No. 2: Mac Hollowell
You may think of Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren when it comes to up-and-coming defensive prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but you need to start knowing the name: Mac Hollowell.
The 22-year-old is immensely talented. Although he’s undersized (5-foot-9, 170 pounds), his skating is NHL-ready. The biggest issue right now is his physicality and ability to put up points at the professional level.
During his last season in the OHL, Hollowell scored 24 goals and registered 77 points. That was a huge jump from his previous best season (12 goals, 56 points), so it could have been a fluke season, but I beg to differ.
If you’ve watched Hollowell play, it’s easy to see that he has many NHL intangibles. If he’s able to produce offensively the way he did in junior, at the AHl-level, then he’ll be given a chance to succeed with the Leafs sooner than later.
The first-half of the 2021-22 Marlies season will be a big test for Hollowell, because it’ll show if he’s ready for the next step. As such, we’ll have to wait and see but keep an eye out on him as the next best defensive prospect.