Toronto Maple Leafs: Reviewing each top prospects season

Mikhail Abramov

Robertson has had the best season among all the Leafs’ prospects but Mikhail Abramov has flown under the radar.

The Russian forward is coming off an impressive season in the QMJHL with the Victoriaville Tigres where he had 35 goals and 76 points in 63 games. The fourth-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft received an entry-level deal with his breakout season.

While his goal-scoring has improved, his strengths remain with his playmaking ability. As Sportsnet’s Luke Fox notes, the 19-year-old is getting some comparisons to Nicklas Backstrom.

Even though he signed his rookie deal, Abramov probably will play another season in the QMJHL and then he would be open to joining the Marlies at the end of the year. Getting Abramov in the fourth round is another example of the Leafs prioritizing skill while others will be quick to point to the Moscow native’s 5-foot-11, 162-pound frame.

He will have to add some muscle and show that he can hold his own defensively if he wants to remain at centre once he is ready to make the jump to professional hockey. At his point, if Abramov develops into dependable depth at centre down the road, the Leafs should be happy with that.