Top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs Busts of the Last 20 Years

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TORONTO, ON – MARCH 25: Jeremy Bracco #27 of the Toronto Marlies controls the puck against the Springfield Thunderbirds during AHL game action on March 25, 2018 at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /

#7. Jeremy Bracco

But Stephen, Jeremy Bracco is only 23 years old? How could he make this list, already?

Well, it’s pretty simple. Bracco’s skill is exceptional and anyone who has watched him play would say the same thing.

The best description for Bracco is a poor-man Mitch Marner. Yes, that’s right. His edge-work is world-class and he’s so shifty with the puck. He creates incredible offense when he has the puck because he can score himself or can deke around any defender, which gets one of his teammates open.

For someone this skilled, it shouldn’t take them five years to make the NHL and based off the current NHL stoppage, it’ll be at least six years until he plays an NHL game.

It would be one thing if he was given a few games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and then he fizzled out, but he hasn’t played in one NHL game yet. People continue to assume that Bracco is Toronto’s best trade-chip paired with a Johnnson or Kapanen to get a defenseman, but with zero NHL games under his belt so far, I’m not sure if that’s right.

For goalies and defenseman, five years would be fine in my opinion for a player to develop in junior and the AHL before being called up. However, for a forward this skilled, it’s crazy to think that his development hasn’t garnered him an opportunity yet.

Even after leading the Marlies in scoring with 79 points in the 2018-19 season, Bracco has continued to be passed over by forwards like Adam Brooks, Pierre Engvall, Nic Petan, Mason Marchment and Trevor Moore.

Bracco is about one year away from being complete bust.

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