Toronto Maple Leafs: Reviewing each top prospects season
Nicholas Abruzzese
Out of all the prospects in the NCAA, Abruzzese is a player to keep an eye on down the road.
Button has home rated as a B-level prospect and is one of the team’s top forward prospects outside of Robertson and believes his skills compare to Tyler Bozak. It might even be fair to say that he could be an upgrade on what Bozak brought.
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Abruzzese was named a second-team All-American and ECAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman with Harvard University. In 31 games, the 20-year-old had 14 goals and 44 points the fourth-round pick from the 2019 NHL Draft has a ways to go before signing an entry-level deal, that’s if he decided to ink a contract with the Leafs.
For a mid-round pick, this is an intriguing player to watch especially if he gets to play more at centre. It should also be noted that his production was better than Cole Caufield who was a top-15 pick in the same draft but in fairness, Abruzzese is a year older.
He will look to add to his five-foot-nine and 160-pound frame and continue to use his speed to his advantage. If he can take those physical traits and continue to improve on the defensive aspect of his game, the Leafs could have a reliable third line centre down the road if everything works out.
Next. Redrafting the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft. dark
Which prospect are you intrigued about going forward? Who can make an impact at the NHL level sooner rather than later? Let us know in the comments below.