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Toronto Maple Leafs: World Juniors Prospects Report

By Jeremy Ridgewell

EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Topi Niemelä #7 of Finland skates against Austria in the second period during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 27, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Topi Niemelä #7 of Finland skates against Austria in the second period during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 27, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) /
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The rescheduled World Junior Championship is now complete, and the Toronto Maple Leafs had three prospects in the tournament.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had Matthew Knies representing Team USA, Roni Hirvonen, and Topi Niemela representing Team Finland.

Teams do not judge prospects on just one tournament, but their performance during one helps to see where they are in their development. A team might adjust their prospect rankings based on tournament performances, but it is usually only a slight adjustment.

Knies, Hirvonen, and Niemela are all on Toronto’s top 10 prospects list. Depending on who you ask, Knies and Niemela are two of Toronto’s top three prospects. None of them are NHL-ready yet, but their time will come. It is safe to say that Toronto has some good talent waiting for their opportunity.

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Reports From WJC

Here is a look at how Toronto’s three prospects at the World Junior Championship did during the tournament.

Matthew Knies

Knies registered three assists in five games for Team USA at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Looking beyond his point totals, Knies showed his physical side in the tournament. He is a power forward in the making for Toronto.

Last season was his first in the NCAA and he finished with 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 33 games. Knies will be returning to the University of Minnesota for the 2022-23 season. It will be nice to see if he can become more than a point-per-game player this season.
(Stats from eliteprospects.com)

Roni Hirvonen

Hirvonen finished the 2022 World Junior Championship with three goals and four assists for seven points in seven games for Team Finland. He helped Team Finland advance to the Gold Medal game. They would end up losing the game in overtime against Team Canada but showed a lot of heart.

Hirvonen will be on loan from the Toronto Maple Leafs to HIFK in Liiga this season. He had 26 points in 46 games for HIFK last season. Look for him to improve on those numbers.

Topi Niemela

Niemela registered six assists for Team Finland during the 2022 World Junior Championship. It was his assist in the third period of the Gold Medal game that allowed Team Finland to tie the game 2-2. It would help Team Finland push the game to overtime. Unfortunately, Team Finland would lose to Team Canada in overtime.

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Niemela is listed as being on loan this season for Karpat in Liiga but is expected to be a member of the Toronto Marlies in the AHL for the 2022-23 season. It would be good for him to play an entire season in North America as he prepares for the NHL.

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