Ennis is a very likeable 31 y.o. 160 lb waterbug who could be useful but is still a marginal player.
I don't see much in Barabanov, but for some reason the Leafs signed him and they seem to want to give him a shot. They could shoot him out of a cannon for all I care but one way or another its his turn for an audition right now.
Vesey brings some size and is a bit younger than Ennis, and frankly I've been pleasantly surprised by his play. I wasn't expecting much but I like what I've seen. I wouldn't think of Ennis as an upgrade over Vesey at all, and I don't think it hurts Vesey that his father is a long-time regional scout in the Leafs organization.
Brooks and Anderson are much younger than Ennis. They are both less experienced, but they are waiver exempt and may have more upside than Ennis.
I'm a big fan of Brooks and would rather give him a shot that he's now getting over Ennis.
I don't know a whole lot about Anderson, but I have noticed there's enough people here that have been impressed with his play and would like to see him with the Leafs too.
I don't think it helps to screw around with the career development of any of these guys by bringing in an older fringe player like Ennis and fiddling with the margins of the roster. I don't really see him as an upgrade on anybody -- except maybe an unknown quantity like Barabanov -- and I would prefer that that Leafs move on and walk on by.
That said, I'm really no judge of talent and I've been wrong countless times before.
And Ennis is a very likeable player too, for all his limitations.