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 #9 and #8 of Toronto’s Top 25 Prospects with a pair of wingers from the Calder Cup Champion Toronto Marlies who are both late developers, but could be in the NHL picture quite soon.
#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)
Moore is someone that 10 years ago ago may have not had a chance to make the NHL with its emphasis on size, but the 5’10”, 175 lb winger has the skating ability, skill and versatility to play special teams that could find him in the big show eventually.
After scoring more than a point per game in his last two seasons at the University of Denver, the California-born Moore impressed the Leafs with his performance at the 2016 Development Camp and was signed to a three-year entry level deal as an undrafted college free agent.
The 23-year-old put up decent numbers in two seasons (33 points each) with the Marlies, but really came to the forefront in the Calder Cup Playoffs, scoring 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists - second only to postseason MVP Andreas Johnsson on the club) playing on the fourth line with Mason Marchment and Adam Brooks.
#8 – Pierre Engvall (Winger, Toronto Marlies – AHL)
A recommendation to the Leafs is to always draft someone from Sweden in the seventh round. Since 2005, they have unearthed Anton Stralman, Carl Gunnarsson, Viktor Loov and Andreas Johnsson in the last round of the NHL Draft and may have unearthed another in Engvall.
Selected at the end of the 2014 NHL Draft, the 6’3”, 190 lb winger played briefly for Frolunda as an 18-year-old, but developed in Sweden’s second division with Mora IK for two seasons before playing full time last season with HV71 and scoring 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) in 31 games.
Engvall skates very well, has a quick release, uses his reach and size to create space, but is not overly physical.
After completing his season with HV71, the 22-year-old joined the Marlies in late March. The big winger thrived in his short stint, scoring eight points (4 goals and 4 assists) in nine games and was quite effective playing the half wall on the power play, where he scored three of his four goals.
The rookie fit in well on the Marlies “jumbo line” with Frederik Gauthier and Colin Greening during the Calder Cup Playoffs and if he shows development in his game at both ends of the ice, seeing NHL time at the end of this season or a legitimate shot at earning a spot in 2019 is not out of the question.
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