Be sure to like HockeyBuzz on facebook!
For the latest Leafs updates or on Twitter
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Pierre Engvall, and Justin Holl), but the club under GM Kyle Dubas has to keep replenishing the prospect pool to provide the Leafs with youngsters who can step up and replace veterans who retire, depart via free agency or are traded.
As we did last year, we will rank the club’s top prospects over the upcoming weeks based on their progress in either the NCAA, CHL, Europe, ECHL or AHL and their potential to make the Leafs roster and make a contribution in the future.
Players are eligible for the list if they have not played more than 40 NHL games:
#40 - Vladislav Kara – LW (Yugra - VHL)
#39 – Kalle Loponen – D (Koo Koo Kouvola/JyP HT – Finland SM-Liiga)
#38 - Jeremy McKenna – RW (Wichita – ECHL, Toronto – AHL)
#37 - John Fusco – D (Harvard – NCAA)
#36 Noel Hoefenmayer – D (Newfoundland – ECHL, Toronto – AHL)
#35 Ryan Chyzowski - LW (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
The Leafs continue to scour the US College, European and CHL ranks for potential hidden gems that can be developed into useful players, especially with the club having only a limited number of selections over the last two drafts. One player that Toronto is rolling the dice on is forward Ryan Chyzowski.
The 22-year-old forward has a professional hockey pedigree (his father Dave was the second overall pick of the New York Islanders in the 1989 Draft) and first played for Medicine Hat at the age of 16 after being the Tiger’s first-round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft.
In spite of scoring 52 points (21 goals, 31 assists) in his first draft-eligible year, Chyzowski went undrafted. In subsequent seasons his point totals increased to 55 and 69 points, but the 6’1”, 170 lb. forward once again went undrafted. In a COVID-shortened 2020-21 as an overager, he averaged over a point-per-game with the Tigers, prompting the Leafs to sign the forward to an AHL contract.
Chyzowski played mostly for Newfoundland in his first professional season, scoring 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 29 games, and eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 17 playoff games, while tallying five times in 23 AHL games for the Toronto Marlies.
Ryan is considered to have good hockey IQ, above-average skill, is strong on the cycle, and adept at avoiding defenders and puck possession along the wall, but does not have the explosive skating ability to be able to consistently create offense. The Leafs may be hoping that they can work on Chyzowski’s skating to the point that he can stay with the pace in the NHL, but it is possible that he could be limited to being a solid AHLer.
*******
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»