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Throughout the season, we will check in on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects to see how they are progressing. In spite of trading out of the first round to rid themselves of the albatross contract of Petr Mrazek, GM Kyle Dubas appears to have found some young players who could have some future potential of making the NHL. Here is how the five players who were selected in the 2022 Draft are doing:
Fraser Minten
The 38th overall pick suffered a wrist injury and stayed with the Leafs to recuperate before returning to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. In spite of missing seven games, Minten is third in scoring with 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 15 games.
The Blazers are hosting the Memorial Cup next spring, which all but guarantees the 18-year-old some postseason experience, but after being invited to Team Canada’s camp last summer, Minten could be added to the preliminary roster for the 2023 World Junior next week.
The Mississauga native started off like a house on fire with the Chicago Steel, leading the USHL in scoring and committing to the University of Michigan for next season. In spite of cooling off recently, Moldenhauer has 11 goals and 21 points in 16 games.
Nick Moldenhauer (#9) scored a goal and had a primary assist on Friday. He did not play Saturday due to an injury.
After a sluggish start with Farjestad, the big 21-year-old has settled in as the backup for Canadian Matt Tomkins. Hildeby has an over .500 record (4-3-0), with a 2.39 GAA and .919 save percentage.
Dennis Hildeby, drafted in the 4th round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022 as a triple overager, has done really well this season in limited SHL action for Färjestad BK. At 6'6" and 235lbs, he will probably get a look in North America at some point.#LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/vjUuRfD8TR
— Fantasy Hockey Lifer - Victor Nuño (@VictorNuno12) November 27, 2022
Nikita Grebyonkin
After scoring in brief stints in the lower levels for Magnitogorsk, the 19-year-old winger went scoreless in a limited role in seven KHL games before being loaned to Amur Khabarovsk and has posted eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 16 KHL games. Grebyonkin might have had a good chance to make Team Russia for the upcoming WJC, but they are banned from the tournament.
#LeafsForever prospect Nikita Grebyonkin scored two goals in Amur’s 4-2 victory over Torpedo, including this slick finish on the partial break: pic.twitter.com/Q8BJHx3QTR
After a two-day break, the Leafs return to the road to take on the division rival Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena, in the first meeting since Toronto was eliminated by the Lightning in Game 7 of the first round last May.
Mitch Marner will attempt to set a Toronto record for points in 19 consecutive games after tying the record with an empty net goal against San Jose on Wednesday. Tampa trails the Leafs by six points for second place in the Atlantic and have two games in hand, and gets center Anthony Cirelli back in the lineup after recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe slotted in winger Nick Robertson alongside John Tavares and Mitch Marner at practice on Friday, replacing injured winger Calle Jarnkrok. Wayne Simmonds replaced Robertson on the fourth line with Zach Aston-Reese and Pontus Holmberg, while David Kampf moved up to the third line with Alex Kerfoot and Pierre Engvall.
Matt Murray (5-1-1, 2.44 GAA, .927 save percentage) is expected to get the start after Ilya Samsonov went vs. the Sharks. Andrei Vasilevskiy (9-7-1, 2.77 GAA, .908 save percentage) will be between the pipes for the Lightning.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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