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The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL, but with players like Connor Brown, Zach Hyman, William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen and Travis Dermott now on their roster, the next step for the club is to keep replenishing the prospect pool to provide the Leafs with youngsters who can take step and replace veterans who retire, depart via free agency or are traded. With some input from Sportsology’s Russ Cohen and Gus Katsaros of McKeen’s Hockey, we are ranking the club’s top 25 prospects over the next few weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe or the American Hockey League and their potential to make the Leafs roster and make a contribution in the future. Players such as Dermott, Kapanen, Frederik Gauthier, Andreas Borgman, Calle Rosen, Josh Leivo, Garret Sparks and Justin Holl are not eligible because they have played more than 30 NHL games or are over the age of 23. We continue the list today with the second ranked player of the Maple Leafs Top 25 Prospects; a winger that won the SHL Rookie of the Year, scored 20 goals in consecutive AHL seasons, proved he was ready for the NHL in a late season call up and led the Toronto Marlies in scoring in their run to a Calder Cup title. #25 – JD Greenway (Defense, Dubuque Fighting Saints – USHL) #24 – Ian Scott (Goaltender, Prince Albert Raiders – WHL) #23 - Martins Dzierkals (Winger, Orlando/ Toronto – ECHL/AHL) #22 - Andrew Nielsen (Defense, Toronto Marlies – AHL) #21 – Riley Stotts (Center, Swift Current/Calgary Hitmen - WHL) #20 – Filip Kral (Defense, Spokane Chiefs – WHL) #19 – Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Center, Peterborough Petes - OHL) #18 – Mac Hollowell (Defense, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL) #17 – Sean Durzi (Defense, Owen Sound Attack - OHL) #16 – Jesper Lindgren (Defense, HRK/Toronto Marlies – SM-Liiga/AHL) #15 – Fedor Gordeev (Defense, Flint Firebirds - OHL) #14 – Mason Marchment (Winger, Toronto Marlies – AHL) #13 – Eemeli Rasanen (Defense, Kingston Frontenacs - OHL) #12 – Adam Brooks (Center, Toronto Marlies – AHL) #11 – Dakota Joshua (Center, Ohio State – NCAA/Big 10) #10 – Joseph Woll (Goaltender, Boston College – NCAA) #9 – Trevor Moore (Winger, Toronto Marlies - AHL) #8 – Pierre Engvall (Winger, Toronto Marlies – AHL) #7 – Dmytro Timashov (Winger, Toronto Marlies - AHL) #6 – Yegor Korshkov (Winger, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv – KHL) #5 – Jeremy Bracco (Winger, Toronto Marlies - AHL) #4 – Rasmus Sandin (Defense, Sault Ste. Marie – OHL) #3 – Carl Grundstrom (Winger, Frolunda/Toronto Marlies - SHL/AHL) #2 – Andreas Johnsson (Winger, Toronto Marlies/Maple Leafs - AHL/NHL)
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been on target with high first round picks Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, but the key to becoming a Stanley Cup contender may be finding contributing players in the lower rounds.
Johnsson is one of the few remaining players in the organization from the Brian Burke/Dave Nonis era, selected in the seventh round (202nd overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft. Unearthed by Swedish scout Thommie Bergman, the speedy winger slipped past most clubs because he struggled with undiagnosed asthma, but once treated he thrived in his rookie season with Frolunda, scoring 15 goals and winning the SHL Rookie of the Year.
The slow recovery from the dirty hit and getting used to the smaller North American ice surface contributed to a slow start in his rookie season, but Johnsson rallied in the second half and finished with 20 goals and led the Marlies with six goals in the playoffs.
In his sophomore season, the 23-year-old put it all together, scoring 54 points (26 goals, 28 assists) in 54 games, representing the Marlies in AHL All-Star Game, earning a late-season promotion to the NHL and leading the league in playoff scoring with 24 points (which earned him the Jack Butterfield Trophy as MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs).
The 23-year-old is a perfect fit for the NHL’s increasing emphasis on speed and skill. The 5’10…, 180 lb. forward is a gifted skater with an accurate shot and good playmaking ability, who does not shy away from going to the front of the net. Johnsson’s offensive tools had him playing regularly on the Marlies power play and Mike Babcock utilized his speed on the penalty kill.
With the departure of James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov, Johnsson is a near lock to make the Leafs out of training camp and will likely play higher in the lineup than the fourth line duty he saw last season.
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