We (I) slacked off a little in July, and we didn’t even manage to get Patrick Marleau onto to the depth chart! I’ve overcompensated by updating both the depth chart and the pipeline list and making some assumptions.

We know Dominic Toninato is going to test free agency beginning on August 16.  I’ve taken him off the pipeline list.  Tony Cameranesi, who was sort of still a prospect on an AHL contract is an AHL UFA right now.  The Marlies might sign him, but even if they do, he’s not really a Leafs prospect anymore, so he’s gone too.

I added rights expiry information from CapFriendly as well for the new draft picks.

I updated some information on where prospects will play this coming year.  There’s only one mystery left,  beyond how you fit all those guys on the depth chart on one NHL team, and that is where will Timothy Liljegren play?  He’s the only player in the Leafs system on an NHL contract who is potentially going to be loaned off the team.

The Leafs have no one in junior under contract, and no one else in Europe on an ELC.  This could simply be due to the still bloated roster and overfilled SPC list, which is partly a carryover from the rebuild and partly a relic of expansion draft moves.  Or it could be a new way of doing business.  Either you’re capable and ready to play at least at the AHL level or you don’t get a deal, with exceptions made only for the top round picks.

Carl Grundström wasn’t signed until they were ready to bring him over, which is a marked contrast to Andreas Johnsson who played for a year in Sweden while on an ELC.  Because Johnsson was 20 when the contract was signed, it did not slide, so it runs out after this year.

Edited to add: Well so I thought!  It would appear that Carl Grundström, who sure looked like a lock to join the Marlies, is going back on loan to Frölunda.

It’s too soon to tell if this is a change in attitude or a response to circumstances, but the result is a harder line between the depth and the prospects, and Liljegren is the only guy straddling it.  In a fit of optimism, I put him on the depth chart.

Edited to add: there was some confusion over the rights expiry on Eemeli Räsänen, and CapFriendly reviewed it:

So now we have to consider Räsänen like an OHL prospect again, and the table is updated.

Toronto Maple Leafs Pipeline 2017

NameBirthdatePos2016/2017 Team2017/2018 TeamRights Expire
Keaton MiddletonFebruary 10, 1998DSaginaw Spirit, OHLSaginaw Spirit, OHLJune 1, 2018
Vladimir BobylevApril 18, 1997CVicoria Royals, WHLVicoria Royals, WHLJune 1, 2018
Nicolas MattinenMarch 5, 1998DLondon Knights, OHLLondon Knights, OHLJune 1, 2018
Pierre EngvallMay 31, 1996LWMora IK, AllsvenskanHV71, SHLJune 1, 2018
J.J. PiccinichJune 12, 1996RWLondon Knights, OHLToronto Marlies, AHLJune 1, 2018
Nolan VeseyMarch 28, 1995LWU. of Maine, NCAAU. of Maine, NCAAAugust 15, 2018
Martins DzierkalsApril 4, 1997LWR-N Huskies, QMJHLToronto Marlies, AHLJune 1, 2019
Jesper LindgrenMay 19, 1997DMODO, AllsvenskanHPK, LiigaJune 1, 2019
Ian ScottJanuary 11, 1999GPrince Albert Raiders, WHLPrince Albert Raiders, WHLJune 1, 2019
Fedor GordeevJanuary 27, 1999DFlint Firebirds, OHLFlint Firebirds, OHLJune 1, 2019
Ryan McGregorJanuary 29, 1999C/LWSarnia Sting, OHLSarnia Sting, OHLJune 1, 2019
Eemeli RäsänenApril 6, 1999DKingston Frontenacs, OHLKingston Frontenacs, OHLJune 1, 2019
Dakota JoshuaMay 15, 1996COhio State, NCAAOhio State, NCAAAugust 15, 2019
Joseph WollJuly 12, 1998GBoston College, NCAABoston College, NCAAAugust 15, 2020
J.D. GreenwayApril 27, 1998DU. of Wisconsin, NCAAU. of Wisconsin, NCAAAugust 15, 2020
Ryan O'ConnellApril 25, 1999DSt. Andrew's College, CAHSPenticten Vees, BCHLAugust 15, 2022
Yegor KorshkovJuly 10, 1996RWLokomotiv, KHLLokomotiv, KHLIndefinite
Nikolai ChebykinAugust 1, 1997LWDynamo Moscow, KHL, VHL SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, VHLIndefinite
Vladislav KaraApril 20, 1998CIrbis Kazan, MHLMHL/VHLIndefinite

The depth chart is NHL contracted players by dominant position.  Your job is to guess where they might actually play.

Toronto Maple Leafs Depth Chart

CLWRWD - LD - RG
Auston MatthewsJames van RiemsdykWilliam NylanderMorgan RiellyNikita ZaitsevFrederik Andersen
Nazem KadriPatrick MarleauMitch MarnerJake GardinerConnor CarrickCurtis McElhinney
Tyler BozakLeo KomarovConnor BrownMartin MarincinVincent LoVerdeGarret Sparks
Dominic MooreZach HymanKasperi KapanenRon HainseyJustin HollKasmir Kaskisuo
Ben SmithMatt MartinNikita SoshnikovTravis DermottTimothy Liljegren-
Frederik GauthierJosh LeivoEric FehrAndrew Nielsen--
Miro AaltonenKerby RychelJeremy BraccoCalle Rosén--
Adam BrooksAndreas JohnssonTrevor MooreRinat Valiev--
Chris MuellerCarl Grundstrom-Andreas Borgman--
-Colin Greening----
-Dmytro Timashov----
-Tobias Lindberg----