It’s time for our second check-in on the various Maple Leafs Prospects in the system!
In our last update, Artur Aktyamov took the AHL by storm, going undefeated in his first three games and posting a sparkling SV% of .964. Victor Johansson was getting darkhorse Team Sweden mentions as he earned a call-up to the SHL with Leksands and Nicholas Moldenhauer had just been demoted to Michigan’s fourth line.
In today’s update, we’ll look at how some of these prospects are faring and some new players I haven’t had a chance to highlight yet.
Ottawa bound
Easton Cowan
The London Knight and crown jewel of the Leafs system hasn’t had the ridiculous season he had last year that allowed him to win OHL MVP. His 28 points in 20 games is still great but an entire tier below the 96 points he put up in 54 games last year. Despite his rockier start to the season, as well as a minor injury that left him sidelined for most of the past week, the Strathoy native was a lock for Team Canada this year.
Alongside fellow Knight’s returnee Oliver Bonk, Cowan will look to avenge Canada’s lacklustre performance at last year’s World Junior Championships. Cowan’s been far less effective this year at 5v5 for London, and I think part of it is similar to Minten’s early season struggles last year. Prospects that go deep into training camp with their NHL clubs usually find it difficult to adjust and get into the flow of things with their junior teams.
The WJC will be a good opportunity for “Cowboy” to reset and go into the new year with a fresh slate. The 5’11” forward is still a significant piece of the puzzle for the Leafs as they look to navigate a cap space world. He’s expected to play a key role for Team Canada this year in Ottawa, so he’s worth keeping an eye on.
Miroslav Holinka
Players like Maximillian Curran, Adam Benak and Radim Mrtka were noticeable snubs from Team Czechia this year for the World Juniors despite all three having experience on North American ice. Holinka however, has leveraged a strong D+1 campaign with the Edmonton Oil Kings into a spot on Czechia’s roster.
Holinka’s a top six fixture for Edmonton alongside fellow Czechian Adam Jecho who will also be on the team. The 2024 fifth-round pick has 21 points in 23 games. It’s a very strong start to his first season on North American ice for Holinka, and he’s expected to play a top six role for Czechia this holiday.
From the few games I’ve watched of Holinka, it looks like he’s still the same player from last season. He’s got nifty hands that he likes to show off at times but he does so much of his work in the trapezoid. He’s always circling back into that area to capitalize on rebounds, or working his way in to fire a shot on goal. It’s uncanny how often he’s able to get himself in those dangerous positions.
Bringing the Boom
Ben Danford
The Oshawa General’s defenseman had a delayed start to the year after Marshall Finnie’s hit during training camp left the Leafs first-round pick with a concussion. However, the cerebral, lunch-pail-style defenceman that I’ve compared in some ways to Chris Tanev hasn’t let that early-season injury hinder him.
While he didn’t receive any hype for the WJC this year (and rightfully so), Danford does feel like the type of player Hockey Canada could value next year (similar to Sawyer Mynio who made it this season)
Even though Danford’s three goals and seven assists stat line through 28 games is roughly in line with his rookie season, the defenseman has brought the boom this year laying a few huge hits this season. While not a hulking 6’3” or 6’4” player like Dominik Badinka, at 6’2”, Danford’s mobility, hockey IQ, developing transition game and a newly unlocked level of physicality will be intriguing for Leafs management going forward and he’s someone to keep an eye out for as the year progresses.
McWHO?
Sam McCue
So Sam McCue and Michael Misa are two players who’ve made me look really dumb this year as an amateur scout in my second year of really scouting players.
I’m quoting myself here immediately after the end of the draft:
“Unranked for me in my final rankings but I only went to the end of the fifth Round. McCue’s upside isn’t really there but I like his gritty play style and he seemingly has a hit every shift. Certainly at best a fourth line grinder at the NHL level for me.”
After just 37 points in 68 games last year and not being the most dynamic play driver or skater, that felt reasonable. Well this year, the 6’2” winger has lit it up on a terrible Owen Sound team. With 18 goals and 12 assists in just 29 games, McCue is 11th in points in the OHL from DY+1 players. The names above him?
First-Round Picks: Liam Greentree, Sam Dickinson, Beckett Sennecke, and Zayne Parekh
Second to Fifth-Round Picks: Jacob Battaglia, Henry Mews, Kevin He, Ilya Protas, Luke Misa
The only other prospect drafted in the last two rounds in the OHL that put up higher points than McCue this season? Winnipeg Jets sixth Rounder Kieron Walton.
While I still don’t think McCue has the offensive skillset to become a top nine option at the NHL level, his explosion of offence with a dearth of talent in his supporting cast makes McCue at the very least an intriguing option. His shot is much better than I remembered and he does seem to have the hockey smarts and physicality to make it at the NHL level.
To wrap things up, let’s just do one last quick check-in on the prospects highlighted back in October and see how they’ve fared in the last month and a half!
Check-in on October’s Prospects
Artur Aktyamov
First update:
3 – 0 – 0 Record – 1.00 GAA
Since update:
5 – 0 – 1 Record – 2.26 GAA
Noah Chadwick
First update:
7GP – 1G – 5A – 6 PTS
Since update:
19GP – 6G – 10A – 16 PTS
First update:
4GP – 0G – 1A – 1 PTS
Since update:
AHL: 10 GP – 4G – 5A – 9 PTS
NHL: 7 GP – 0G – 0A – 0 PTS
Victor Johansson
First update:
14GP – 1G – 12A – 13 PTS
Since update:
15GP – 2G – 7A – 9 PTS
Alexander Plesovskik
First update:
15GP – 3G – 7A – 10 PTS
Since update:
14GP – 3G – 5A – 8 PTS
William Villeneuve
First update:
3GP – 0G – 0A – 0 PTS
Since update:
7GP – 0G – 4A – 4 PTS
Nicholas Moldenhauer
First update:
6GP – 0G – 2A – 2 PTS
Since update:
9GP – 1G – 3A – 4 PTS
