*******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), but the focus of prospect development under former GM Kyle Dubas and the last few seasons under Director of Amateur Scouting Wes Clark seemed to be on skill players, while GM Brad Treliving has begun to transition with a focus on young players with size.
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 contribute in the future.
Youngsters like Bobby McMann, Joseph Woll, Nick Robertson, Pontus Holmberg, and top-rated Matthew Knies have graduated, but here is a list of players eligible for the list who have not played more than 40 NHL games and are 25 years old or younger:
Treliving’s quest to put his personal stamp on the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool by adding players with a larger stature may be the motivation in signing Swedish blueliner Jacob Bengtsson to an AHL deal.
High praise from @CoachBrownBC on graduate defenseman Jacob Bengtsson. I'd be shocked if #15 didn't get an NHL contract this spring. pic.twitter.com/vwRSdKjV0b
The 25-year-old played junior hockey and briefly in the second-level Allsvenskan pro league in Sweden in 2017 before coming to North America to go the college route in 2018. After playing two years for Waterloo of the USHL, Bengtsson played three seasons for Lake Superior State, posting 20+ point seasons as a sophomore and junior.
Using the NCAA’s transfer portal, the 6’3”, 203 lb. blueliner shifted to Boston College as a senior, posting 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 40 games.
FloHockey’s Chris Peters said Bengtsson “played a solid two-way role for BC” and that he’s a blueliner “that can defend and make the odd play”, and that “there’s some upside to explore there.” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman said that he “played on both special teams for a top Boston College squad, and has good enough hockey sense to make a decent outlet pass, but it will be his so-so skating that will be the question for the pro game.”
Based on his experience and age, it is possible that Bengtsson could slot in with the AHL Marlies, but he could start his pro career in the ECHL with Cincinnati.
He used to play in Michigan, but he's in a better state now
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»