Toronto Maple Leafs: Five prospects to watch with the Toronto Marlies

Jeremy Bracco

If Kapanen does not play with the Marlies this season, keep an eye out for Bracco because he has come a long way since being drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft. In 106 OHL games, Bracco finished with 147 points and 19 points in 16 playoff games. His coming out party came in the Memorial Cup where had an offensive gem scoring eight points in four games. He signed his entry-level contract back in March and now has a chance to show why he was worth a second round pick.

This is the assessment that our own Jake Middleton had on Bracco back in July.

"Bracco is an offensively dynamic, albeit undersized winger. He’s an elite skater who has the ability to make plays at a high rate of speed and is exceptionally gifted with the puck. Although he isn’t exceptionally big, Bracco finds a way to avoid hits by using his edge work, which is some of the best I have ever seen. His ability to speed up while on his edges is something that is incredibly valuable and is rare to see. Whenever I watch Bracco play, all I can think of is another former Kitchener Ranger, Jeff Skinner, in that their games are incredibly similar with regards to their edge work and hands while also being an undersized winger."

He has the talent to be a top-six forward in the NHL but whether that is with the Leafs is still to be determined. He plays on right wing and unless Nylander moves to center in the time it takes Bracco to make the team, he might have to play at left wing or take a bottom nine role. Back in May, Babcock liked the speed that Bracco brings and the reads he makes when he has the puck. 

What the play making winger will learn quickly is that when you are a player that enjoys having the puck all the time, you need that desire to retrieve it when you don’t have it. Players in the AHL and NHL will make it tough to do that so Bracco has his work cut out for him in that department.

This Marlies team will certainly be fun to watch with the amount of young skilled prospects they have. Can they replicate what they had back in the 2015-16 season? It is tough to say, but they have the talent and potential to do so.