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Toronto Maple Leafs Top 10 Prospects (Annual Pre-Camp Update)

By James Tanner

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 11: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fires a puck up ice against the Arizona Coyotes during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 11, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 11: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fires a puck up ice against the Arizona Coyotes during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 11, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ON – FEBRUARY 24: Justin Brazeau #17 of the North Bay Battalion celebrates  (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
LONDON, ON – FEBRUARY 24: Justin Brazeau #17 of the North Bay Battalion celebrates  (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Justin Brazeau #8

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t draft Justin Brazeau, and technically, they don’t even have him under contract.

In 2019, the Toronto Marlies signed Brazeau to a two-year AHL deal.  Last year Brazeau got into one AHL game, and played 57 games for the Newfoundland Growlers where he had 27 goals and 55 points in the ECHL. You can expect him to play for the Marlies this year however, if for no other reason than the Growlers are going on a hiatus.

As a 17-year-old, Brazeau had six goals in his rookie season in the OHL. In his draft year he scored 22 and went undrafted.  By his overage fourth year, he was a 61 goal, 113 point player.  The growth was as incredible as it was unexpected, and Brazeau landed himself a contract for the AHL.

He’s a 6’6″, 220 lbs. power forward and there is no one like him anywhere else in the Leafs system.  Will he make the NHL?  I doubt it.  He’s a longshot at best, and basically every scouting report I could find on him indicates that he probably isn’t a good enough skater to be an NHL player.

But, like almost every player on this list, the word “intelligent” comes up whenever you read about him.  They say he’s a very skilled player for his size, and that he has a real goal scoring touch.

The reason I put Brazeau on this list is that he has a really nice ceiling.  He may never have the skating to hit it, but he’s an absolute monster and the rarity of his size and skill combo makes him an extremely interesting prospect.  He’s a longshot, but he might be a 30 goal scorer one day too.

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