{"id":34191,"date":"2018-08-13T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2018-08-13T12:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=34191"},"modified":"2021-05-12T13:10:34","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T17:10:34","slug":"tsp-top-toronto-maple-leafs-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2018\/08\/13\/tsp-top-toronto-maple-leafs-prospects\/","title":{"rendered":"TSP: Top Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the 2018 Top Shelf Prospects series.\u00a0 As we go through the Summer of 2018 LWOH will be featuring a team-by-team look at the top prospects in the NHL. We will be following the order of the first round of the NHL draft (as if there were no traded draft picks) and\u00a0you can find all the articles here<\/a>.\u00a0 Since we had an\u00a0extensive NHL Draft preview<\/a>, we will not be reviewing the players who were drafted in the 2018 draft, as there have been no games since then, and our reports on them will not have changed. Today we look at the Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"What we will be doing is linking you to those articles, as well as taking a look at prospects that were acquired before this year\u2019s draft; their progress, and their chances of making the 2018-19 roster of the NHL team in question. We will also bring you one sleeper pick \u2013 a player who was either drafted in the 4th-round or later, or was an undrafted free agent signing who we pick as our dark horse to make the NHL. For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn\u2019t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played (including playoff games) or is 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and we may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects<\/h2>\n

The Toronto Maple Leafs\u00a0took another step forward last season. Some critics felt that the team, which returned to the playoffs in 2017, might suffer if their youngsters had a sophomore slump. That was not to be, as the Leafs put up 105 points and finished third in the Atlantic Division, and sixth in the NHL. With the playoff format though, the Leafs faced the Boston Bruins<\/a>\u00a0in the first round. While they put up a brave fight, it ultimately was not enough as they lost in seven games.<\/p>\n

The Leafs off-season saw a blockbuster, as the team signed the biggest free agent fish that the league has seen in the salary cap era and maybe ever. John Tavares<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>inked a seven-year deal<\/a>\u00a0with Toronto. They also made some minor moves in adding Tyler Ennis<\/a><\/strong>, Adam Cracknell<\/a><\/strong>, Josh Jooris<\/a><\/strong>, Par Lindholm<\/strong>, Igor\u00a0Ozhiganov<\/strong>, and Jesper Lindgren<\/strong>. The team also said goodbye to long-time Leafs Tyler Bozak<\/a><\/strong>, James van Riemsdyk<\/a><\/strong>, and Leo Komarov<\/a><\/strong>. There were also front office changes. Kyle Dubas\u00a0<\/strong>replaces Lou Lamoriello<\/strong> as general manager, Mark Hunter<\/a><\/strong> left the organization and returns to the London Knights. Dubas also made a number of front-office hires, putting his stamp on the team’s management group.<\/p>\n

2018 NHL Draft\u00a0Picks:\u00a0Rasmus Sandin<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Sean Durzi<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Semyon Der-Arguchintsev<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Riley Stotts<\/strong>,\u00a0Mac Hollowell<\/strong>,\u00a0Filip Kral<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Pontus Holmberg<\/strong>,\u00a0Zachary Bouthillier<\/strong>,\u00a0Semyon Kizimov
\n<\/strong>Graduations: Kasperi Kapanen<\/a><\/strong>, Josh Leivo<\/a><\/b>, Garret Sparks<\/a><\/strong> (age)<\/p>\n

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Top Prospect: Timothy Liljegren<\/h1>\n

Defence — shoots Right
\nBorn April\u00a030th, 1999 —\u00a0Kristianstad, Sweden
\nHeight 6’0″ — Weight 190 lbs [183 cm \/ 86 kg]
\nDrafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1st round, #17\u00a0overall, at the 2017 NHL Draft<\/p>\n