Toronto Maple Leafs: David Levin getting a crack at Development Camp

The Toronto Maple Leafs have invited former OHL first-overall pick David Levin to their annual prospect development camp.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the NHL Draft in their rearview mirror. Now, they are looking ahead to their annual rookie development camp.

On Monday, the Leafs released their official list of camp invitees. Among those invited was an interesting name who took an even more interesting route to the draft.

David Levin has had hype surrounding him ever since he stepped foot on North American ice.

The native of Tel-Aviv grew up playing inline hockey and travelled to Netanya — which was 30 minutes north of his home — to play the game he loved.

After speaking with scouts, it became more apparent to the youngster that he could become a high-level player in ice hockey.

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Levin made the decision at 12-years-old to leave home to play hockey in Canada. He would live with his relatives and start to learn a new language and a new game.

While he had never played on ice before, Levin learned quickly and was a staple of the Don Mills Flyers AAA squad during the 2014-15 season. He would finish that year with 39 goals and 80 points in 55 games, which set the table for Levin to be selected first overall by the Sudbury Wolves in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.

Levin played his first OHL game just after turning 16-years-old. He would get his first career marker in junior during that contest. In his rookie campaign, he had 30 points in 47 games. The next season, Levin doubled his goal total, posting 18 for the Wolves and adding 35 assists for a career-high 53 points.

While Levin looked poised for a breakout year this past season, it was everything but. Sudbury finished with the worst record in the OHL (17-42-9-10) and Levin’s draft stock suffered as a result.

His 29 points left him eighth-best in scoring on the team. Ahead of the 2018 Draft, Levin was only ranked by Future Considerations, who placed the winger as the 208th-best name available. Unfortunately for him, Levin went undrafted.

"Levin is an intellectual center who is creative and elusive…he possesses a decent skating stride that generates healthy speed…needs to pick up his footspeed as his acceleration is slower…hopefully this will correct with more leg strength and effort to improve his stride efficiency…has skilled hands and can deke and dangle his way around the offensive zone…a playmaker with impressive vision who puts pucks in places where his teammates can make the best play possible…despite his smaller size, he shows some aggressive play and is hard to knock off the puck…he can protect the puck while he drives to the crease with a defender on his back…has an accurate shot, but it currently lacks pop…does force things at times and causes turnovers by being too cute but you expect that as creative prospects develop…needs more muscle on his frame…still learning the game in all zones but does show strong effort and has improved over the past year in that aspect…don’t bet against this determined kid making the NHL and developing into a potential top-six playmaker. – Aaron Vickers, Future Considerations"

At camp, the 18-year-old will have a chance to prove himself to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ brass, as well as other teams who could possibly take a waiver on him if Toronto chooses not to.

The competition will be tough, with several other forwards being in the same position as him. Levin will have to rise to the top and truly distinguish himself as one of the best names in camp.

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However, with a talent as bright as Levin’s, there is every possibility that he could earn himself a contract down the line.

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