As junior, collegiate, and European seasons edge towards the postseason, more and more pressure is being put on five Toronto Maple Leafs prospects.
Time is running out for Nolan Vesey, Pierre Engvall, Keaton Middleton, Vladimir Bobylyov, and Nicolas Mattinen. These five prospects find themselves with just months remaining to earn an entry-level contract before their exclusive rights with the Toronto Maple Leafs expire.
As their seasons slowly dwindle away, let’s break down each prospects case to receive an ELC, and who you should keep an eye on in the last couple months of the junior, collegiate, and European seasons.
Nolan Vesey
LW, 22, 158th (Round Six) in 2014
Maine Black Bears (H-East): 37 games, 11 goals, 25 points
Nolan Vesey is the only player on this list whose season is already done. The Maine Black Bears fell to the Providence Friars last Saturday, losing the three-game series 2-0.
After being one of the bottom feeders in the Hockey East conference for the first three years of Vesey’s collegiate career, Maine improved to finish in a tie for fifth this season. Even on a team that was as poor as the Black Bears have been, Vesey’s production has still left a lot to be asked for.
Although he had a promising freshman year, posting 23 points, Vesey’s point total completely bottomed out in his sophomore season. With just 11 points in his second NCAA year, Vesey needed to bounce back significantly in his junior and senior campaigns to even be considered for an ELC.
🎥 Nolan Vesey pounces on a rebound in the slot for Maine's second goal in 45 seconds!
— Maine Men’s Ice Hockey (@MaineIceHockey) March 11, 2018
🥅 Nolan Vesey
🍎 Brady Keeper
🍎 Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi#BlackBearNation #HockeyEast pic.twitter.com/FsBGOobIX1
Though he improved to hit 23 points again in his junior year and a career-high 25 as a senior, Vesey just hasn’t done enough to warrant an NHL contract.
A couple of seasons ago, the Leafs didn’t give Minnesota-Duluth standout Tony Cameranesi an entry-level deal. After posting a point-per-game senior year, Toronto opted to sign the undersized forward to an AHL contract rather than take up an SPC spot.
Cameranesi also played in a tougher conference in the NCHC, making it even more glaring that Vesey just doesn’t have a shot at an ELC.