Andrew Nielsen
Drafted in the third round by the Maple Leafs, Nielsen had himself a season. In 71 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, he registered 18 goals, 52 assists, and 70 points. He was three points behind Ivan Provorov, a top 10 selection in the 2015 NHL Draft. That was the type of season the Red Deer native had least year in the WHL.
As a result, Nielsen has now emerge as one of the top defensive prospects in the Maple Leafs system. Along with his physical game, Nielsen has now developed some offensive upside. Which is why it would not surprise anyone if he gets the call to represent Canada at the World Juniors.
In this tournament, Nielsen should expect to get the top four pairing minutes. With that much ice time he should garnered the attention of Maple Leafs fans going forward. With a lack of blue chip prospects on the blue line, it will be interesting to see what he can develop into.
The 19 year-old has a late birthday, the Maple Leafs will have some options with him. They can either send him down to the Marlies or back to the WHL with Lethbridge, so it will be something to keep an eye on this upcoming season.
Next: Travis Dermott