Be sure to like HockeyBuzz on facebook! For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Pierre Engvall, Travis Dermott and Justin Holl, but the next step for the club under GM Kyle Dubas is to keep replenishing the prospect pool to provide the Leafs with youngsters who can step up and replace veterans who retire, depart via free agency or are traded. As we did last year, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the next few weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Leafs roster and make a contribution in the future. Players are eligible for the list if they have not played more than 40 NHL games: #40 – J.D. Greenway – D (Maine – NCAA) #39 – Eemeli Rasanen – D (HPK – Finland SM-Liiga) #38 – Jeremy McKenna – RW (Moncton – QMJHL) #37 – Ryan O’Connell – D (Ohio State – NCAA) #36 – Veeti Miettinen – RW (St. Cloud St. – NCAA #35 - Semyon Kizimov – RW (Lada Togliatti – VHL / Torpedo – KHL) #34 - Kalle Loponen – D (Karpat – Finland SM-Liiga) #33 - Vladislav Kara – LW (Cherepovets Severstal – KHL) #32 - John Fusco – D (Harvard – NCAA) #31 - Wyatt Schingoethe – C (Waterloo – USHL) #30 - William Villeneuve – D (Saint John – QMJHL) #29 - Joe Miller – C (Chicago – USHL) #28 - Axel Rindell – D (Jukurit – Finland SM-Liiga) #27 - Kristians Rubins - D (Toronto - AHL / Frederikshavn - Denmark) The Leafs have been more open to giving developmental projects time and opportunity under GM Kyle Dubas. The club bringing in undrafted free agents from Europe, US Colleges or the CHL has resulted in players like Ilya Mikheyev, Trevor Moore and Mason Marchment becoming contributors at the AHL and NHL level. Toronto is hoping they have found another diamond in the rough in blueliner Kristians Rubins. Rubins played junior in Sweden and internationally for Latvia in the World Juniors (2017) and World Championships (2018). In 2016, he headed to North America to play for Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. After two years with the Tigers, the 6’4…, 220 lb defenseman was signed to a pro contract and split time between the Marlies and Newfoundland Growlers, where he won a Kelly Cup title in 2019. The left-hander is a very good skater and has the size that is not in ample supply among the Leafs defensive prospects. Last season, Rubins was signed to an AHL contract and registered 14 points (2 goals, 12 assists) in 47 games for the Marlies before the league was shut down in March. The following month, the 22-year-old was signed to a two-year, entry-level contract by Toronto.
Podcast time with NJ & MIB.
— The Leafs Convo (@TheLeafsConvo2) December 6, 2020
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