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Toronto Maple Leafs Top 10 Prospects January 2020 Update

ByJames Tanner|
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 5: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 5, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 5: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 5, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 22: Mikko Kokkonen reacts after being selected 84th 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: Mikko Kokkonen reacts after being selected 84th 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)

#5 Mikko Kokkonen

The left-handed 19 year-old Finnish defenseman Mikko Kokkonen comes in at #5 on the Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect list.

Considering the Leafs didn’t have a first round pick last year, their draft is starting to look like a very big success.  Their second round pick, Nick Robertson will (spoiler alert) make an appearance on this list shortly, while their third round pick was Mikko Kokkonen, who has rocketed up their charts since being drafted.

One of the reasons people are so high on Kokkonen is that in his draft year he played against men in Finland, and had a very successful year.  He is a two-way player who won’t put up big offensive numbers, but has tons off offensive skill.

Kokkonen is a prototypical Toronto Maple Leafs prospect: smart, small, talented, offensively capable with defensive upside.

If I’m ranking him too high on this list, it’s because everything I’ve read about him – i.e cerebral puck mover with smart defensive instincts – reminds me of Travis Deromtt, and I absolutely love Travis Dermott.

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