Before heading off to have Christmas dinner with my family, it seemed like a good time to check on the Maple Leafs future prospects, a few of which are participating in the upcoming 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden. The others are deep into their seasons in the CHL, NCAA or in Europe
2013 Draft
Gauthier second season with the QMJHL’s Oceanic has been slow on the offensive side, with just seven goals in 29 games, but the Leafs 2013 21st pick overall pick is part of Team Canada’s squad going to Sweden, mostly due to his size, defensive abilities, strength on faceoffs and as a penalty killer. The 6’5… 214lb center’s work with Leafs instructor Barb Underhill during the summer may come in handy for Gauthier on the Olympic size sheet in Malmo.
The Leafs 2013 third round pick is currently 13th in OHL scoring with 50 points and trails linemate Brendan Perlini by one point for the Ice Dogs scoring lead. The 18-year-old center continues to impress, building on a good debut at the Leafs rookie tournament in London last September. Verhaeghe was selected to play for Team OHL against Russia in the Subway Super Series and scored a power play goal and assist in Niagara’s 6-5 victory over London on December 20.
Herzog chose to play in North America after a season with Zug in the Swiss-A league and the 18 year old continues to find the net with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, as he is second on the team with 20 goals in 34 games. The Leafs 142nd overall pick in the 2013 draft will participate in the 2014 WJHC in Sweden as a member of Team Switzerland.
The 19 year old Bibeau has been in his third year with the struggling Charlottetown Islanders, who rank 13th in the QMJHL standings. The Leafs 2013 sixth rounder leads the in games played(25) and a .908 save percentage, but has a losing record(7-11-5) and 3.43 GAA. Bibeau was pulled in the third period after allowing four goals on 17 shots in a 6-2 loss to Blainville-Boisbriand on December 20.
The petite winger (5’9…, 158lbs) continues to use his skating ability and offensive skills to lead Frolunda of the SHL with 14 goals in 32 games. The 18-year-old Johnson has been selected to play for Sweden in the upcoming WJHC.
Here is a strange penalty that Johnson took in a pre-tournament game against the US last week:
2012 Draft
The 19-year-old team captain of the high scoring Guelph Storm was signed to a three-year entry level deal by the Leafs in November and leads his team in defensive scoring with 30 points. Finn has played 33 of the Storm’s 35 games, which is a welcome change for the Etobicoke, ON native after being plagued by illness and injury in 2012-13.
The 19-year-old Toninato has started slow in his freshman season with the UMD Bulldogs, with three goals and four assists in 15 games. Dominic had an assist in a 5-3 loss to Western Michigan on December 13. After attending the US Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, NY last summer, Toninato was not selected for Team USA’s roster for the 2014 WJHC.
The 19-year-old Toronto native has been impressive, leading the OHL in scoring with 68 points and continuing to benefit from playing with wunderkind Connor McDavid, who made Team Canada for the 2014 WJHC as a 16-year-old. Brown signed a three-year entry level deal with the Leafs in November and could be part of a Memorial Cup run for the Otters, who lead the OHL’s Midwest Division.
The feisty Rupert continues to be a feisty playmaker with the OHL’s London Knights with 31 points in 35 games, which is impressive with the likes of NHL first rounders Max Domi and Bo Horvat on the roster. The Leafs have yet to sign the smallish center to a contract and will have to do so before next June to prevent him from re-entering the NHL Draft.
Loov is another in a long line of Toronto Swedish defense prospects that include Carl Gunnarsson, Petter Granberg and Tom Nilsson. The 21-year-old has three goals and four assists in 33 games with Modo in the SHL.
2011 Draft
The hard hitting, defensive-minded Nilsson is making a positive impression with Frolunda in his first SHL season in the SHL. The Leafs 2011 4th round pick is expected to come to North America next season, following the same path as Marlies blueliner Petter Granberg.
The smallish Cameranesi has two goals and seven assists in 16 games for UMD in his second season after tying for the club lead with 34 points in his freshman year. He had an assist in the Bulldogs first goal in a 4-3 victory over Western Michigan on December 14.
The 22-year-old Robertson is in his final year at Brown and once completed will have to be signed by the Leafs or will become a free agent this summer. The Brown Bears team captain had an assist and was +2 in a 3-2 victory over Dartmouth on December 7.
The Leafs seventh round pick in the 2011 Draft has played five of Harvard’s six games this season. Primarily a defensive defenseman, Everson has one goal for the Crimson.
Merry Christmas to all of Leafs Nation!!!!
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