3 Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects That Could be Traded During the 2023-24 Season
Roni Hirvonen
Roni Hirvonen was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Despite his diminutive size of being five-foot nine and 176 pounds, Hirvonen plays with the heart and toughness of a heavyweight.
Not only does he like to agitate his opponents, he also possesses smart hockey IQ, along with great positioning on the ice as an ideal two-way centreman.
Many observers have taken note of his play in recent years, as he helped Team Finland capture both a bronze and silver medal in the past couple years at the IIHF World Junior Championships.
In addition, he has also taken upon a leadership role and exemplified its qualities as he captained the Finnish team in the 2022-23 World Juniors.
He also had an impressive final season with HIFK Helsinki, scoring 15 goals and adding 13 helpers for 28 points in 57 games, helping the team reach the Liiga playoffs.
As he moves to North America to play for the Toronto Marlies this season, Hirvonen looks to further advance his game by adapting to the new foreign ice surface while playing to his strengths at the same time.
However, with a few players that also play centre higher up in the pecking order in Dylan Gambrell, Logan Shaw, and Pontus Holmberg currently in the Leafs system, look for Hirvonen to potentially be trade bait during the course of the 2023-24 season, as his exceptional abilities and advanced game maturity could be attractive to younger, rebuilding teams in the NHL.