IceColdBear's Top 10 Leaf Prospects, Dec 2023:
1. Cowan - he's having a killer season, scores, plays hard, penalty kills - looks like he has a floor as a middle six winger in the NHL, and 1st line upside.
2. Grebyonkin - kid is just 20 years old, and has been productive against high-end, adult competition for two years in the KHL. If everything goes right, we could have a dynamic player with size, speed, skill, and a little bit of an edge in our top-six.
3. Niemela - He has potential to be a top 4 D man - unfortantely, he may be our only prospect you can say that about. Skating, poise, skill - seems like he can be a similar player to Liljegren but hopefully with a little bit more offensive flair.
4. Minten - High floor, low ceiling - but he will fill a need for us as a defensively responsible bottom six center with size and a bit of skill. Hopefully he can chip in 30 to 40 points from the third line down the road, but if not, he'll still have a role in the bottom six.
5. Hildeby - He has put up solid numbers in limited action in both the SHL and AHL. He has the potential to be a starting goalie in a few years - it's tough for me to say much about goalie prospects, but I'm putting him in the top five based on upside.
6. Villenueve - The 6'2 right shot D-man moves the puck well and has strong puck skills. He isn't the strongest skater, or the meanest, most physical defender, and he makes the odd bone-headed turnover. If he can improve in even one of those areas, with his size and puck skills he could carve out a long career in the NHL as a bottom-paring guy. If absolutely everything goes right, maybe a # 4 D man is his upside.
7. Voit - Voit is too dynamic to leave off this list, he is undersized but has elite playmaking skills. He is a high-celing, low-floor prospect. He hasn't had an opportunity to play in the AHL yet this season - he will likely either move up this list, or potentially fall off it by the end of the year depending on how he looks in the AHL when he plays.
8. Akhtyamov - you could easily argue Akhtyamov should be higher on this list. He has a .921 save % in 17 games in the KHL as a twenty two year old - another goalie prospect with a chance to be a starter down the road. I haven't watched him play, and it's difficult to even find many goalie highlights like you can find with Grebyonkin, which is why he isn't higher on my list.
9. Steeves - Steeves produced in the AHL last year, and has improved his production this year - with 19 points in 15 games. He seems to have made a big leap, but turns 24 this December and time is running out for him to be a 'prospect'. I think he will be a full-time NHLer at some point, whether it is with the Leafs or another team, I'm not so sure.
10. Hirvonen - Hirvonen has played against men and produced at a respectable level in the top Finnish league as a 19, 20, and 21 year old. He's undersized but plays with tenancity and is sound defensiely. He could carve out a role as a two-way third line winger who can PK, and chip in some offense. I think a lot of people are down on him because he got absolutely rocked in the prospect camp - but imo he is still one our prospects most likely to become an NHLer.
HM: Ovichnikov, Moldenhauer, Tverberg
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