The Toronto Maple Leafs in spite of not having actually won a playoff round considering that 2004 must be taken into consideration aStanley Cup Contender One of the major reasons that is their searching personnel.
Sure the Leafs had some top choices in the draft as well as struck residence keep up (*10 *)Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, as well as William Nylander, yet Toronto has actually likewise done an outstanding task searching for NHL gamers past the 3rd round in Pierre Engvall, Dakota Joshua, Andreas Johnsson, Carter Verhaeghe, as well as Connor Brown that have actually all repeated 100 video games.
Toronto has actually traded away their first-round option in 3 of the previous 4 drafts which has actually diminished their possibility swimming pool, yet the group likewise made a total amount of 12 choices in 2020 as well as has actually maintained their second-round choices.
1. Matthew Knies, LW– University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-3/209
Drafted: 2021 rounded 2, 57th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Leaf followers are delighted as well as confident regarding Knies as well as completely factor. The 6-3 power winger has actually been leading in his 2 periods with the Golden Gophers racking up 75 factors in 72 video games. He has actually likewise bet U.S.A. at the WJC as well asOlympics The Hobey Baker finalist will certainly bet an NCAA champion.
While some Leaf followers think (or hope) he will certainly enter a top-six duty as well as offer the Leafs with one more layer of offending assistance. That is extremely feasible as Knies currently has NHL level dimension, capturing, skating, as well as playmaking capacity. The NHL is a considerable action over the NCAA nevertheless, as well as the playoff rate as well as margin for newbie errors are much thinner. It might not occur immediately, yet the Arizona indigenous gets on track to be a follower fave.
2. Nick Robertson, LW– Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 5-10/ 183
Drafted: 2019 rounded 2, 53rd total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Robertson got on track to return from an injury filled up 2021-22 period as well as ultimately become a permanent NHL gamer as well as fill up a top-six wing duty with theLeafs He made a lineup area as well as uploaded 5 factors in 15 video games prior to one more injury finished his period.
The more youthful bro of Dallas Stars celebrity Jason Robertson, Nick has comparable ability degree yet is undersized in contrast as well as his toughness has actually ended up being a significant worry. With another year continuing to be on his ELC Robertson will certainly have one more chance following year when he returns from his shoulder injury to fill up a top-six duty with his inexpensive cap hit. The secret will certainly be to remain healthy and balanced. If he can, he can be an effect gamer.
3. Rodion Amirov, LW– Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 6-0/168
Drafted: 2020 round one, 15th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
In a best globe, Amirov would certainly either be placed primary, or would certainly have currently finished to a permanent top-six duty with theLeafs He has NHL-level rate, abilities, as well as a shot to make him an unsafe offending risk. His protective video game is solid also as well as he predicts as a top-six impactful NHL winger.
Sadly at this moment the major worry is his existing fight with cancer cells. The Russian winger has actually been restricted to 13 video games last period (2021-22) as he undertakes therapy for a mind lump. I stay confident he makes a complete recuperation, go back to hockey, has a remarkable occupation as well as lives a lengthy as well as healthy and balanced life.
4. Topi Niemela, RD– Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 5-11/170
Drafted: 2020 round 3, 64th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
The 21-year-old has actually involved Toronto after 4 years of advancement in the Liiga withKarpat Niemela makes his greatest effect as a protective protector, utilizing his skating as well as smarts to get rid of forechecking resistance, restrain protective area stress, as well as produce shift infraction.
His offending video game is not to be underrated as considering that signing up with the Marlies he has 2 factors in as numerous video games. Niemela can utilize the remainder of this period as well as a few of following year in the AHL to change his video game to the North American rinks as well as rate, yet he has middle-six upside as an offending protector that can be recognized by now following year.
5. Fraser Minten, C– Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 6-2/192
Drafted: 2022 rounded 2 38th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs initial option in the 2nd round of the ’22 draft has actually had 3 strong years in the WHL. In his junior year, he has actually overshadowed the point-per-game rate racking up 31 objectives.
Minten brings a well balanced video game of ability as well as dimension. He has a great shot, fast launch as well as precise. His puck abilities appear with a large variety of actions, drags as well as crinkles. His passing as well as playmaking abilities are potentially his best possession. He incorporates deceptiveness well as well as is innovative in his death, threading the needle via feet, as well as saucing passes while looking off his designated target. His physical video game is powerful at the junior degree yet will certainly be low-key rather when he goes up to the professional degree.
Minten has one more year of junior to play as well as must see some AHL time also yet his upside ceiling is a two-way 2nd line facility with a bottom-six flooring. A fantastic option in the 2nd round.
6. Nicholas Moldenhauer, RW– University of Michigan (NCAA)
Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 5-10/ 170
Drafted: 2022 rounded 3 95th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
The Mississauga indigenous has actually chosen to play his junior in the USHL as well as the NCAA as opposed to the OHL. His home town Leafs picked him after a solid USHL newbie period with 43 factors in 41 video games with theChicago Steel He went back to the Steel for his D +1 period as well as his supply has actually boosted as he gets on rate for a 70-point period. Committed to the University of Michigan where he is predicted to be their most recent fresher super star.
Moldenhauer is a highly-skilled, fast as well as solid gamer that needs to have an instant effect as a fresher with the Wolverines as well as must authorize with the Leafs after one, or more university periods.
7. Nick Abruzzese, C/LW– Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Age: 23
Ht/Wt: 5-11/183
Drafted: 2019 rounded 4 124th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Abruzzese played 3 years of NCAA withHarvard In his junior year he bet U.S.A. at the Olympics as well as had 4 factors in 4 video games. He authorized with Toronto after his junior year and also as an AHL newbie he racked up 44 factors in 65 video games. He has actually been remembered to the NHL as well as has 6 factors in 6 NHL video games with the Leafs.
Abruzzese has below-average NHL dimension as well as skating capacity, yet he makes up with above-average hockey feeling as well as playmaking capacity. He might not reach open up ice through rate, yet he frequently sees open ice prior to it is open. He makes himself readily available for passes sustaining ownership as well as offending play as well as locates passing choices others can not. The 23-year-old might require even more AHL flavoring yet has middle-six playmaking advantage.
8. Roni Hirvonen, C– HIFK (Liiga)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 5-9/172
Drafted: 2020 rounded 2 59th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Hirvonen contrasts likewise to Abruzzese, he is doing not have in dimension as well as skating yet is a misleading as well as ingenious playmaker. His advancement in his last 2 periods with HIFK in Liiga have actually been a little underwhelming as his counting statistics have actually been rather stationary.
Hirvonen invested the initial year of his three-year ELC offer on financing back in Finland, yet anticipate him to be given the AHL for the last 2 years where he will certainly join his compatriotTopi Niemela Hirvonen will certainly require time to enhance his skating as well as to get used to the physicality as well as smaller sized ice in the AHL.
8. Nikita Grebyonkin, LW/RW– Amur Khabarovsk (KHL)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-2/176
Drafted: 2022 rounded 5 135th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Grebyonkin is a gamer whose supply gets on the surge, quickly! After being undrafted, the Leafs tossed a dart on him in the 5th round. He battled to discover time in the KHL with Metallurg where he is under agreement via the 2023-24 period, yet after being lent to the bottom-feeding Amur, he discovered playing time as well as revealed what he can do publishing 26 factors in 45 video games balancing around 17 mins a video game. With another year to take place his existing offer, the concern is where will he play following year as well as can he lug his energy?
9. Ty Voit, C/LW– Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 5-9/150
Drafted: 2021 rounded 5 153rd total by Toronto Maple Leafs
The undersized ahead had a great OHL newbie year, adequate that in spite of not playing in the COVID terminated period the Leafs still prepared him. He awarded them with an outbreak 80-point D +1 year as well as has actually overshadowed that rate with a 105 factor period in his elderly year with theSting His league-leading 81 helps inform you what his video game is, he is a playmaker. His skating is his various other stamina as he has fun with rate, threatens on the thrill as well as stands out at shift. Voit will certainly have obstacles handling the dimension as well as physicality of specialist hockey. He will certainly play in the AHL following year.
10 Ryan Tverberg, RW– Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 6-0/190
Drafted: 2020 rounded 7 213th total by Toronto Maple Leafs
Another possibility increasing is Toronto indigenousRyan Tverberg After 3 NCAA periods at the University of Connecticut, the Leafs have actually authorized him to his ELC as well as he will certainly play out the period in the AHL with theMarlies Through the initial 6 video games he is still seeking his initial factor, his video game is a lot more regarding the physical play than the offending manufacturing.
Tverberg is a heat-seeking rocket, tossing his body at the resistance without the puck, as well as freight-training it towards the objective when he does have the puck. The 21-year-old will certainly play a complete period with the Marlies following year as well as can at some point play his means right into a bottom-six NHL power gamer.
