When the Toronto Maple Leafs began their rebuild after the 2013-14 season, they managed to draft high-end expertise. With the addition of a key free agent in 2019, the workforce entered a brand new period. The “Core 4” was established below former normal supervisor Kyle Dubas, who signed Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares to hefty contracts that will age fantastically because the wage cap elevated.
It hasn’t gone nice for the “Core 4,” with just one playoff sequence win and fixed chatter of who ought to be traded to unlock house for the workforce to achieve success. However assistance is on the way in which… at the very least considerably, says TSN’s Craig Button and FloSports Senior NHL Draft and Prospects analyst Chris Peters, who’ve ranked the 4 greatest Maple Leafs prospects below 24 years of age, seventeenth within the NHL.
They assessed each NHL workforce’s prospects 23 or youthful (as of the season’s begin) – making an allowance for their present improvement with projected additional improvement to assign grades. Gamers are labeled AAA (celebrity), AA (elite), A (No. 1 goalie, top-pair defenceman, first-line ahead), B (tandem goalie, top-four defenceman, top-six ahead), or C (backup goalie, depth defenceman, bottom-six ahead).
Regardless of not experiencing important success within the playoffs, the workforce’s regular-season efficiency has impacted its draft technique, typically leading to traded picks or decrease choices. Given this context, listed here are the 4 greatest Maple Leafs prospects below the age of 24, how they have been graded and the way they’re doing to begin their season.
Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs, LW, Age: 22, Grade: A
Matthew Knies, a standout in his second season, has introduced a dynamic mixture of energy and finesse to the workforce. When he joined the Maple Leafs, nobody knew what to anticipate. He arrived in time for the previous few regular-season video games throughout the finish of the 2023 season and made a right away influence. His ability, tenacity, and pure hockey sense set him aside. Knies easily transitioned right into a playoff function, positioning himself successfully and proving he may compete alongside Toronto’s elite stars. Virtually immediately, he established himself as a useful participant.
Since then, Knies has developed his sport. He has leaned into his dimension and power, setting a tone of depth with every shift. His bodily play has generated extra scoring probabilities for his teammates and made him a tougher participant to defend towards. He performs a vital function in entrance of the web by using his dimension and power to reinforce the ability play. This helps generate second-chance alternatives and creates higher-quality scoring probabilities by distracting the goalie together with his imposing presence.
He brings a mixture of ability, power, and a robust work ethic that enhances Toronto’s lineup. As his sport evolves quickly, it’s evident that Knies is on observe to turn out to be a Toronto star for a few years, which can assist set the workforce up for long-term success.
Easton Cowan, London Knights (OHL), C/RW, Age: 19, Grade: A
One of many Maple Leafs’ prime prospects, Easton Cowan, who was drafted twenty eighth total within the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, has been making his presence referred to as an alternate captain of the London Knights within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season. Cowan is a very smart and artistic ahead. He generates alternatives utilizing his velocity and spectacular dangle expertise to outmaneuver opponents. His hockey sense enhances his fast toes, permitting him to attach passing performs in transition, exploit defensive gaps with intelligent actions and feints, and discover open areas within the slot. In 16 video games, he has 14 targets and 22 factors, breaking information alongside the way in which.
Not solely did he break the Knights’ level streak document after he posted a degree in 34-straight video games – a document set by Dave Gilmore throughout the 1993-94 OHL season – he’s now on a 52-game level streak, simply three video games shy of tying the OHL level streak document of 55 video games set by former Maple Leaf Doug Gilmour with the Cornwall Royals in 1982-83. Cowan has been among the best gamers within the OHL over the previous two seasons. He received the OHL MVP award final season and led the Knights to an OHL championship, although they got here up brief within the Memorial Cup towards the Saginaw Spirit.
Cowan turns 20 on Could 20 and has already signed his entry-level contract. There might be a major dialogue about having him be part of the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Toronto Marlies when the Knights’ season is over and even have him spend a while with the massive membership.
Nikita Grebenkin, Toronto Marlies, RW, Age: 21, Grade: B
What we noticed from Nikita Grebenkin throughout the preseason with the Marlies — and now with the Maple Leafs — exhibits what he’ll convey to the group. This season with the Marlies, he has 4 targets and 10 factors to rank second on the workforce and is tied for first on the workforce in power-play targets.
Grebenkin was drafted in 2022 alongside Fraser Minten and Dennis Hildeby, that means he was considerably overshadowed in that draft class and continued his profession in Russia. Nonetheless, based mostly on his transient time in North America, his future seems very promising.
Associated: Maple Leafs Have Excellent Organizational Slot in Nikita Grebenkin
Grebenkin joined the workforce for his or her rookie match towards Montreal earlier than making his preseason debut enjoying alongside Tavares and Max Pacioretty. Late within the sport, he energized the group with an enthusiastic battle towards former Maple Leafs prospect Adam Gaudette. Regardless of the extraordinary physicality in his sport, he is a good playmaker who, when paired with speedy, expert shooters, can open the doorways to some inventive performs whereas additionally having the ability to crash the web searching for unfastened rebounds.
Artur Akhtyamov, Toronto Marlies, G, Age: 23, Grade: B
Like Grebenkin, Artur Akhtyamov is in his first season in North America. In six video games with the Marlies, he has appeared nice. Drafted within the fourth spherical in 2020, Akhtyamov is the oldest participant on this checklist at 23 and in addition one of many oldest goaltenders on their checklist.
He has a 5-0-1 document in his rookie season, together with one shutout. His .926 save share (SV%) ranks eleventh amongst certified goaltenders within the AHL and second amongst rookies, and his 1.95 goals-against common (GAA) ranks seventh within the league and greatest amongst rookies.
Akhtyamov is an athletic and aggressive goaltender who stays lively in his crease. His velocity and fast reflexes assist him make response saves, compensating for some positional challenges many younger goaltenders encounter. He strikes effectively when overlaying the decrease a part of the web; nevertheless, he typically permits his palms to drop too low whereas within the butterfly place. His play, mixed with Hildeby’s, helps the Leafs’ goaltending if there’s an harm to Joseph Woll or Anthony Stolarz. It’s going to additionally assist sooner or later as these guys will look to take the reigns from Woll or Stolarz as they proceed to develop in expertise.
For the Maple Leafs, their time is now. Matthews, Marner, and Nylander are of their prime, and Tavares is enjoying effectively. Who is aware of how lengthy their elite manufacturing will final? What we’re seeing from these standout rookies is a glimpse of what’s to return within the subsequent couple of years after they take the reins and push the workforce into a brand new period.
