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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)
#10 – Nick Moldenhauer – C (Michigan – NCAA)
#9 – Nick Abruzzese – C (Toronto – AHL)
#8 – Ben Danford – D (Oshawa – OHL)
#7 – Artur Akhtyamov – G (Neftyanik Almetievsk – VHL / Ak Bars Kazan – KHL)
#6 – Noah Chadwick – D (Lethbridge -WHL / Toronto - AHL)
At the 2023 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs were bereft of picks after making a number of deals at the trade deadline in an effort to load up for the playoffs. After selecting Easton Cowan at the bottom of the first round, Toronto only had picks in the fifth and sixth rounds.
With their final pick of the draft, the Leafs selected Lethbridge Hurricanes blueliner Noah Chadwick 185th overall. The 6’4”, 187 lb. defenseman had 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 67 games in his first full WHL season, but really showed some growth last season, more than doubling his offensive numbers with 56 points (12 goals, 44 assists) in 66 games.
Noah Chadwick picked up a primary assist in his first game as Lethbridge Hurricanes captain on Friday in a 6-3 win against Swift Current.#LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/syWaiHvPnQ
The 19-year-old signed an entry-level contract with Toronto last December, and after completing his WHL campaign, made his professional debut with the AHL Toronto Marlies. During the summer, Chadwick was an invitee to Team Canada’s World Junior summer camp, putting the big lefty on the radar for the host country’s roster in Ottawa this December.
“Chadwick moves through pass receptions, fakes plays, uses space, looks for teammates around the slot overshooting from the point. If a point shot’s the best play, he usually aims for sticks instead of corners.” The Elite Prospect Draft Guide said of the 18-year-old. “He shows a similar desire to create in transition, forgoing dump-outs for passes through opponents, deceiving if necessary. Defensively, he gets on opponents early and angles them to the outside; his well-timed pokes and stick work make him an effective rush defender.”
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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