Toronto Maple Leafs Top 3 Minor League Players of the Year
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a juggernaut offensively and have some very intriguing players in the pipeline
With the graduations of players like Holl, Johnsson, Sandin and many others, the Toronto Maple Leafs have players in the pipeline that will be knocking on the door as early as next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs used to have one of the best prospect pools, and now some scouts may be sleeping on some of the players that GM Kyle Dubas has selected in recent drafts.
Dubas’s philosophy is precedented on speed and skill, and from the likes of the players he chooses being relatively on the smaller side, this is seen to be true.
However with an emphasis on skill, and the draft being a crapshoot, taking players who are underlooked by many teams due to their stature may be starting to show some benefits as the players move through the system.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson #16 of the peterborough Petes (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)Next in line after the graduation of Rasmus Sandin will surely be Robertson.
Drafted in the 2nd round 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the 5’9 162lb left winger is a force to be reckoned with.
All play has come to a halt, but before that he had 55 goals and 86 points in 46 games played which is on the verge of being 2pts/gm.
If you were to compare his game style, think Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins. His engine never stops, has a knack for scoring, and can get under the skin of the opposition.
He most likely destination is the Marlies next season, but I would not be surprised if he were to make the Toronto Maple Leafs Roster out of camp.
He brings a passion and fire that not many Leafs players possess and could even make some of the current players play harder knowing there is a young gun that could take over their spot in the lineup.
Mikhail Abramov, Victoriaville Tigres (Russia)
Recently signed to a 3yr Entry-Level Contract Abramov was killing it before the season came to the halt.
The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted the 6’0 160lbs forward in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft 115th overall in the 4th round and it is looking like steal of a pick by Kyle Dubas.
This season he has accumulated 35 goals and 76 points in 63 games and is still projecting upwards as he is only 19 years of age.
He is on the smaller side but he uses his I.Q and spatial awareness to get into key areas to get high percentage chances.
He has a very good chance to make the Marlies next season.
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Peterborough Petes (Russia)
Let’s just call him SDR.
Taken in the 3rd round 76th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Robertson’s partner in crime on the Peterborough Petes is SDR.
Scouts have said that he is too small to make the NHL but he is not that much smaller than Robertson, however, hitting the gym wouldn’t be such a bad idea if he wants to get to the NHL as he is only 159lbs and 5’10.
SDR has tallied 63 assists but only 12 goals this season, but he has never really been a goal scorer in his OHL career. The major flaw with him is if he can score in the NHL.
Ryan Johansen and Joe Thornton have made careers on being assists merchants so it’s not like he has to score a ton but he would still have to provide some scoring and add something else to his game so that he is not just reliant on assisting.
Next. Leafs Top 10 Prospects Updated 2020. dark
He is the third best performing prospect in the Toronto Maple Leafs system this year.