Toronto Maple Leafs February 2024 Prospects Update
The Toronto Maple Leafs have many young prospects who are having a good season this year. As the NHL trade deadline approaches, some of these prospects could be trade bait, so I thought I would look at how their seasons are going.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts segment, are more interested in trading away their 2024 first-round pick than top prospects such as Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, or Fraser Minten.
Regardless, the Leafs are in a win-now situation and anyone outside of the core-four is potential trade bait.
In this article, I'm going to be looking at how the 2023-24 season is going for five of the Leafs prospects. I will focus on Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, Ryan Tverberg, Topi Niemela, and Brandon Lisowsky.
Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects
Easton Cowan - C/RW
Easton Cowan is the Leafs first-round pick from the 2023 NHL draft. He is 18 years old, 5'11", and 185 lbs. Through 37 games this season,
Cowan has already surpassed all his stats from last season. He has 23 goals and 43 assists for 66 points. Last season, he finished with 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points in 68 games.
Cowan is on pace to finish this season with 34 goals and 64 assists for 98 points in 55 games. This is Cowan's third season with the London Knights in the OHL.
He will be eligible to play there next season but might make the jump to the AHL and develop with the Toronto Marlies. (All stats from eliteprospects.com)
Toronto Maple Leafs February 2024 Prospects Update
Fraser Minten - C
Fraser Minten is the Leafs second-round pick from the 2022 NHL draft. He is 19 years old, 6'2", and 194 lbs.
Through 26 games this season split between the Kamloops Blazers and Saskatoon Blades, Minten has 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points.
Last season, he finished with 31 goals and 36 assists for 67 points in 57 games.
Minten is on pace to finish this season with 25 goals and 31 assists for 56 points in 43 games.
He did miss some time in juniors at the beginning of the season due to time spent with the Leafs. Minten will likely challenge for a role with the Leafs next season but could start the season in the AHL with the Marlies.
Ryan Tverberg - C/RW
Ryan Tverberg is the Leafs seventh-round pick from the 2020 NHL draft.
He is 22 years old, 6'0", and 190 lbs. Through 26 games this season with the Marlies, Tverberg has eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points.
Tverberg is on pace to finish this season with 18 goals and 39 assists for 57 points in 57 games.
He did miss some time in juniors at the beginning of the season due to time spent with the Leafs. This is Tverberg's first season in the AHL after three seasons in the NCAA with the University of Connecticut.
Toronto Maple Leafs February 2024 Prospects Update
Topi Niemela - RD
Topi Niemela is the Toronto Maple Leafs third-round pick from the 2020 NHL draft.
He is 21 years old, 6'0", and 179 lbs. Through 39 games this season with the Marlies, Niemela has six goals and 19 assists for 25 points, which leads all Marlies defensemen.
Niemela is on pace to finish this season with 11 goals and 34 assists for 45 points in 70 games. He will likely challenge for a roster spot with the Leafs next season if he doesn't make his NHL debut this season at some point.
Brandon Lisowsky - LW
Brandon Lisowsky is the Leafs seventh-round pick from the 2022 NHL draft.
He is 19 years old, 5'9", and 181 lbs. Through 51 games this season with the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL, Lisowsky has 29 goals and 30 assists for 59 points.
manual
Lisowsky is on pace to finish this season with 39 goals and 40 assists for 79 points in 68 games. He is in his fourth and final season with the Blades, so expect him to play for the Marlies in the AHL or the Newfoundland Growlers in the ECHL next season.