Hockey season is finally back after what seemed to be a long offseason filled with drama. Saturday was the first game of the Prospect Showdown tournament between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. While the Leafs lost 4–3, there were encouraging takeaways from the game. Even if these players don’t make the Leafs’ opening night roster, many showed great chemistry with one another. This bodes well for the Toronto Marlies this upcoming season.
The Leafs’ prospects were back in action yesterday against the Montreal Canadiens. The youngsters had one more chance to set a good impression on the coaching staff as we enter training camp. Let’s take a look at how they did.
The Three Musketeers
Easton Cowan did not play in yesterday’s game. While it was disappointing not to see Cowan play, the game was not short of entertainment. There were three fights in the game, with two happening within the first five minutes. Toronto and Montreal have an intense rivalry, but the prospects took it to heart.
The absence of Cowan allowed some prospects to stand out more. The three Leafs prospects that stood out in yesterday’s game, and really, all tournament, were Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, and Ryan Kirwan.
Point-wise, Quillan got an assist in yesterday’s game on Ryan Tverberg’s 3–1 goal. He also looked dangerous on the power play, almost as if he was playing the quarterback role. Having had a strong finish to the season last year with the Marlies, Quillan picked up where he left off in this tournament. Quillan demonstrated he is a force at both ends of the ice as he almost scored on the penalty kill:
Haymes and Kirwan both looked fast and engaged in yesterday’s game. Kirwan opened the scoring for the Leafs. The 23-year-old showed why he scored 26 goals for Arizona State University in the NCAA last season. He scored three goals and an assist for four points over the last two games.
Haymes is showing fans why his Marlies debut last season was not a fluke. In yesterday’s game, Haymes scored a 5-on-3 power play goal off a one-timer:
Obviously, all three of these standouts have a lot of work to do before they even make the conversation of playing for the Leafs. Still, while they likely start with the Marlies, there are always injuries. All three of these players have shown NHL qualities in the Prospect Showdown, but training camp will be the next test in their development.
Honourable mention: Miroslav Holinka
After signing a three-year entry-level deal with the Leafs on July 15th, the fifth-round pick in 2024 looked like he was ready to make the next step. Last season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, he scored 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points. He also has size, being 6’1 and weighing 185lbs. No doubt he will continue to mature into his frame, given he is only 19 years old.
However, Holinka was fairly quiet in the tournament. He did have some offensive chances, but was not able to find the back of the net. However, you could still see that he has the tools. His forechecking and offensive instincts are sound, as he was responsible for the 3–1 goal in yesterday’s game:
While I am surprised he did not stand out more, it’s two games. Furthermore, he is only 19 years old, whereas players like Quillan, Haymes, and Kirwan are 22 to 23 years of age. It makes sense why they would have an advantage. My point is not to give up on Holinka just yet.
Other honourable mentions
Other prospects that stood out were Braeden Kressler, Vyacheslav Peksa, and Landon Sim. Sim did not look flashy and was kept off the scoresheet in both games. However, he showed classic attributes for a bottom-six player: hits, forechecks, and a battering ram along the boards and in front of the net. Dropping the gloves is also a way to get noticed by the coaching staff, which he did.
Kressler played in the ECHL last season for the Cincinnati Cyclones, scoring nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 25 games. He also played 13 games for the Marlies last season, only notching two assists. Kressler, like last game, showed signs of offence, but was held off the scoresheet. He also showed some fiestiness by dropping the gloves in yesterday’s game.
Peksa posted a .904 for the Cincinnati Cyclones over the course of 32 games last season. With the Marlies, he played two games, posting a .878. Not the best, but goalies are… voodoo. Being the starter in yesterday’s game, Peksa had the opportunity to impress, and he made several big saves to maintain the lead. This included one early in the third period to keep the game 2–1 Leafs:
Peska is likely going to be the third goaltender behind Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov. But again, goalies are voodoo. Although unlikely, maybe Peska pans out.
Overall
With the 4–1 win against the Canadiens, this concludes this year’s Prospect Showdown tournament. While the Leafs’ prospect pool is ranked near the bottom of the league at 27th, they played better than what the rankings suggest in the tournament. As a Leafs fan, I am surprised at how well they performed against systems that should have stronger prospects.
While it’s true that the Leafs do not have any blue-chip prospects (Cowan is close, but I wouldn’t consider him a blue-chip), there definitely seems to be some promising rookies for the Marlies this season. And who knows, perhaps a prospect like Cowan will surprise everyone and battle out incumbents for a spot on the Leafs’ roster.
But what do you think? What are your thoughts on the Leafs’ prospects and how they performed in the tournament? Leave a comment down below!
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