Toronto Maple Leafs part ways with three prospects

The Toronto Maple Leafs parted ways with prospects Stephen Desrocher, Fabrice Herzog, and Nikita Korostelev on Thursday and will not sign them to entry level contracts.

With the NHL deadline to sign any remaining drafted prospects set for 5:00 pm on Thursday, the Toronto Maple Leafs had to make a decision on three of their prospects: Stephen Desrocher, Fabrice Herzog and Nikita Korostelev.

According to TSN’s Kristen Shilton, the Leafs have parted ways with all three players and will more than likely not bring any of them back. According to the CBA, Korostelev is eligible to re-enter the draft, while Herzog and Desrocher will become free agents.

Here’s how this process breaks down according to the NHL’s CBA:

"8.4Eligibility for Claim.(a)All Players age 18 or older are eligible for claim in the Entry Draft, except:(i)a Player on the Reserve List of a Club, other than as a try-out;(ii)a Player who has been claimed in two prior Entry Drafts;(iii)a Player who previously played in the League and became a Free Agentpursuant to this Agreement;(iv)a Player age 21 or older who: (A) has not been selected in a previousEntry Draft and (B) played hockey for at least one season in NorthAmerica when he was age 18, 19, or 20 and shall be eligible to enter theLeague as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d); and(v)a Player age 22 or older who has not been selected in a previous EntryDraft and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted FreeAgent pursuant to Article 10.1(d)."

It’s possible each of these players could return to the organization on an AHL deal, but I doubt that will happen. Herzog is playing at home in Switzerland with Zurich SC, Korostelev will re-enter the draft, although it’s debatable whether a team will select him, and Desrocher played well in the OHL as a 21-year-old overager for the Kingston Frontenacs, but he wasn’t lighting up by any means.

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You hate to see the Leafs lose prospects for nothing, but when you consider how well stocked they are with young talent, losing these three players will likely have little to no impact. Instead, letting these three players walk could actually help the Leafs because it frees up three roster spots, which is more valuable than inking a trio of fringe players to entry level contracts just to “see what you have.”

Keep in mind, the Leafs were right up against the maximum 50 player limit throughout the majority of last season, so it’s clear Toronto is starting to become more selective with who they would like to keep in the organization.

If you’re really into monitoring the Leafs’ prospects, the next prospect to keep an eye on is Dominic Toninato. The University of Minnesota-Duluth captain has 75 days before his rights with the Maple Leafs expires on August 15th.

Depending on how this offseason goes, the Leafs could add him to the Marlies roster since the organization isn’t exactly overflowing with centre depth. I wouldn’t expect much from the 6-foot-2, 190 pound centre, though. He’s a nice NCAA player, but the former fifth-round pick (No. 126 overall) from the 2012 draft would have to take a major step in his development if he was to ever crack the Leafs’ roster. Either way, he’s the next prospect to keep an eye on when it comes to expiring rights.

Next: Potential impact of Nylander's next contract

What do you think about the Toronto Maple Leafs parting ways with Nikita Korostelev, Stephen Deroscher and Fabrice Herzog? Would you have liked to see the team sign any of them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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