelka should get some work for the first time since Nov. 22. He’s struggled this campaign with a 2-6-2 record, 3.45 GAA and .892 save percentage in 11 contests, so he’s not an ideal option for a situational pickup. That said, if he draws the Sharks, then it might be worth considering him (provided San Jose has cooled by that point).

If Alex Kerfoot is still available in your league, he’d be a good pickup. He’s one of the hottest players in the league with a goal and nine points over his last five contests. Part of that surge is thanks to him getting an increased role. Over his first 15 contests this campaign, he had a goal and four points while averaging 15:01 of ice time, including just 0:18 with the man advantage, but that’s jumped to 18:57 over his last 10 contests, including 2:21 on the power play. So, while he obviously can’t maintain the offensive pace of his last five games, as long as Arizona keeps deploying him like it has recently, Kerfoot should continue to be a valuable forward in most fantasy leagues.

Someone else to consider in the short-term but is less likely to have long-term success is Michael Carcone. He has five goals over his last five contests, but his shooting percentage has climbed to an unsustainable 32.4 and he serves in a bottom-six role, so expect him to crash completely once the hot streak is over.

Carolina Hurricanes – TUE @ OTT, THU @DET, FRI VS NSH (BTB), SUN VS WAS

The Hurricanes will start the week by completing their six-game road trip with games in Ottawa on Tuesday and Detroit on Thursday. They’ll then get an opportunity to defend PNC Arena when they host the Predators on Friday and the Capitals on Sunday. Detroit’s been pretty good this campaign, but Nashville is the only other opponent currently in a playoff position, and even then, just barely.

Andrei Svechnikov couldn’t play Thursday due to an upper-body injury. If it turns out he won’t be available for some or all of next week’s games, then that will have a significant impact on Carolina’s lineup. In particular, Michael Bunting could play a major role during Svechnikov’s absence. When Svechnikov missed the first eight contests of the campaign because of a knee injury, Bunting had two goals and six points in eight contests while averaging 18:12 of ice time. Since then, Bunting has dropped to 13:45 while providing four goals and 10 points over 17 games.

We also might see Brendan Lemieux playing consistently during Svechnikov’s absence. Lemieux isn’t much of a factor offensively, but if you’re in a position where you’re looking for penalty minutes, he can help you there. Through 10 appearances this season, he’s accumulated 33 PIM and the 27-year-old has 517 PIM in 285 career games.

On the power play, there might be an opportunity for Brady Skjei to assume a second-line role. He has four goals and 15 points in 29 contests this season, which is great for a defenseman who is averaging just 0:13 with the man advantage. Even a second unit power-play role would be a potentially meaningful boost for him.

Colorado Avalanche – MON VS CGY, WED VS BUG, SAT @ WPG, SUN VS SJS (BTB)

The Avalanche will play four games next week, including home contests against the Flames on Monday, the Sabes on Wednesday and the Sharks on Sunday. Sprinkled in there will also be a road outing in Winnipeg on Saturday. Of those opponents, just Winnipeg is in a playoff position. The Sharks have won five of their last seven games, though, so it’ll be interesting to see if they’re still hot by the time that contest happens.

Speaking of hot players, Nathan MacKinnon is on a 10-game scoring streak, providing four goals and 16 points over that stretch, including two goals and five points over his last two contests alone. Through Thursday’s action, MacKinnon has moved into a three-way tie for fourth in the scoring race with 36 points in 26 outings.

The Avalanche don’t have any other players who are currently excelling, though. Bowen Byram is interesting with two goals and three points over his last four contests. He might be worth some short-term consideration, but the lack of a consistent power-play role is a significant negative.

We also should see Ivan Prosvetov start this week, likely Sunday versus San Jose. He’s been decent when utilized, posting a 2-1-1 record, 2.45 GAA and .919 save percentage in six contests this season, so if you’re looking for a situational pickup in goal, then Prosvetov is a good option.

New Jersey Devils – WED VS BOS, SAT @ CBJ, SUN VS ANA (BTB)

The Devils are a borderline selection because they have just three games this week and their first contest is a home game versus the mighty Bruins on Wednesday. However, New Jersey will then face two of the worst teams in the league with matches in Columbus on Saturday and against the Ducks on Sunday.

If you look at the league leader in terms of points per game, it isn’t Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin or Connor McDavid. That honor instead belongs to Jack Hughes, who has 10 goals and 33 points in just 19 contests. Hughes missed five straight games from Nov. 5-16 due to a shoulder injury but has bounced right back. In particular, he scored four goals and 10 points over a four-game stretch from Nov. 28-Dec. 5. Provided he stays healthy the rest of the way, Hughes is a good bet to surpass his career high of 99 points.

Hughes is far from New Jersey’s sole offensive threat with the team averaging 3.63 goals per game -- fourth in the NHL. However, that’s been counterbalanced by the Devils allowing 3.67 goals per contest, which is the second worst in the league. Their expected goals against per 60 is 3.27, which suggests that part of the problem is New Jersey’s defense, but its goaltending has been lacking too.

Vitek Vanecek is having a disastrous campaign with a 3.60 GAA and an .877 save percentage in 16 contests. The fact that he has a 9-5-0 record despite that is a testament to the Devils’ amazing offense, but for a team with playoff aspirations, Vanecek isn’t looking like an acceptable option. Lately, that’s led to New Jersey pivoting more toward Akira Schmid.

Schmid struggled initially with a 3.46 GAA and an .885 save percentage through his first six appearances in 2023-24, but since then he’s rebounded with a 3-2-0 record, 2.53 GAA and .920 save percentage in five outings. With the 23-year-old outplaying Vanecek, Schmid has a real opportunity to steal the No. 1 gig, which could lead to him accumulating a lot of wins given the offensive support New Jersey can provide.

New York Islanders – MON VS TOR, FRI VS ANA, SAT @BOS (BTB)

The Islanders will start the week with home games versus the Maple Leafs, Ducks and Bruins on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, respectively, before visiting Montreal on Saturday. Toronto and Boston are tough adversaries, but Anaheim and Montreal rank near the bottom of the league, and it helps that the Islanders will be playing mostly at home next week.

Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat have been playing some of the best hockey of their lives recently. Barzal has four goals and 11 points over his last four games, propelling him to nine goals and 27 points in 24 outings this year. Meanwhile, Horvat is on a five-game scoring streak in which he’s scored four goals and nine points, bringing him up to nine markers and 23 points through 24 appearances in 2023-24.

The Islanders have been getting offensive help from less common sources too. Julien Gauthier has two goals and five points in five contests this year. You can consider taking him in the short term, but keep in mind that he’s a depth forward, so once his hot streak ends, he won’t have value in anything but the absolute deepest of leagues.

Similarly, Simon Holmstrom is averaging just 13:38 of ice time this year, so he hasn’t been getting a big enough role to warrant holding him in standard fantasy leagues. However, Holmstrom is an interesting short-term option after scoring two goals and four points over his last four contests.

Toronto Maple Leafs – MON @ NYI, TUE @ NYR (BTB), THU VS CBJ, SAT VS PIT

The Maple Leafs’ schedule isn’t necessarily easy, but it is full with four games ahead of them. They’ll start the week with games in New York versus the Islanders on Monday and the Rangers on Tuesday. Afterwards, the Leafs will return home to host the Blue Jackets on Thursday and Penguins on Saturday.

Goaltender Joseph Woll sustained a leg injury during Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Ottawa and is expected to miss time. He had been serving as the Leafs’ top goaltender, but the injury will at least temporarily force Toronto to pivot back to Ilya Samsonov, who has missed the last two games due to an illness but will presumably be fine by next week. Samsonov has a 3.58 GAA and an .878 save percentage in 10 contests, so he’s been far from ideal, but he shouldn’t be dismissed after recording a 2.33 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 42 outings last season.

Martin Jones might also get a start next week depending on how long Woll is out for. Don’t expect too much out of Jones, though. He had a 3.09 GAA and an .895 save percentage in 220 NHL games from 2018-19 through 2022-23 and more recently has posted a 3.37 GAA and an .870 save percentage in five outings with AHL Toronto. Simply put, he’s not a good option. You might want to keep Dennis Hildeby in the back of your mind, though. The 22-year-old excelled in the Swedish Hockey League and has looked dominant in the AHL this campaign with a 1.89 GAA and a .925 save percentage in nine contests.

Putting the Maple Leafs’ goaltending aside, the team has been led by the usual suspects recently, which is to say that Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander have combined for seven goals and 12 points over Toronto’s last three games. Meanwhile, Max Domi has provided a goal and an assist over his last two contests. He’s been inconsistent offensively, which is unlikely to change so long as he’s averaging just 12:54 of ice time, but he’s an interesting short-term pickup while he’s hot, especially if you’re in a position to benefit from the penalty minutes he can provide.

Vancouver Canucks – TUE VS TBL, THU VS FLA, SAT @ MIN, SUN @ CHI (BTB)

The Canucks will kick off the week by hosting the Lightning on Tuesday and the Panthers on Thursday. They’ll then travel to Minnesota for a contest Saturday and face the Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday. Those later two games are of particular interest given that they’re against teams not in playoff spots.

Sam Lafferty has bounced around the lineup this campaign, but lately, he’s been playing alongside Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. That’s a golden opportunity for the 28-year-old, who has seven goals and 13 points in 27 contests this year. He’s also doing well at the moment with two goals and three points over his last three games. Be careful not to get too excited about Lafferty, whose career high in points is just 27, but his fantasy value will increase meaningfully if his current top-six role proves to be more than just a temporary assignment.

One Canucks player who has trended in the other direction recently is Andrei Kuzmenko. After scoring 39 goals and 74 points in 81 contests last year, the 27-year-old has been limited to four goals and 15 points over 24 outings in 2023-24, including just one point (a goal) over his last eight appearances. Things got so bad that he was even a healthy scratch for two straight games from Nov. 24-25 and he logged just 12:15 of ice time Thursday, his second-lowest total of the season.

While I don’t expect Kuzmenko to repeat his 2022-23 heights, he certainly can do better than he has lately. Given his recent play and his diminished role (which I believe to be temporary), he’s a solid buy-low candidate.

Vegas Golden Knights – TUE VS CGY, FRI VS BUF, SUN VS OTT

Vegas has just three games scheduled next week, but they’re all home contests against teams not in a playoff position. Specifically, the Golden Knights will host the Flames on Tuesday, the Sabres on Friday and the Senators on Sunday.

Jack Eichel is easily the hottest member of the Golden Knights with four goals and nine points over his last four contests, pushing him up to 12 goals and 30 points in 27 contests in 2023-24. Alex Tuch has already worked out great for Buffalo while Peyton Krebs and Noah Ostlund still might be good for the Sabres in the long run, so it’d be overly simplistic to call Vegas the winners of the Eichel trade, but the Golden Knights nevertheless must be thrilled with how that move has worked out.

Ben Hutton has been a bit of a disappointment, though, at least from a fantasy perspective. With Shea Theodore (upper body) unavailable, Hutton has averaged 2:17 of power-play ice time over the last seven contests, up from an average of just 0:25 over his first 14 outings. However, Hutton has just a goal and an assist over his last seven games and neither of those points came with the man advantage. Hutton’s never been much of an offensive force anyway, but it is a shame that he hasn’t gotten any production out of that power-play role.

If Daniil Miromanov (undisclosed) returns before Theodore, then he might take that power-play spot from Hutton. In that scenario, Miromanov would have some fantasy value.

*(BTB) – Denotes the second of a back-to-back series

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 19:04:34 +0000

Top 20 Toronto Maple Leaf Prospects

1. Matthew Knies

The Maple Leafs used the 57th selection in 2021 on Knies after he spent two seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. He then jumped up to the NCAA with the University of Minnesota and quickly became one of the biggest topics of conversation in the prospect world as he contributed a point-per-game as a freshman. His efforts were rewarded by USA Hockey, as the teenager was added to the American rosters for both the Olympics and the World Juniors, and Knies performed admirably in both tournaments. He looked even better last season, being named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. The Maple Leafs rewarded him with an entry-level contract and a call-up to the big club just in time to make a mark on the NHL postseason. He is on his way to becoming a reliable, two-way, second-line winger thanks to his size, strength, ability to steal pucks, break up passes, and find or create open space in the offensive zone.

2. Nick Robertson

Ever since Robertson was drafted in the second round in 2019, he has seemed on the edge of breaking into the NHL lineup full-time. In his DY+1, he had 55 goals in just 46 games with the Peterborough Petes, leading the OHL in goals and being named CHL Sportsman of the Year. The Maple Leafs called him up for the playoffs, to end the year, and he looked poised to stick. Unfortunately, myriad injuries have plagued him and he has three-straight injury-plagued seasons spent bouncing between the AHL and NHL. He’s too good for the AHL but can’t seem to stick in the NHL just yet. When healthy, Robertson is a highly energetic forward with an excellent shot. He’s extremely hard on pucks and seems to always be in the mix. He has the potential to join Knies in the Maple Leafs' top six as a focus of the team’s offense, if he can only stay healthy.

3. Topi Niemela

Drafted 64th overall in 2020, Niemela was coming off his rookie season in the Liiga, showing off his skill in Finland’s best league. His follow-up campaign was stunted due to Covid, but he managed to shine at the 2021 World Juniors, leading all defenders in goals (two), assists (six), and points (eight) en route to a bronze medal, earning the honor of Best Defenseman in the tournament. Niemela was back with Karpat in 2021-22, taking a big step forward while once again posting a stand-out World Juniors. Last season, under contract with the Leafs, but loaned back to Karpat, he seemed to stall a bit offensively in the Liiga, although he was still impacting the game in nearly every other way. That was enough for the Maple Leafs, who brought him overseas to the AHL to finish his season. An intelligent, calm, mobile defender who moves the puck very well and rarely makes a mistake, he’s well on his way to becoming a middle-paring defender at the highest level.

4. Easton Cowan

One of the top players in last year’s OHL playoffs, Cowan, known as “Cowboy” to his teammates, shot up draft lists late in the year and ended up being one of the surprises of the first round. His late season transformation from complementary piece to primary play driver had many in the industry re-evaluating his upside, including Mckeens. A very well-rounded player, he competes hard physically. He is lightning quick and can play in all situations. He sees the ice well and has great offensive instincts. He has a quick release that gives him scoring potential. Best of all, his puck skill and puck protection ability showed significant growth over the year suggesting that he might just be hitting the tip of the iceberg regarding his potential. There’s a safe floor here because of his excellent work rate and skating ability. However, under the watchful eyes of the Hunters with the London Knights, Cowan may possess more offensive upside than originally thought, giving him an intriguing ceiling. Next year, London will enter the year as one of the favourites to repeat as Western Conference champions and Cowan will resume his role on the first line.

5. Ty Voit

Despite losing his entire draft year to the pandemic and the OHL-cancelled season, the Maple Leafs bet on what they had already seen in Voit’s rookie season, drafting him in the fifth round in 2021. He responded with 80 and 105-point seasons, respectively including leading the league in assists (81) in the final season, likely his last in the OHL. Voit is an excellent playmaker with great vision and is very light on the ice. There is some worry about his 5- 9”, 150-pound frame and how that will translate to the NHL, but he’ll have plenty of time in the AHL to get comfortable in a more physical league. There’s also some worry about his defensive effort that the AHL coaching staff will need to work on. He has the skill to be a top-six forward, but his shortcomings bring some questions as to whether or not he’ll reach that, especially as his size is not very conducive to bottom six play.

6. Fraser Minten

A recent addition to the Maple Leafs’ system, Minten was drafted 38th overall in 2022 after taking a big step forward in his development with the WHL Kamloops Blazers. He was even better last season as the team’s alternate captain, producing over a point per game. He’s a two-way presence and plays a very smart game. Combined with underrated skill, he’s an exciting asset. Minten is well-rounded and likely won’t be an overly offensive player at the next level, but will be a reliable, dependable piece who could be trusted in big moments with the game on the like. His game is already close to being pro-ready and he likely could make the jump if the Maple Leafs decide he’s ready, although a final WHL campaign is in the cards first. At this point, he’s on his way to becoming an excellent 3C who could move up and see time on the penalty kill.

7. Roni Hirvonen

The Maple Leafs selected Hirvonen out of the Liiga in 2020 second round. He was coming off his rookie season with Assat, and adjusting well from the junior ranks. He has since spent every season in the Liiga, moving to HIFK for the past two seasons, as a productive two-way presence. He also helped Team Finland bronze and silver medals, in the 2021 and 22 WJCs, respectively, serving as the captain in the latter edition. He is a hard-working centreman who grinds to ensure that his team has the puck, consistently jumping into the dirty areas, and often winning puck battles. He is reliable defensively and has a nice level of skill to complement the rest of his game. This skill is especially evident in his quick hands and light feet. Hirvonen’s game looks like it will translate quite seamlessly into a bottom-six role.

8. Nick Abruzzese

After a 2018-19 season leading the USHL in assists (51) and points (80), the Maple Leafs drafted Abruzzese 124th overall. His next step was joining NCAA Harvard, where he was a star as a freshman, being named Ivy-League Rookie of the Year among other accolades. After losing his 2020-21 season to the pandemic, he returned for one final year as the captain, averaging over one point per game, albeit without producing the same level of offense as he had as a freshman. with the season included an appearance for Team USA at the Olympics and an NHL contract, playing nine games with the Maple Leafs. He spent last season with the Toronto Marlies, as one of the team’s most productive players. He’s well on his way to becoming an intelligent, productive bottom nine forward.

9. Nikita Greybonkin

Grebyonkin was selected 135th overall in 2022. He was the alternate captain for MHL Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, where he had a strong sophomore season. Last season, he took a big step in in his development, making the jump to the KHL on loan to Amur Khabarovsk. He led all rookies in points with 26 in 45 games. The winger is a strong playmaker with the ability to finish as well, although that may be dampened in the NHL. He protects the puck well and has strong awareness in the offensive zone. His defensive efforts are not consistent and his skating has been a concern, although the latter issue should be addressable through good coaching. Grebyonkin is a bit of a project and will take some time to reach his ceiling, but he could become an intriguing depth option.

10. Joseph Woll

As with many netminders, it’s been a long road for Woll - but it looks like it’s paid off. Drafted back out of the USNTDP 62nd overall back in 2016, the team has been patient with him. Woll was a fixture on the Team USA junior team, playing in the Under 17s, Under 18s, and twice at the World Juniors - winning medals in every event. He had a strong collegiate career for Boston College, maintaining great numbers throughout. He jumped to the AHL in 2019-20, and while he struggled out of the gate including a few injury struggles, his 2022-23 season was a coming-out party, dominating in the AHL and receiving regular call-ups to the NHL, including a star turn in the playoffs. He’s a calm, intelligent goaltender and plays an excellent technical game. He looks ready to stick in the NHL.

11. Nick Moldenhauer

Moldenhauer had a strong year in the USHL with Chicago after he deferred his arrival to the University of Michigan until this upcoming year. He has a motor that never stops in the offensive end and he navigates and handles traffic well despite his lack of size.

12. Dennis Hildeby

A massive Swedish netminder, Hildeby had a very good 2022-23 season in the SHL with Farjestad.. This year he will play in the AHL with the Marlies, where he will compete for playing time with the other goalies in the system making their pro debuts.

13. Ryan Tverberg

Through the last two seasons, Tverberg has been a standout at UConn because of his ability to push pace and create offense through his tenacity. He has now turned pro and will play with the Marlies this year. He has a chance to be a quality bottom six option in the future.

14. Alex Steeves

Depending on the health of Nick Robertson, the 12th forward spot in the Leafs’ lineup is probably up for grabs at training camp and Steeves will have a great shot at it after two terrific years with the Marlies. He’s worked hard to improve his skating and can excel in a variety of roles.

15. Artur Akhtiamov

The best goaltender in the VHL last year (Russia’s second league), there is a lot of optimism surrounding Akhtiamov heading into his first pro season in North America. Lightning quick in the crease, he has NHL potential.

16. Mikko Kokkonen

Without question, Kokkonen’s first full pro season in North America was a disappointment as his poor play with the Marlies resulted in a demotion to the ECHL. The former highly touted third round pick will look to get things back on track this year.

17. William Villeneuve

Villeneuve was excellent for the Marlies last year in his first pro season out of the QMJHL. There was some concern that his skating would hinder him as a pro, but that was not evident last year. A competent puck mover, his mobility will need to continue to improve for him to be an NHL’er.

18. Vyacheslav Peksa

With so many netminders signed, the Leafs are expected to loan Peksa back to Europe this season. Peksa still has to refine his athleticism in the crease, working to improve the technical components of his game.

19. Mike Koster

Koster showed considerable improvement in his junior season with Minnesota, emerging as a go-to defender for the Gophers. Returning for a senior year, he should take over as the primary powerplay quarterback on a talented team and his offensive production could jump yet again.

20. Brandon Lisowsky

A lethal shooter who can really fire the puck. Has the ability to score in multiple ways and brings high energy to the offensive zone. Size is the big deterrent currently but he’s working to get stronger on the puck and improve his playmaking ability. He should have a huge draft +2 season for Saskatoon this year.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Josh Bell — Sun, 14 May 2023 15:03:49 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 21^st (23^rd last year)

The Leafs finally made it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. GM Kyle Dubas found the right mix to beat Tampa Bay, only to fall to Florida in five games. A core built around the big four as they are known – John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander - drew criticism for their inability to rise to the occasion once more. Morgan Rielly on defense completes the group that Dubas has invested the hopes of the Leaf faithful since taking the reins in 2018. He dealt considerable draft capital over the years, keeping only two first round picks, Rasmus Sandin and Sean Durzi, now both traded away for veteran help. The team acquired Luke Schenn, Erik Gustafsson, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, Ryan O’Reilly while moving out two firsts (recouping the Bruins first for Sandin), two seconds, and two thirds, and some spare parts. The shelf is bare heading into the draft. Dubas is without a contract and whether he remains in charge is the big offseason decision. Whether to break up the big four is a close second.

Despite the depletion of future assets, the team has seven players ranked within our top 200. Their top two prospects, Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson are on the verge of making the NHL and playing a key role. Topi Niemela should join them at some point in the next few seasons. They were all drafted in the second round in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. Knies looked at home on the top line during the playoffs. Robertson has been on the verge of the NHL for the past two seasons and could join Knies in the top six in the near future. The Leafs have numerous UFA’s this season, and are always skating around the cap. Any addition of young legs on entry level contracts will help.

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Toronto Maple Leafs Winger Matthew Knies (23) skates with the puck during the Round 1 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 5 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 27, 2023, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

Matthew Knies

After two seasons in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm, the Toronto Maple Leafs used the 57th selection in the 2021 NHL Draft on Matthew Knies. He then jumped up to the NCAA and the University of Minnesota became one of the biggest topics of conversation in the prospect world as he was a point-per-game player as a rookie. Team USA took notice, adding him to the roster for the Olympics and the World Juniors. He looked even better this season, being named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. The Maple Leafs rewarded him with an entry-level contract and a call-up to the big club. He’s on his way to becoming a reliable, two-way, second-line winger thanks to his ability to steal pucks and break up passes or find open space in the offensive zone.

2. Nick Robertson

Ever since Nick Robertson was drafted 53rd overall in 2019, it seems as though he’s right on the edge of breaking into the NHL lineup full-time. In his DY+1, he had 55 goals in just 46 games with the Peterborough Petes, leading the OHL in goals and being named CHL Sportsman of the Year. The Maple Leafs called him up for the playoffs, to end the year, and he looked poised to stick. But ever since, a myriad of injuries has plagued him and he has three-straight seasons of numerous injuries while bouncing between the AHL and NHL. He’s too good for the AHL but can’t seem to stick in the NHL just yet. When he’s healthy, he’s a highly energetic forward with an excellent shot. He’s extremely hard on pucks and seems to always be in the mix. He has the potential to join Knies in the Maple Leafs' top six as a focus of the team’s offense.

3. Topi Niemela

Drafted 64th overall in 2020, Topi Niemela was coming off his rookie season in the Liiga, showing off his skill in the best league in Finland. He returned the following season, the shortened campaign due to the pandemic, but truly shined at the 2021 World Juniors, where he led all defenders in goals (two), assists (six), and points (eight) en route to a bronze medal and being named Best Defenseman in the tournament. He was back with Karpat in 2021-22, taking a big step forward while once again standing out at the World Juniors. This season, he seemed to stall a bit in his offensive output in the Liiga, however, he’s still impacting the game in nearly every other way. That was enough for the Maple Leafs, who brought him overseas to the AHL. An intelligent, calm, mobile defender that moves the puck very well and rarely makes a mistake, he’s well on his way to becoming a middle-paring defender.

4. Ty Voit

Despite losing his entire draft year to the pandemic and the OHL-cancelled season, the Maple Leafs bet on what they had already seen in Ty Voit’s rookie season, drafting him 153rd overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. He responded with an 80-point season and then a 105-point season, including leading the league in assists (81) in what could be the end of his OHL career. He’s an excellent playmaker with great vision and is very light on the ice. There is some worry about his 5-foot-9, 150-pound frame and how that will translate to the NHL, but he’ll have some time in the AHL to get comfortable in a more physical league. There’s also some worry about his defensive effort that the AHL coaching staff will need to work on. He has the skill to be a top six forward, but his shortcomings do bring some questions as to whether or not he’ll reach that.

5. Fraser Minten

A recent addition to the Maple Leafs’ system, Fraser Minten was drafted 38th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft after taking a big step forward in his development with the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL. He was even better this season as the alternate captain, playing over a point per game and catching the eye of scouts. He’s a two-way presence that plays such a smart game. Combined with some underrated skill, he’s an exciting asset in the system. He’s well-rounded and likely won’t be an overly offensive player at the next level, but will be a reliable, dependable piece that would be trusted in big moments with the game on the like. His game is already close to being pro-ready and he likely could make the jump if the Maple Leafs decide he’s ready. At this point, he’s on his way to becoming an excellent 3C who could move up and see time on the penalty kill.

6. Roni Hirvonen

The Maple Leafs selected Roni Hirvonen out of the Liiga in the 2020 NHL Draft, 59th overall. He was coming off of his rookie season with Assat, seeming to adjust well from the junior ranks. He’s spent every season since in the Liiga, moving to HIFK for the past two seasons and being a productive presence. He’s also helped Team Finland to a bronze and a silver medal, serving as the captain in the 2022 edition. He’s a hard-working centreman that fights hard to ensure that his team has the puck, consistently jumping into the dirty areas and often winning puck battles. He’s reliable defensively and has a nice level of skill to complement the rest of his game. This skill is especially evident in his quick hands and light feet. He’s another piece that seems like he will translate very easily into a bottom six role.

7. Nick Abruzzese

After a season where he led the USHL in assists (51) and points (80), the Maple Leafs drafted Nick Abruzzese 124th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. After his breakout season in the USHL, he took the next step, joining Harvard University in the NCAA. He took another massive step forward here as a rookie, being named Ivy-League Rookie of the Year among a large series of other accolades. After losing his 2020-21 season to the pandemic, he returned for one final year as the captain, not matching his 2019-20 output but still layering over a point per game. He finished the season with an appearance on Team USA at the Olympics and an NHL contract, playing nine games with the Maple Leafs. He’s spent this season with the Toronto Marlies, as one of the team’s most productive players. He’s well on his way to becoming an intelligent, productive bottom nine forward.

8. Nikita Grebenkin

A mid-round pick in the most recent draft, Nikita Grebyonkin was selected 135th overall in 2022. He was the alternate captain for Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk in the MHL, where he had a strong sophomore season, taking a noticeable step forward. This season, he took a big step in the right direction, making the jump to the KHL on loan to Amur Khabarovsk. He led all rookies in points with 26 in 45 games. The winger is a strong playmaker who does have the ability to finish as well, although that may be dampened in the NHL. He protects the puck well and has strong awareness in the offensive zone. His skating has been a concern, but nothing that can’t be addressed in development, and his effort in the defensive zone isn’t consistent. He’s a bit of a project and will take some time but could become an intriguing depth option.

9. Joseph Woll

As with many netminders, it’s been a long road for Joseph Woll - but it looks like it’s paid off. The goaltender was drafted back in 2016, 62nd overall by the Maple Leafs and the team has been patient with him. Woll was drafted out of the USNTDP and jumped to the NCAA’s Boston College after. He was a fixture on the Team USA junior team, playing in the Under 17s, Under 18s, and the World Juniors twice - winning medals in every event. He had a strong career in Boston, maintaining great numbers. He jumped to the AHL in 2019-20 and while he struggled out of the gate and suffered through some injuries, his 2022-23 season was a coming-out party, playing dominantly in the AHL and getting regular call-ups to the NHL. He’s a calm, intelligent goaltender who plays an excellent technical game. He looks ready to make the jump and stick in the NHL.

10. Rodion Amirov

There’s a ton of uncertainty around Rodion Amirov, likely their top prospect, who was unfortunately diagnosed with a brain tumour in February 2022. He hasn’t played since but of course, at this point, his health is more important than anything. He was in Toronto continuing to train but ended up going back to Russia to undergo additional treatments. Amirov was drafted 15th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, likely too low for the highly skilled forward. He’s incredibly intelligent, rarely making a mistake on the ice. He moves very well, and his offensive potential is very high. He’s solid in his own end as well though. Amirov has all the makings of a top six winger. He was playing in his second season in the KHL when he was diagnosed, getting more and more comfortable playing against men. Again, his health is the priority here and discussions about his hockey future come second.