3 Toronto Maple Leafs Breakout Candidates for Next Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a handful of young talented players that could breakout next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in an enviable position because, while they have a solid core of players either in, or approaching, their primes, they also have a bunch of players who are ready to contribute in a larger way.
We’ve already seen some Toronto Maple Leafs players take a big step in the past two seasons, but now I think next season is the time for some players.
We’ve seen Auston Matthews almost hit 50 goals in his fourth year in the NHL, and Mitch Marner almost hit 100 points last season… but who and what is next?
3. Rasmus Sandin – 20 years old – D
2019-20 stats – 28 GP – 1 G – 7 A – 8 PTS – 54.33 CF%
At my number three spot I have the youngest defensemen on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rasmus Sandin.
I’m not saying he will certainly have a breakout year next season but it defiantly isn’t impossible, and there are a couple reasons why.
In his first NHL season, Sandin played in 28 games and scored eight points as well, while having a mostly positive effect when he was on the ice. When I think of a breakout year next season for Sandin I don’t think of 40-50 points in his second year in the NHL.
I truly think if put in the right position Sandin could hit 30 points next season, but it’s not all about point totals. If he can become a top-four NHL player – or the equivalent, if depth keeps him on the third pairing – then that would be considered a breakout year.
With left handers Jake Muzzin and Morgan Rielly already firmly established as Toronto’s top defensemen, Sandin will have to challange Travis Dermott and the recently signed Mikko Lehtonen.
Competition should only help all players involved, and perhaps one or two of them can get playing time by moving to the right side. Time will tell, but for now, Sandin seems like a good bet to have a breakout season next year.
2. Ilya Mikheyev – 25 years old – LW/RW
2019-20 stats – 39 GP – 8 G – 15 A – 23 PTS – 53.48 CF%
At my number two spot I have the soup lover, Ilya Mikheyev.
Mikheyev came bursting onto the scene this past season for the Toronto Maple Leafs putting up 23 points in 39 games. Now we all know why he only played in 39 games and it was due to a horrific hand injury sustained back at the end of December against the New Jersey Devils.
Now just like Sandin’s case some people may think I’m crazy for having Ilya Mikheyev on this list especially at number two but I truly think if Mikheyev gets re-signed by the Leafs he will prove to be an impact player.
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, he was on pace for around a 50 point season this year if he stayed healthy through all 82 games and if he played in all 82 games I could even maybe see him even get close to 60 points.
For next year I could maybe see him hitting 60 if he has the same pace or better. He won’t see any power play time on a fully healthy Toronto Maple Leafs team unless they want to try him there and take someone off of it like a Kerfoot or Hyman, so the only special teams he plays on is the penalty kill and that isn’t even the reason for his point production. He’s an excellent 5v5 player, that kind of plays a similar role as Zach Hyman, chipping the puck deep and heavy on the forecheck.
If Mikheyev is put in the top six next season playing alongside either Matthews/Nylander, Matthews/Marner, Tavares/Nylander, or even Tavares/Marner he’ll continue where he left off from this past season, that’s for sure. (Stats from NHL.com)
1. Kasperi Kapanen – 23 years old – RW
2019-20 stats – 69 GP – 13 G – 23 A – 36 PTS – 51.63 CF%
Finally at my number one spot I have the Toronto Maple Leafs biggest trade chip,, Kasperi Kapanen.
I know Kapanen already had a 40 point season and was on pace for another 40 point season this year, but I think if he can potentially hit 60 points.
Kapanen still has some flaws in his game but nevertheless is a great piece to have on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He’s fast, strong, has a good shot (only when he actually hits the net), great penalty killer and also plays on the second power play unit. All in all, a lot of good attributes to his game that will help him grow as a player and help the team out too.
Now like I was saying about him potentially hitting the 60 point mark next year if he plays a full 82 game season or at least close to one, I can see him doing that but just like Sandin there’s going to have to be things that will happen.
He has to remain on that second power play unit and remain in the top nine at that right wing spot, we have seen Kapanen play in the top six and it has not gone to plan multiple times and he isn’t the greatest when he plays on his off wing either.
At the time of the pause due to COVID-19 he was on the second line alongside John Tavares and Mitch Marner and I think despite his troubles he could maybe get his scoring touch back on the top six playing alongside elite players like those guys. (Stats from NHL.com).
What Almost Was. dark. Next
We saw in the beginning of last season when Kapanen played in the top six alongside Auston Matthews when William Nylander was in his contract holdout, they were clicking and it was fun thing to watch.