Prospect Info: 2021 Leafs Board Prospect Rankings (Final)

[Morgs]

Rankings:
1. Rasmus Sandin - 53.2%
2. Nick Robertson - 50.9%
3. Timothy Liljegren - 56.9%
4. Rodion Amirov - 90.6%
5. Topi Niemela - 62.1%
6. Matthew Knies - 45.4%
7. Roni Hirvonen - 61.1%
8. Mikhail Abramov - 47.5%
9. Mikko Kokkonen - 44.7%
10. Veeti Miettinen - 49.4%
11. Nick Abruzzese - 40.2%
12. Pontus Holmberg - 27.2% (tiebreaker - 57.1%)
13. Dmitri Ovchinnikov - 27.2% (tiebreaker - 42.9%)
14. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev - 29.6% (tiebreaker - 53.8%)
15. Pavel Gogolev - 39.5%
16. Filip Kral - 57.6%
17. Mike Koster - 48.8%
18. Alex Steeves - 17.2% (tiebreaker - 74.5%)
19. Axel Rindell - 40.5%
20. Artur Ahktyamov - 34%
21. Mac Hollowell - 23.1%
22. Ty Voit - 26.5%
23. Ian Scott - 33.3%
24. William Villenueve - 39.4% (tiebreaker - 57.1%)
25. Ryan Tverberg - 39.4% (tiebreaker - 42.9%)
26. Joseph Woll - 41.7%
27. Kristans Rubins - 46.4%
28. Wyatt Schingoethe - 21.9% (tiebreaker - 53.3%)
29. Kalle Loponen - 21.9% (tiebreaker - 26.7%)
30. Joe Miller - 21.9% (tiebreaker - 20.0%)

Past Results:
Prospect Info: - 2019 Leafs Board Prospect Ranking #20
Prospect Info: - 2020 Leafs Board Prospect Rankings #20

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[Morgs]

This thread is for reference for next year, but I'd also like to thank everyone for participating and making this interesting and fun.

 

[Lauro]

Thanks Morgs for doing these, well done!

After training camp and the start of the season in Europe some results might already be different now, so I suggest doing also a winter edition Wouldn't be the first time, I remember one some years ago.

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks for the hard work putting this together for us @Morgs

I would also like a do over on Kral

 

[aingefan]

Thanks for the hard work putting this together for us @Morgs

I would also like a do over on Kral

Ha, I was on him at 11, but had no expectations of a standout big camp.

Thanks to @Morgs for all work and the posters for good discussions.

 

[aingefan]

Overall, I like the list too. SDA is the only one to me that was a bunch of spots too high, and I like Villeneuve a bunch of spots higher, but this is a good exercise. And fun to look back at.
Still a nice deep pool.

 

[Kiwi]

Ha, I was on him at 11, but had no expectations of a standout big camp.

Thanks to @Morgs for all work and the posters for good discussions.

I didn't know his skating had improved that much

I watched Kral in junior and it was ok but it looks like a strength now

 

[aingefan]

I didn't know his skating had improved that much

I watched Kral in junior and it was ok but it looks like a strength now

I don’t evaluate those things. He had the 11th coolest name.
just kidding of course. But improvements in his skating, and calm under pressure with the puck, and his ability to play both sides… Are increasingly exciting traits

 

[stickty111]

I didn't know his skating had improved that much

I watched Kral in junior and it was ok but it looks like a strength now

Yeah I should redo my latest prospect report on him
Think I had his skating as a 3.5, it looks like a 4 out of 5 now.
Depending on his AHL play, he's pushing towards call up territory as the 8th or 9th d man.

 

[Kiwi]

Yeah I should redo my latest prospect report on him
Think I had his as a 3.5, it looks like a 4 out of 5 now.
Depending on his AHL play, he's pushing towards call up territory as the 8th or 9th d man.

If you had of asked me if he could play top pair with the Marlies this season I'd have said he had no show, now? I'd be shocked if he isn't

For the first time in a long time I can see a pipeline of defensive talent coming, Liljegren, Sandin, Kral, Niemela even Kokkonen

Best group of defensive prospects for at least 15 years

 

[Knies iT]

If you had of asked me if he could play top pair with the Marlies this season I'd have said he had no show, now? I'd be shocked if he isn't

For the first time in a long time I can see a pipeline of defensive talent coming, Liljegren, Sandin, Kral, Niemela even Kokkonen

Best group of defensive prospects for at least 15 years

Wait until the end of this season when people learn about Koster.

It's a deep pool. Could use some more high-end talent near the top, but there's quantity. For that reason i'd love to see a trade-up at this coming draft.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Kressler signed too late. He would have been on this list

 

[ponder]

Thanks for doing this Morgs! Obviously I disagree with some picks, but it’s a solid list.

Kressler signed too late. He would have been on this list

Maybe, maybe not. This summer we took Peksa in the 6th round, and let Kressler go undrafted, and Peksa didn’t make this list.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Probably better than any list you'd see on TSN or Sportsnet.. good work was done here!

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Thanks for doing this Morgs! Obviously I disagree with some picks, but it’s a solid list.

Maybe, maybe not. This summer we took Peksa in the 6th round, and let Kressler go undrafted, and Peksa didn’t make this list.

Gogolev went undrafted as a D+2 in 2020, played 13 AHL games, and is now in the top 15 of our prospect pool ahead of all guys taken in that draft after the 3rd round except Ovchinnikov (which amounts to like 7 guys).

People generally agree that Peksa was a terrible pick that never should have happened. Kressler is a much better prospect now and was a better prospect then. Only thing Peksa has on his side is a ridiculous amount of time to get his crap together. Otherwise, he is a waste of a 6th.

 

[ponder]

Gogolev went undrafted as a D+2 in 2020, played 13 AHL games, and is now in the top 15 of our prospect pool ahead of all guys taken in that draft after the 3rd round except Ovchinnikov (which amounts to like 7 guys).

People generally agree that Peksa was a terrible pick that never should have happened. Kressler is a much better prospect now and was a better prospect then. Only thing Peksa has on his side is a ridiculous amount of time to get his crap together. Otherwise, he is a waste of a 6th.

Gogolev is higher because he had a really good (though short) season with the Marlies. Kressler has done basically nothing after being undrafted. Things could change massively this season, but I’m not sure Kressler’s stock has raised a lot in a few months where he basically hasn’t played.

 

[Magic Man]

Gogolev went undrafted as a D+2 in 2020, played 13 AHL games, and is now in the top 15 of our prospect pool ahead of all guys taken in that draft after the 3rd round except Ovchinnikov (which amounts to like 7 guys).

People generally agree that Peksa was a terrible pick that never should have happened. Kressler is a much better prospect now and was a better prospect then. Only thing Peksa has on his side is a ridiculous amount of time to get his crap together. Otherwise, he is a waste of a 6th.

Peksa was only passed over once and has some nice forward progression shown so far this season. I'd take him as a prospect over the likes of Schingoethe and Miller. They can't even score in the USHL. They are busts no doubt.

 

[Orfieus]

Far to many people are too high on Robertson. The kid didn't do well last year in the AHL and hadn't done much of anything in preseason this year. He is a top5 prospect but he definitely isn't or second best prospect

However I'm very excited to see what he does in a full AHL season

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Far to many people are too high on Robertson. The kid didn't do well last year in the AHL and hadn't done much of anything in preseason this year. He is a top5 prospect but he definitely isn't or second best prospect

However I'm very excited to see what he does in a full AHL season

16 points in 21 games is definitely doing well for a 19 year old, especially considering he was on a brutal team and dealing with multiple injuries

 

[kb]

Far to many people are too high on Robertson. The kid didn't do well last year in the AHL and hadn't done much of anything in preseason this year. He is a top5 prospect but he definitely isn't or second best prospect

However I'm very excited to see what he does in a full AHL season

I don't know how you can have that take. Underager on a shit team gets 16 points in 21 games

 

[4thline]

Didn't want to create a new thread for this, but interested in people's opinions. Looking for 4 names and some rationale if you like.

Based on what we knew at the time of voting
One prospect you think was too high
One prospect you think was too low
2 Prospects you think will take a major step and rise through the season.

Mine
Too High: Ovchinnikov - too many question marks. Lots of sizzle, but we wouldn't give a kid drafted in the USHL or BCHL near as much benefit of the doubt for putting up big numbers there post draft

Too Low: Pass, the list generally conforms with how I see our tiers, it would just be kvetching at marginal differences in opinion

Riser 1: Tverberg- gonna have a big NCAA season and emerge as a legitimate prospect
Riser 2: Steeves- if his injury isn't too serious I think he makes noise in the A and potentially gets a call up, hopefully the next Hyman/Johnsson/Moore/Engvall

 

[Morgs]

Too high - Ovchinnikov. Have 6 spots higher than my list. Could be worth it if we ever seen him play some minutes in the KHL.

Too low - Kral. Really only 4 spots lower than my personal list so it's not crazy, but that's the biggest difference. Kizimov and Fusco should be in the top-30 and Loponen absolutely should not be.

Riser 1: Tverberg. Really impressed as a 7th Round Pick in a tough division on a weak team, as a freshman. I expect he'll improve even more and has an excellent start.

Riser 2: Koster. Was tempted by a few other guys, but playing top-pair on one of the best teams in the NCAA over 3(?) Top-60 picks (including a first rounder) is impressive in itself. Could be top-10 by the end of the season.

 

[4thline]

@Morgs agreed on Koster, back and forth between him and Steeves. Steeves got it on Koster not having a catalyst for main stream recognition this season barring gaudy numbers/ Baker nomination/ coming out of school early and looking good on the Marlies

 

[Oscar Peterson]

Didn't want to create a new thread for this, but interested in people's opinions. Looking for 4 names and some rationale if you like.

Based on what we knew at the time of voting
One prospect you think was too high
One prospect you think was too low
2 Prospects you think will take a major step and rise through the season.

Mine
Too High: Ovchinnikov - too many question marks. Lots of sizzle, but we wouldn't give a kid drafted in the USHL or BCHL near as much benefit of the doubt for putting up big numbers there post draft

Too Low: Pass, the list generally conforms with how I see our tiers, the it would just be kvetching at marginal differences in opinion

Riser 1: Tverberg- gonna have a big NCAA season and emerge as a legitimate prospect
Riser 2: Steeves- if is injury isn't too serious I think he makes noise in the A and potentially gets a call up

I don't have the time in my life anymore to watch our prospects as much as I used to, but based on what I have seen / read:
Too high - Hirvonen (feel like his strong WJC last yr has made his stock go up too high)
Too low - SDA (even though he's definitely a boom or bust prospect, he has incredible hands, I see him having far more upside than pretty well all our prospects in tier 3+ [for reference, I have Sandin alone in tier 1, then Amirov Robertson and Liljegren in tier 2])
Risers - SDA (if he has a good and especially consistent year with the Marlies I've no doubt he's ranked higher next yr)
- Knies (not gonna lie I've barely seen him play but it seems he's been great to start this year, and last time our first pick was so low we got Robertson so I'm banking on this being a similar situation)

 

[daethfromabove1979]

Too high - Ovchinnikov. Have 6 spots higher than my list. Could be worth it if we ever seen him play some minutes in the KHL.

Agreed he is too high on the list, especially since this year is already looking like a wasted season for him. How good can he get from just practicing in the KHL all year and not even playing?