Toronto Maple Leafs Top 10 Prospect List Summer 2019

The Toronto Maple Leafs have recently graduated an incredible amount of prospects to the NHL.

William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, Travis Dermott, Freddie Gauthier, and Trevor Moore are just a few of the top prospects from recent years who have made the leap from prospect to major league player.

Of course, having rebuilt their team and used the subsequent high draft picks to pick elite talent at the top of the draft does have one downside: they became too good to keep selecting blue-chippers.

As the Leafs recent bumper crop of prospects make the transition from prospects to NHL veterans, and with the team finishing in the top ten in each of the last couple years, not to mention using prospects in trades (such as Sean Durzi, who was #6 on our list from January, Carl Grundstrom and Calle Rosen), the quality of this list has diminished significantly from three years ago.

Ultimately, this is a good thing – if you’re prospects are great, your team probably isn’t.  That said, it is still impressive that despite the trading of draft picks and prospects, the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect list is as good as it is.

As you probably know, the Leafs first rounder this year went to the Kings (along with Durzi) for Jake Muzzin, and their first rounder next year went to the Hurricanes to get them to take on the Patrick Marleau contract.

While the Leafs Top Ten Prospects List isn’t what it was, it’s still not too shabby, so let’s get on with it.

#9 – Mason Marchment

The undrafted Mason Marchment is bordering on the age where you can’t really call him a prospect anymore – he is 24.

He played last year for the Marlies and put up an OK 13 goals and 25 points.  I put him on this list because the Toronto Maple Leafs have pretty much zero sandpaper in their NHL lineup, and therefore you’ve got to think he’s got a chance at an NHL job this fall – even if it’s just on the fourth line.

Marchment is a 6’4 grinding winger whose existence in the Leafs organization – despite them eliminating pretty much anyone else who fits this profile – leads me to believe he might have a chance at an NHL job.

Marchment was undrafted, the Leafs liked him and sent him to the ECHL, then he earned a job with the Marlies.  He’s a longshot to make the NHL, but he’s a popular guy who everyone seems to really cheer for.

I don’t know if that’s enough to make him a legitimate prospect, but how many teams are Cup Contenders and have any type of sure thing in the bottom half of their top prospects list?

# 8 – Andreas Borgman

Andreas Borgman comes in at #8 in our rankings.

Borgman is a Swedish defenseman that the Toronto Maple Leafs signed as a UFA two summers ago, along with the recently traded Calle Rosen.

Borgman originally beat out Rosen for a job in the NHL and played 48 games with the 2017-18 Leafs, posting not dissimilar numbers to Travis Dermott.

Unfortunately, Borgman suffered several injuries last season and was limited to 45 games.1

He is never going to win a Norris Trophy, but he does have the potential to be an NHL regular, and as such he is worthy of inclusion on this list.

Borgman can move the puck, is an OK skater and has decent size. He doesn’t wow you with any particular skill, but he’s a solid player who looked completely fine in a bottom pairing NHL role.

When he was on the ice during his half season with the Leafs, Borgman was above 50% in shot-attempts, scoring chances, goals and expected goals.

He probably isn’t going to make a team that is stacked in left-handed defenseman, but he’s pretty clearly an average bottom pairing defenseman in the NHL and that’s good enough for #8 on this list.

# 7 Mac Hollowell

Whether or not Hollowell ever makes the NHL, he’s already created quite the narrative for himself.

He went undrafted two years ago, then he went from scoring 23 points to scoring 56, and the Leafs picked him up in the 4th round of the 2018 draft.

After that, he improved even more and scored 77 points this past year, where something pretty incredible happened (courtesy our very own Jarrett Noakes).

Over the past ten years, only six OHL defensemen aged twenty or younger have matched Hollowell’s point pace. Five of those six defensemen were drafted in the top twenty selections of their draft year and all six went on to play in the NHL.

It seems that history is telling us that Hollowell could be quite the steal for a fourth round pick.

Hollowell made his professional debut this year after the conclusion of the OHL season when he suited up for the Marlies for nine playoff games.

He will be a longshot to make the Toronto Maple Leafs this year, but the 20 year old right-shooting defender looks to be a good bet to one day make the NHL, and his ceiling is pretty high too.

#6 Joseph Duszak

Duszak signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an undrafted free-agent, last year while he was leading the NCAA in defensemen scoring.

The 21 year-old signed a two-year deal with the Leafs, and will look to make an impact this season with the Toronto Marlies (most likely).

Duszak is a right-handed, 5’10 defenseman who moves the puck and plays an offensive game.

Every year there is a hyped up NCAA free-agent, and this year the Leafs signed him.  Previously, they did all right with Tyler Bozak in the same situation, and will be hoping for lightning to strike twice.

Duszak finished the NCAA season with 47 points in 37 games, then played two regular season, and four playoff games with the Marlies, scoring one goal.

Duszak probably has the lowest chance of anyone on this list of playing in the NHL, but his ceiling is very high, which is why he comes in at #6 on this list.

That we don’t think his probability of making the NHL is high is nothing against him, but we only have limited information to judge him.  He played in the NCAA and wasn’t drafted.  It’s hard to compare his numbers to others of his age, but you also can’t ignore the point totals he was putting up.

He’s talented, and he’s definitely starting to get noticed.  At the same time, he’s starting at the bottom of a fairly good depth chart, and has got to compete with guys like Lindgren, Liljegren, Sandin, Hollowell, Holl, Borgman etc. to even get a chance.

#5 Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

Drafted in the third round, 76th overall, of the 2018 Draft, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev has risen quickly through the ranks of Toronto Maple Leafs prospects.

Der-Arguchintsev doesn’t have numbers that wow you – only 6 goals and 46 points in 62 OHL games last year – but he has so much talent that he has created a bit of a sensation, and whether or not he ever reaches his potential is one thing, but he’s got an incredibly high ceiling.

Der-Arguchintsev was the youngest player of his draft year, and he was only 150 lbs when the Leafs selected him.  He is the kind of player the Leafs have targeted since Kyle Dubas took over – highly skilled, but flawed enough to scoop up later in the draft.

The flaw in this case – from what I can gather from reading about him and watching youtube videos – is that he is small and he doesn’t shoot enough.

He’s already – supposedly , least – put on ten pounds since being drafted, and you can teach a player to shoot.  The hype on S.D.A – and this is Toronto, so take it for what it’s worth – is that he is a Mitch Marner-level passer.

The reason he comes so high on this list – even though he won’t turn 19 until September, and is likely several years away from a legitimate NHL shot – is the fact that he’s got at least one skill – passing – that is NHL level already, and promises to potentially be high-end.

I don’t want to add to the hype (who am I kidding, of course I do) but if you check out some of this guy’s highlights on youtube, you will be impressed.  He’s got NHL talent, and if he can ever skate well enough to avoid getting smashed by guys a foot taller in the NHL, he’ll be  a star.

But how likely is that to happen?  Given his raw abilities, the fact that he isn’t even a point per game player in the OHL is concerning.  With his talent the sky is the limit, but the honest truth is for a player with no shooting talent or size to be successful in the NHL, he’s got to be a better skater than SDA currently is.

The fact that if he does make it, he’s likely to be a star player gets him into the top five, but the fact that it’s a longshot for that to happen keeps him from being any higher.

#4 Nick Robertson

If Nick Robertson was born 5 days later, the 5’9 160lbs 17 year-old winger would’t have been eligible for the NHL Entry draft until next season.

If one of the youngest smallest players in the draft had of had another season to play in the OHL before being drafted, he’d almost certainly been a first rounder.

In fact, enough people feel that he should have been a first rounder this year, that given another year to develop, it’s not unreasonable to think he could have been a first round pick.

So essentially the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to move their first round pick this year for a top pairing defenseman they get for a minimum of two years, and still get a high-end prospect.

That is the kind of magic you don’t usually see outside of House Gryffindor.

Robertson spent last year playing on the same Peterborough Petes team as Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, and he scored more goals and points than his insanely talented once and future teammate.

Whereas SDA is a brilliant playmaker with a high ceiling who might not play in the NHL due to his size and skating, Robertson is smaller and younger and better right now. He possesses the same ceiling, just with a better chance of actually hitting it.

Like SDA, Robertson is said to have skating for a weakness, though he’s got a much better shot.  If Robertson can learn to skate the way someone of his size has to to make it in the NHL, then he’s also going to be a star.

For a team that has graduated so many recent players to the NHL, and who has finished in the top ten in the standings two years in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a lot of talent in their prospect group.

#3 Jeremy Bracco

The 2015 NHL Entry Draft is the gift that keeps on giving.  First, the Arizona Coyotes for some reason selected Dylan Strome ahead of Mitch Marner, and then the Flyers and Blue Jackets gave the Leafs 3 picks for 1, allowing them to move down and draft three players, including Travis Dermott.

Marner alone would  be a great haul for any draft, but Kyle Dubas the Toronto Maple Leafs also picked Jeremy Bracco with the last pick of the second round. (Additionally they also picked Jespers Lindgren, Martin Dzierkals, and Dymtro Timashov).

What makes the 2015 so successful are the moves Kyle Dubas made to add an extra two prospects to the team’s depth chart.  First, he moved the #24 pick (that he got for Cody Franson) that ended up being Travis Konecny for the 29th pick and the 61st pick.

Then he sent the 29th pick to Columbus for the 34th and 68th picks.

So instead of just picking Travis Konecny, the Leafs ended up with Travis Dermott (a better pick as it turns out), Jeremy Bracco, and Martin Dzierkas.

Bracco has proven to be a great pick.  Last year was his second professional season with the Toronto Marlies, and he scored 79 points in 75 games.

Being a point-per-game player in the AHL – especially by the age 22 – is a great barometer of future NHL success.  Hard to say if such a player will be a star or not, but it’s a rock-solid guarantee that any 22 year old who scores a point-per-game in the AHL can play in the NHL.

Bracco should have a chance to win a job with the Leafs this year in training camp, especially with Zack Hyman sidelined with an injury to start the year.  With all the Leafs scoring fowards, Bracco should have no problem racking up the assists in the NHL.

#2 Timothy Liljegren

Timothy Liljegren was supposed to be a top-five pick in his draft year, but he suffered from mono, had a lost seasons, and somehow was on the board for the Toronto Maple Leafs to pick 17th overall in 2017.

Liljegren went straight to the AHL and was one of the youngest players in the league, but still acquitted himself very well.

He started his second AHL season on the top pair with Calle Rosen (since traded) and was off to a great start when a high-ankle sprain sent him to the I.R.

By all reports, Liljegren excelled for the Marlies after coming back from injury, and the right-handed defenseman is set to challenge for a job in the NHL this fall.

The Leafs have Rielly, Muzzin, Barrie and Dermott assured roster spots to start next season.  Dermott will be out until December after having surgery, so there are three jobs to play for in camp.

Jake Gardiner could still return, and Cody Ceci might not get traded, but regardless, there is going to be at least one, and maybe three, spots up for grabs.

Liljegren will be up against Sandin, Ceci, Borgman, Harpur, Marincin and Holl (maybe more) – but there’s no reason to think he can’t win a job.  The Leafs clearly prioritize skill and skating in their blueliners, and Liljegren has got an advantage over every player he’ll be going up against in those categories, except Sandin who is younger and left handed.

Even if he doesn’t make the team in camp, Liljegren will almost certainly make his NHL debut at some point next season (he was on the verge of earning a promotion when he sprained his ankle last year).

The fact that the Leafs didn’t trade Liljegren to upgrade their blue-line when it would have been the easy and obvious thing to do speaks to how much they believe in his potential.

His ceiling is #1 superstar defenseman, but most likely he ends up as a solid top pairing or very good second pairing player.  What more could you ask for?

#1 Rasmus Sandin

Travis Dermott, Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin – it’s truly incredible how these potentially high-end defenseman keep dropping into the Leafs lap in positions you’d not usually expect to find them.

Sandin was taken 29th overall last year after the Leafs traded down from #25 (they were given the pick that allowed them to draft Semyon Der-Arguchintsev for moving down four spots).

Like most people, I was surprised that the Leafs actually picked a player instead of moving down a few more spots.  They must have really loved Sandin, and after a year of watching him with the Marlies, no wonder!

Once again utilizing the glitch in the system that allows teams to put European players directly into the AHL (their same aged North American counterparts are too young) Sandin dressed for the Marlies and was among the youngest players in the AHL last season.

Sandin put up an impressive 28 points in 44 games, then put up an even more impressive 10 points in 13 playoff games.

Consider what he did as a rookie in the AHL adjusting to the smaller ice and life in a new country in light of the fact that he had to come back from not one, but two separate injuries along the way.

Sandin is a blue-chip NHL player who will 100% play a regular shift in the top four of a future Toronto Maple Leafs team.  His ceiling is the Norris Trophy.  Like 99% of players, he probably won’t hit his ceiling, but his floor is exciting enough, and that makes him the best prospect in the Leafs system.

Like Timothy Liljegren, he’ll be competing for a job in training camp with the Leafs, but as he only has the one year in the AHL, I think he’d have to blow the doors off to actually make it now.

We might have to wait another year or so for Rasmus Sandin to break into the NHL, but he appears well on his way to being a star player.

This concludes our top ten 2019 Prospects of the Toronto Maple Leafs.