Which Toronto Maple Leafs Rookie Will Surprise at the 2019 Traverse City Rookie Tournament?

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 22: Nicholas Robertson poses after being selected 53rd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 22: Nicholas Robertson poses after being selected 53rd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ON – FEBRUARY 24: Justin Brazeau #17 of the North Bay Battalion skates with the puck in the second period during OHL game action against the London Knights at Budweiser Gardens on February 24, 2019 in London, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
LONDON, ON – FEBRUARY 24: Justin Brazeau #17 of the North Bay Battalion skates with the puck in the second period during OHL game action against the London Knights at Budweiser Gardens on February 24, 2019 in London, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Justin Brazeau (6’6, 226lbs, free agent signing, RW)

The common issue with today’s Toronto Maple Leafs is that they are simply too small and easy to play against. Kyle Dubas sees this concern and signs hulking forward Justin Brazeau, a man amongst boys in the OHL in the 2018-19 season.

Coming from New Liskeard, Ontario, Brazeau is one of very few forwards in the organization that crack 6’3. At 6’6″ and 225 lbs, Brazeau is physically prepared for the pros. it does need to be cautioned, he went undrafted twice, in part because of his skating ability.

Luckily, the Toronto Maple Leafs have an impressive development program, which should be able to turn a 113-point-scorer into a prospect with real NHL upside.

In sports, there are late bloomers all the time and Brazeau could be one of them, if so, that would be dearly needed for the Leafs and their annual cap crunches.

Not only is he huge, but he has the ability to play with the skilled players too- the 113 points says something about that. The red flag is that he did this damage against younger competition and his skating is a weak point, but he has been working on his skating all summer and he has a great hockey brain.

I personally love his chances of working out in a Leafs jersey, but another road block for him to “step over” is that he plays RW, something that Toronto has an abundance of.

Coming into this year’s rookie tournament, Brazeau has a lot to prove, as he has the tools to be a monster with the Leafs. playing against competition similar to his OHL days, this will help him gain confidence with the Leafs management.