Toronto Maple Leafs: Prospect report at the quarter mark of the season
Juniors and Overseas
CHL
Eemeili Rasanen
The towering defenceman might have been a reach to some people as a second round pick in this year’s draft but it appears to have paid off so far. He has 21 points in 26 games this season games and is no slouch defensively. He still needs to improve his skating but that will take some time.
Leafs fans should watch to see the 18-year-old’s status for the World Juniors as he could get the call to play for the Finnish national team. His size and offensive ability can only carry Rasanen so far, eventually he will need his defensive game to stand out and hopefully the more he matures, the easier it will come.
Ian Scott
When the Leafs drafted Scott in the fourth round last season, it was a head scratcher based on how his stats looked in his first two seasons in the WHL. That had more to do with Prince Albert’s poor team in front of Scott rather than the play of their goaltender.
This season has been an improvement from Scott who played well at the Iva Hlinka tournament with Team Canada. In 15 games this season the 18-year-old is 7-6 to go along with a 3.08 GAA and a .908 sv%.
NCAA & USHL
Joseph Woll
The Leafs top goaltending prospect will be one of the top prospects to watch at the World Junior’s as he’s expecting to be one of the starters. In 14 games with Boston College Woll has a 7-5-2 record, a 2.70 GAA and a .905 sv%.
Eventually he will make his way up the ranks to the AHL with the Marlies and if his development pays off, be in the Leafs goaltending plans in the future.
Dakota Joshua
Last season, Joshua had 35 points in 33 games with Ohio State and in 15 games this season he has nine points. It will be a long road to the professional ranks but if he continues to produce at the level he did last season, the Leafs could give him a chance next season in the AHL or ECHL.
Considering he plays at center this would give the Leafs another option down the middle to develop which has been an area of need lately. The question is whether he plans to pursue a career in hockey after he graduates from college or if he plans to look at other career aspirations.
Overseas
Carl Grundstrom
Grundstrom has been sidelined with a knee injury that could have cost him his season. He was on a strong start to his season with five goals and six points in first 11 games with Frölunda HC. It will take some time for Grundstrom to get himself back to being healthy and likely impact him coming to play for the Toronto Marlies like he did at the end of last season.
Yegor Korkshov
Korkshov is not too far off from the pace from last season with assists in the past three games and 17 points in 37 games. He had an injury that forced him to miss significant time this season. Pension Plan Puppets recently wrote how the 21-year-old is getting more regular playing time and trying to play with more of an edge to his game.
Next: Breaking down the Leafs Forbes ranking
Which prospect has impressed you so far this season? Is there a prospect that did not make this version of the report that you want included in the next one? Let us know in the comments below.