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It’s a snowy Christmas morning in the Buffalo area, that will be the epicenter 24 hours from now when the 2018 World Junior Championships gets started with four games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have three prospects participating in the tournament and it will be of keen interest to the club to see how they perform.
With the Leafs and the rest of the NHL not in action until Wednesday, it is a good time to check on the progress of the club’s prospects. This list encompasses all players who Toronto has rights to currently playing in the OHL, QMJHL, WHL, NCAA and Europe, not those playing in the NHL, AHL or ECHL.
2017 Draft
The 18-year-old Rasanen was among the eight defensemen selected by Team Finland for the upcoming WJC after posting 22 points (3 goals, 19 assists) in 28 games for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs.
The 6’7…, 210 lb blueliner maybe in the mix for regular ice time in the tournament based on being the biggest defender and because Finland’s defensive corps is relatively young, with five 18-year-olds, but they boast five first round picks, including 2016 top five pick Olli Juolevi and 2017 third overall pick Miro Heiskanen.
The Leafs fourth round pick has a .500 record (9-9-0) with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders. Scott began the season with six wins in his first eight games but has struggled in December, losing three of his last four starts, including allowing seven goals in a loss to the Kelowna Rockets on December 15.
This week's Raider vs. Raider sees champion @Bleason7 take on challenger @IceScott99. Check out the plays below. pic.twitter.com/2vmES3IIVM
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) November 20, 2017
Little was known about the 19-year-old when he was selected in the fourth round by Toronto, but the 6’1… center scored eight goals in 20 games for Ak Bars Kazan’s VHL and MHL affiliates and has gone scoreless in 10 KHL games this season.
Kara played for Russia in the CHL Super Series last month, but did not get invited to their preliminary roster from the World Junior squad.
The Toronto-born Gordeev has nearly matched last season’s offensive totals with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds in half the time, with three goals and nine assists in 32 games. The big 18-year-old also has a -18 rating for the Firebirds, who have the OHL’s worst record at 10-20-3.
The Leafs sixth round pick has 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 35 games for the Sarnia Sting. The 18-year-old Burlington native had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Peterborough on December 9 for the Sting, who trail Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL’s West Division with a 25-8-2 record.
The 6’1… 208 lb. blueliner is a long-term project who played two seasons for St. Andrew’s College and has 14 points for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. O’Connell is headed to Boston University next season.
Here are @JTychonick and @RyannOconnell with their new hardware pic.twitter.com/9tw0AgSaUP
— Penticton Vees (@PentictonVees) December 16, 2017
Part II on Tuesday
Merry Christmas to all in Leafs Nation