The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be recognized by outside evaluators as one of the most talent-laden organizations in the National Hockey League. Last August, ESPN’s Corey Pronmen ranked the Leafs second in the NHL behind the Edmonton Oilers (who had selected Connor McDavid at the 2015 Draft in Sunrise, FL) for prospect quality and depth.
This summer, the Leafs are ranked atop the league but not solely because they added 2016 top pick Auston Matthews to the fold.
“Toronto has the best farm system in the NHL and it isn't close. Based on my prospect definitions, there are zero reasonable arguments for anyone to even be in the same conversation.” Pronman said. “Not only do they have a ton of elite talent in players like Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, but their depth is elite too.”
The Leafs had eight players(Marner, Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen, Jeremy Bracco, Connor Brown, Andreas Johnson, Scott Harrington, Brendan Leipsic) ranked in ESPN’s top 100 prospects one year ago and an honorable mention in defenseman Travis Dermott (including Marner and Nylander in the top 10).
Matthews will undoubtedly be at the top of the list and 2015 draft picks who had productive CHL seasons (Andrew Nielsen, Martins Dzierkals and Dmytro Timashov) will likely make the top 100 this time around.
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The Leafs appear to have brought in another goalie for next month’s training camp, as the
Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle reported over the weekend that KHL veteran netminder Jeff Glass will be added on a professional tryout contract.
The 30-year-old Glass was a third round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2004 and played parts of four seasons with their AHL affiliate in Binghamton before heading to the KHL in 2009 and playing years in Russia.
Currently the Leafs have five goaltenders in their pipeline with Frederik Andersen and Jhonas Enroth added over the summer to join prospects Antoine Bibeau, Garret Sparks and college free agent Kasimir Kaskisuo.
GM Lou Lamoriello may be simply bringing in an extra pair of pads for training camp, as the club did two years ago when they added ex-Flyers farmhand Cal Heeter, but since the Marlies used eight goaltenders last season, it is possible that Glass is being brought in as an experienced option to play with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears and be recalled to the AHL if any injuries occur.
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