3 Players to Watch at Toronto Maple Leafs Development Camp
The Toronto Maple Leafs started their development camp this weekend, which kickstarts the beginning of the NHL season.
It’s been a fun offseason for Toronto Maple Leafs fans, but the beginning of camp brings hope to a new season. Whenever you get to start fresh, it brings new opportunities and new beginnings, as the Leafs try to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
Although many of these players at development camp won’t be apart of the main roster for the 2021-22 season, they are the future of the organization. There are plenty of familiar faces that Leafs fans will remember from recent drafts or previous camp’s, but there are a number of new guys who people may be unfamiliar with.
According to MapleLeafs.com, a “total of 39 players (20 forwards, 13 defensemen, six goaltenders) are slated to take part in this year’s development camp, including eight Maple Leafs draft picks.”
As the weekend progresses, the team will be participating in on-ice development and two scrimmages that will be exciting to see. For all participants, this is the huge opportunity, as they look to make their next step in professional hockey, either with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies or Newfoundland Growlers.
This weekend won’t make or break a player’s future, but a really good camp will go a long way towards eventually making the big club and can put you on the radar with the fanbase.
As such, here are three players to watch during Leafs development camp this weekend.
No. 1: Nick Robertson
When I think of Nick Robertson, I keep forgetting that he’s still a young developing prospect, because it feels like we’ve talking about him forever. However, he’s only 20-years-old, with his 20th birthday taking place today.
If you include the play-in game’s against Columbus, Robertson has only played 31 professional games in the past two seasons. He played 10 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and 21 with the Toronto Marlies.
So although many of us want to see him make the big leap this year to the NHL, he could use a true campaign in the American Hockey League to craft his game at the professional level before becoming an everyday NHLer.
Robertson should be hands-down the best player at the development camp and if he’s not it’ll be a big disappointment. I’d be shocked if there’s not at least one magical play that gets retweeted on Twitter by him, as he should dominate the weekend.
This is a huge year for Robertson, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does after another summer of training.
No. 2: Keith Petruzzelli
Of the six goaltenders at the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp this weekend, I’m most excited to watch Keith Petruzzelli.
After being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Petruzzelli’s draft rights expired and the Leafs signed him this offseason. The 6-foot-5 netminder had a tremendous season in the NCAA with Quinnipiac University and seems poised for the next step.
Toronto’s goaltending is pretty deep right now, so I’m not sure where Petruzzelli will exactly fit when the season starts, but this camp could be a huge indicator as to where he’ll play.
Personally, I think he’ll start the season with the Newfound Growlers, then work his way to the Toronto Marlies by mid-season, but a full year dominating in the ECHL, could be a good thing for him.
As the reigning ECAC goaltender of the year, Petruzzelli and the entire Leafs organization should have high hopes for him, as he could be the future No. 1 goaltender of the organization in the next three years.
No. 3: James Hardie
One of the most intriguing prospects heading to Leafs development camp this weekend is Hardie. Having gone undrafted in the past two NHL Entry Draft’s, Hardie could be someone who earns an Entry Level Contact once this weekend is over.
The Innisfil, ON native spent the last two seasons with the Mississauga Steelheads, but never actually played an OHL game during the 2020-21 season, due to the pandemic.
In 59 games, Hardie finished first on his team in goals with 34, and finished second on his team in points, registering 63. The left-winger clearly has some skill and it would have been interesting to see how his 2020-21 campaign went if there were a season.
Tony Ferrari of DobberProspects mentioned the following about Hardie’s game, but it shouldn’t scare Leafs fans:
“He is a high-risk project that will need direct attention from a skating and skills coach. If Hardie can take a step in the skating department, he could become a valuable contributor at the next level.”
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If the Toronto Maple Leafs see enough skill in Hardie, they have one of the best skating coaches in the NHL, with Barb Underhill in charge, so she’ll able to take his game to the next level.