Prospect Info: Marlies, Cyclones, and Prospect Discussion

[The Shadow]

Well, he ranked this group 13th:

Wheeler’s 2021 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 13 Toronto Maple Leafs

Why were the Maple Leafs 13th in Scott Wheeler's prospect pool rankings? Who is Toronto's top prospect?

www.nytimes.com

So a whole bunch of junk basically. No top end talent. However I do think Minten will be a Stajan type and have a 10 year + career

 

[daethfromabove1979]

The Athletic (Scott Wheeler) ranks the Leafs prospect pool 28th in his latest rankings.

1. Cowan (projects as a top 9 forward)
2. Minten (projects as a 4th line C)
3. Danford (projects as a 3rd pair dman)
4. Akhtyamov (solid NHL goalie)
5. Hildeby (possible #2 or good organizational depth goalie)
6. Grebenkin (bottom 6 winger)
7. Niemela (5-8 D somewhere else)
8. Chadwick (7-8 D with possible upside)
9. Holinka (might play some NHL games)
10. Villeneuve (possible call up option one day)
11. Tverberg
12. Quillan
13. Johansson
14. Moldenhauer
15. Miller

I'm impressed they weren't ranked dead last, that is a sad list of prospects. Very few of them are progressing this season too.

 

[4thline]

The Athletic (Scott Wheeler) ranks the Leafs prospect pool 28th in his latest rankings.

1. Cowan (projects as a top 9 forward)
2. Minten (projects as a 4th line C)
3. Danford (projects as a 3rd pair dman)

Acknowledging that any prospect can completely bust and flame out, those are fine conservative projections. Safe bets. But that doesn't cover their upside. I don't know if Wheeler explicitly caps them them at his projections, but from his track record sticking his neck out on guys like Minten/Danford having innate traits and tools that make it so no one should be surprised if Minten turns into a shutdown 2/3C and Danford into solid mid pair DFD regardless of their junior production isn't in the cards.

Sure, project them as a 3W, 4C, 5-6RD. But don't value them as if that's the max.