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CHECK OUT RUSS COHEN’S NHLDRAFTBUZZ.COM FOR INFO ON PROSPECTS AND NEWS IN THE HOCKEY WORLD
The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander), but the focus of prospect development under former GM Kyle Dubas and the last few seasons under Director of Amateur Scouting Wes Clark seemed to be on skill players, while GM Brad Treliving has begun to transition with a focus on young players with size.
As we did last year, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the upcoming weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Leafs roster and contribute in the future.
Youngsters like Bobby McMann, Joseph Woll, Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg, and top-rated Matthew Knies have graduated, but here is a list of players eligible for the list who have not played more than 40 NHL games and are 25 years old or younger:
#40 - Wyatt Schingoethe – C (Western Michigan – NCAA)
#39 - Zach Solow - RW (Toronto - AHL)
#38 - Semyon Kizimov - RW -(Yekaterinberg - KHL)
#37 - Robert Mastrosimone – LW. (Toronto – AHL)
#36 - Marko Sikic – RW (Sarnia – OHL, Newfoundland/Norfolk – ECHL)
#35 – Jacob Bengtsson – D (Boston College – NCAA)
#34 – Nicolas Mattinen – D (Straubling – Germany-DEL)
#33 – Matthew Barbolini – F (Miami(OH) – NCAA, Toronto – AHL)
#32 – Nathan Mayes – D (Spokane – WHL)
#31 – Braeden Kressler – C (Flint/Ottawa – OHL
#30 – Jacob Frasca – C (Barrie/ Sault Ste. Marie.- OHL)
#29 – Chas Sharpe – D (Mississauga – OHL, Toronto – AHL)
#28 – Hudson Malinoski – C (Providence – NCAA)
#27 – John Fusco – D (Dartmouth – NCAA
#26 – Semyon Der-Argushintsev (Chelyabinsk Traktor – KHL)
#25 – Ty Voit – RW – (Newfoundland, ECHL, Toronto – AHL
#24 – Mikko Kokkonen – D – (Toronto – AHL)
#23 – Matt Lahey – D – (Nanaimo – BCHL)
#22 – Sam McCue – LW (Peterborough/Owen Sound – OHL)
#21 – Victor Johansson – D (Leksands Jr. – Sweden)
#20 - Alexander Plesovskikh - LW (Yugra - VHL)
#19 - Miroslav Holinka – C (Trinec Ocelari HC U20 – Czechia)
#18 – Roni Hirvonen – C (Toronto – AHL)
#17 – Timofei Obvintsev – G (CSKA Red Army Jr. – MHL)
#16 – Vyacheslav Peksa – G (Newfoundland – ECHL)
#15 – Cade Webber – D (Boston University – NCAA)
#14 – Ryan Tverberg – C (Toronto – AHL)
#13 – William Villeneuve – D (Toronto – AHL)
#12 – Alex Steeves – C(Toronto – AHL / Toronto – NHL)
#11 – Joe Miller – C (Harvard – NCAA)
The Toronto Maple Leafs resorted to trading down at the 2022 Draft in Montreal to get out of salary cap issues (trading their first and Petr Mrazek to Chicago for a second-round pick) and to get extra kicks at the can in the lower rounds. On Day 2, the Leafs traded the pick they acquired from Vancouver for Travis Dermott, moving down 16 slots to gain a fifth-round pick. At #95 overall, Toronto selected winger Nick Moldenhauer.
The Mississauga, ON native, is a shining example of intestinal fortitude, posting excellent offensive numbers with the USHL’s Chicago Steel (18 goals, 25 assists in 41 games) after missing the first two months of the season due to illness and another month after a severe skate cut to his neck area and scored three points in four games for Canada at the under-18 world championships.
There was talk of Moldenhauer hooking on with a US College during Leafs Development Camp in July, 2022. He went back for another year with the Steel, which paid off, as the youngster finished third in USHL scoring with 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists). His quick start attracted interest and Moldenhauer committed to the University of Michigan.
As a freshman, the 20-year-old posted 21 points (8 goals, 13 assists) in 41 games. With Wolverines like Gavin Brindley, Rutger McGroarty, and Frank Nazar signing with NHL clubs, Moldenhauer’s offensive role with Michigan is bound to increase in his sophomore season.
#LeafsForever prospect Nick Moldenhauer bangs home his first goal as a Wolverine in Michigan’s exhibition matchup with Simon Fraser University: pic.twitter.com/8TV7agYwAS
The Hockey Prospect.com Black Book says that Moldenhauer is “a willing competitor near the net, who also really drives the cage, and for a 5’10”, 170 lb. winger who isn’t very fast, he finds a way to get corner on d-men and take it to the hole whenever he can.”
Elite Prospects says Moldenhauer is a "dexterous handler, especially in tight spaces. Backhand, forehand, and slip passes feature regularly, even in motion and under pressure. And the shot’s just as impressive, with the lower-body flexion and hand placement to generate significant force, and the elevated elbow and craftiness to change the angle inside his release.”
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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