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The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has drafted and developed a number of youngsters currently playing in the NHL (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander), but the club under former GM Kyle Dubas replenished their prospect pool to provide the Leafs with young prospects. It will now be up to new GM Brad Treliving to continue that work.
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 and are 25 years old or younger:
#40 Rodion Amirov
Note: In honor of Amirov after his passing earlier this month, we will keep him on the Leafs prospect list.
#39 Ryan Chyzowski - LW (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
#38 Dryden McKay - G (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
#37 Wyatt Schingoethe – C (Western Michigan – NCAA)
#36 Zach Solow - RW (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
#35 John Fusco – D (Dartmouth – NCAA)
#34 Kalle Loponen – D (Koo Koo Kouvola/HPK – Finland SM-Liiga)
#33 Noah Chadwick - D (Lethbridge - WHL)
#32 Semyon Kizimov - RW (Nizhnekamsk/Yekaterinberg - KHL)
#31 Max Ellis – RW (Toronto – AHL)
#30 Mikko Kokkonen – D (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
#29 Keith Petruzzelli - G (Newfoundland - ECHL, Toronto - AHL)
#28 Braeden Kressler – C (Flint – OHL)
#27 Hudson Malinoski – C (Brooks Bandits – AJHL)
#26 Veeti Miettinen – RW (St. Cloud St.- NCAA
#25 Dmitry Ovchinnikov – LW (Sibir Novosibirsk – KHL, Toronto - AHL)
#24 Brandon Lisowsky – (Saskatoon – WHL)
#23 Dennis Hildeby - G (Farjestad - SHL, Toronto - AHL)
#22 Ryan Tverberg – C (Connecticut – NCAA, Toronto - AHL)
#21 Vladislav Kara - LW (Podolsk Vityaz - KHL)
#20 Semyon Der-Argushintsev - C (Toronto - AHL)
#19 Nikita Grebyonkin - RW (Khabarovsk/Magnitogorsk - KHL)
The Maple Leafs traditionally go to Europe in the later rounds because of the longer development window and have had good luck in drafting the likes of Andreas Johnsson, Pierre Engvall, Carl Gunnarsson, and Pontus Holmberg. In 2022, Kyle Dubas and his Leafs scouting staff followed this model and selected winger Nikita Grebyonkin in the fifth round (135th overall).
Toronto possibly took advantage of the chilling effect that the current geopolitical situation in Ukraine has had on Russian prospects (who is represented by agent Daniel Milstein). Grebyonkin was not selected in his first eligible draft in 2021 but gained notice as a linemate for 2022 first-round pick Danila Yurov (selected by Minnesota 24th overall) posting more than a point-per-game (17 goals, 47 assists in 58 games) with the junior-level Stainye Lisy in the Magnitogorsk system last season.
After playing seven KHL games with Magnitogorsk, the 20-year-old was loaned out to a lower level KHL club in Amur Khabarovsk, and the young winger thrived at the highest level in Russia, scoring 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games.
“Nikita has a rare blend of deception, elusiveness, and puck-handling ability that makes sure he doesn’t have to rely on his frame too often.” said this year’s Hockey Prospect Black Book. “(He) has some of the best inside and outside edges available in this class. He was the only player we viewed this season, who threw a defender off balance with over three feet of space between them. That hopefully gives you a sense of how fast he can pivot and force weight shifts out of opposing players. His edgework is compounded by an efficient and fluid skating base that’s mechanically sound.”
Grebyonkin has good skating ability, and is known mostly for top-end playmaking, superior edge work and excellent hockey IQ. The fact that he produced so well at such a young age is a promising sign that the Leafs may have found a diamond in the rough. He will likely stay with Magnitogorsk this season, unless he takes a step back, which might see him loaned out again.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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