Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects at the 2019 World Juniors

When the 2019 World Juniors kicks off on Boxing Day, a few prospects in the Toronto Maple Leafs system will be present.

The holiday season is in full swing which is no doubt an exciting time for any hockey fan. Christmas Day is just around the corner, meaning that the World Juniors are almost here.

In the 2019 edition of the annual tournament, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have four of their prospects playing at the tournament representing their home country. It would have been five had it not been for an injury that Timothy Liljegren suffered a few weeks prior.

Nonetheless, many of the Leafs prospects that will be heading to British Columbia have quite a bit of hype surrounding their game in the immediate and long-term. From the team’s 2018 first-round pick to one of the top CHL goalies and everything in between, the Leafs prospects that will be present will no doubt be exciting to watch.

In today’s post, we’ll briefly look over all four prospects from the Leafs organization that will be playing in the 2019 World Juniors.

Pontus Holmberg

Another member of Team Sweden at this tournament, Holmberg was the Leafs 6th round pick in the most recent NHL draft. So far this season he has been playing effectively while flying under the radar.

He isn’t a tall player, standing at 5’10” tall, but he more than makes up for his lacking hight with his quick speed and evasiveness. With the modern hockey game revolving around players who are smaller and use their speed to make skilled plays, he has the potential to be prototypical bottom-6 scoring forward.

He is 19-years-old and playing in the Swedish Hockey League, which is quite an accomplishment considering his young age. He has recorded 3 goals, 4 assists, and 7 points in 24 games with the Vaxjo Lakers HC. While those numbers won’t jump out of the page for most people, it’s still impressive all things considered.

Holmberg was one of Sweden’s leading scorers during the pre-tournament, tallying 2 points in just 2 games played. He will be playing a critical role in the team’s offence and could be in for big things if his numbers are any indication.

Given that he has yet to sign his entry-level-contract, keep an eye on Holmberg during the tournament. He could become the next diamond in the rough to the likes of Andreas Johnsson.

Filip Kral

Out of all the players on this list, Kral probably has the least amount of hype surrounding his game. Considering he is a defenseman playing in the WHL, you may be forgiven for that.

Make no mistake about it, Kral is perhaps one of the more underrated players entering the tournament and the Leafs 2018-5th-round-pick has quite the chance to impress. Like Holmberg, he too doesn’t have a contract with Toronto so this is quite the opportunity on a big stage.

This season is his second with the Spokane Chiefs and he has been quietly been playing well. In 17 games played, he has 3 goals, 4 assists, and 7 points, which is impressive considering he missed time at the start of the year with an injury.

On team Czech Republic, Kral could provide some value on the defence with his hockey sense and great play in transition. He is also great offensive awareness to set his teammates up for great chances.

If Kral is able to make the final roster, he will no doubt play a vital role in his national team’s backend. It could also be a prime chance to impress his way to his first pro contract.

Ian Scott

Last but certainly not least is by far one of the Leafs most exciting and dominant prospects this season in Scott. Considering his strong play so far this season, he has a prime chance of becoming Team Canada’s starting goalie.

Originally a Leafs 4th-round-pick in the 2017 draft, Scott has been nothing short of sensational for the Prince Albert Raiders. As per HockeyDB, he currently has 23 wins, a .943 save percentage, a 1.61 GAA, and just 3 losses total in 26 games played. Not only is he one of the best in the WHL, but it’s also one of the best in the entire CHL.

If you have not been paying attention to Scott this season, his play in net can best be described as calm and collected. He is great at reading scoring rushes and his quick lateral movement allows him to make saves with ease. Standing at 6’3” and weighing 183 pounds, it’s safe to say he’s blessed with good size.

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While Michael DiPietro came in with the most hype, the stats in the pre-tournament suggest that Scott was the better goalie of the two. If Scott is able to win out the starting netminder job, it will be reflective of his strong play this season.

Scott has been one of the best goalies in junior this year and will no doubt face a lot of pressure in this tournament. Playing on home soil will no doubt be nerve-wracking for him, but don’t be surprised when he delivers under the bright lights.

Thanks for reading!

All stats unless otherwise noted are from Elite Prospects and Hockey Canada.