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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)



Former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas selected the youngest player available in the 2018 NHL Draft in Semyon Der-Argushintsev after the Russian center scored 51 points (12 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.

Known for his playmaking, stick handling and hockey IQ, SDA signed an entry-level contract during the Leafs 2019 training camp before being sent back to the OHL. Not gifted with great speed, the Moscow native got taller and put on some muscle, but took a step back in his third OHL season, dropping slightly to 46 points in 62 games and scoring only six goals.

Following the elimination of the Petes in the first round of the OHL Playoffs, Der-Argushintsev joined the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers and played nine playoff games on their way to a Kelly Cup title. In 2019-20, he posted a career-high 75 points (12 goals, 63 assists) in 55 games with the Petes playing alongside fellow Leafs prospect Nick Robertson.

With the OHL shut down, the Leafs found a spot for the young forward in the KHL with Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, where he posted six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 17 games. SDA only played six AHL games upon his return to North America, but had four assists with the Marlies. In his first full season with the Leafs affiliate, the 22-year-old had 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 51 games, but finished with a team worst -12 plus/minus rating.

SDA has always been an easy prospect to root for. He's extremely crafty and tough to read with the puck on his stick.

He's not among the top 3 Marlies I'd call up rn but SDA is a good AHL forward at age 22 and giving him NHL minutes in December is positive for his development. pic.twitter.com/3llS1JZbOX

— Nick DeSouza (@NickDeSouza_) December 7, 2022

Der-Argushintsev got knocked off the puck easily and was not strong enough, but things seemed to progress slightly in his second full AHL season, as he posted similar stats (12 goals, 28 assists in 50 games), and he got his first taste in the NHL, playing one game in December against the Dallas Stars.

SDA received a qualifying offer from Toronto after the expiration of his ELC, as he chose to return to the KHL to play with Traktor Chelyabinsk this season. That puts his future in North America in question and whether he thinks he sees a path getting to the NHL with the Leafs or any other club. Toronto retains his rights in perpetuality, so he remains an asset that they can trade or bring back if he shows progress over the next few seasons in Russia.

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