The Maple Leafs prospect pipeline, bulked out with the most recent draft picks, is lacking any first round picks, but it is full of prospects to have hopes and dreams for.

There are only three prospects without a team set for this season, and two of those players see their rights expire this summer. They are at a make or break point of their careers. Some of the older players, still on the list because they were drafted out of Russia, or returned to play in the KHL, are almost prospects the way Fabrice Herzog is a prospect, but for now, they still sit on the list.

Maple Leafs Pipeline 2019-2020

NameBirthdatePos2018/2019 Team2019/2020 TeamRights Expire
Martins DzierkalsApril 4, 1997LWDinamo Riga, KHL/Liepaja, LatviaIndefinite
Vladimir BobylevApril 18, 1997CToros Neftekamsk, VHLToros Neftekamsk, VHLIndefinite
Nikolai ChebykinAugust 1, 1997LWToros Neftekamsk, VHLSalavat Yulaev, KHL/Toros Neftekamsk, VHLIndefinite
Vladislav KaraApril 20, 1998C/WAk Bars KHL/Bars Kazan VHLAk Bars KHL/Bars Kazan VHLIndefinite
J.D. GreenwayApril 27, 1998DDubuque Fighting Saints, USHLUniversity of Maine, NCAAAugust 15, 2021
Pontus HolmbergMarch 9, 1999LW/CVäxjö HC, SHLVäxjö HC, SHLJune 1, 2022
Eemeli RäsänenApril 6, 1999DJokerit, Khl/PTO with MarliesJokerit, KHLIndefinite
Ryan O'ConnellApril 25, 1999DOhio State, NCAAOhio State, NCAAAugust 15, 2022
Nick AbruzzeseJune 4, 1999FChicago Steel, USHLHarvard, NCAAAugust 15, 2023
Filip KralOctober 20, 1999DSpokane Chiefs, WHLJune 1, 2020
Zachary BouthillierNovember 8, 1999GSaint John SeaDogs, QMJHL/Newfoundland Growlers, ECHLJune 1, 2020
Riley StottsJanuary 5, 2000CCalgary Hitmen, WHLCalgary Hitmen, WHLJune 1, 2020
Semyon KizimovJanuary 19, 2000RWLada Togliatti, VHLLada Togliatti, VHLIndefinite
Semyon Der-ArguchintsevSeptember 15, 2000CPeterboroough Petes, OHLPeterboroough Petes, OHLNHL Contract - still junior eligible
Mikko KokkonenJanuary 18, 2001DJukurit, LiigaJukurit, LiigaJune 1, 2023
Kalle LoponenMarch 13, 2001DHermes, Mestis and Kärpät, U20Sudbury Wolves, OHLJune 1, 2023
Mikhail AbramovMarch 26, 2001CVictoriaville Tigres, QMJHLVictoriaville Tigres, QMJHLJune 1, 2021
Mike KosterApril 13, 2001DChaska High, USHS-Min, Tri-City Storm, USHLTri-City Storm, USHLAugust 15, 2024
Nick RobertsonSeptember 11, 2001LWPeterboroough Petes, OHLPeterboroough Petes, OHLJune 1, 2021

Zachary Bouthillier seems to have dropped off of the radar of everyone. He was signed to an ECHL deal last year after the junior season was over, but ECHL contracts are only one year, and he currently has no team for this season. The Leafs signed goalie Maksim Zhukov to an AHL contract, and he looks poised to play in St. John’s this season.

Filip Kral, on the roster for Traverse City, is looking for a pro hockey job in North America. His comments to the press in Czechia during the summer indicate he’s open to playing on the Marlies or the Growlers.

Martins Dzierkals also told the press he wanted to come back to North America, but he’s not shown up anywhere. He isn’t up to the KHL, even in a depth role, but he has a history of good performance in the ECHL. He could crack some AHL lineups, just not the Marlies.

The top OHL prospect is Nick Robertson, followed by his teammate Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, but now Kalle Loponen will be playing some OHL hockey too, as he’s chosen the Sudbury Wolves over trying to crack a tough lineup in Finland.

Mikhail Abramov, who scored a lot last year in the Q (11th in the league for U18 players) is back in Victoriaville again.

Mikko Kokkonen headlines the prospects playing in Europe, and let’s not forget last year’s draft picks Pontus Holmberg in Sweden and Riley Stotts in the WHL.

Too easy to overlook is Mike Koster, who will play in the NCAA this year, as will Nick Abruzzese.

We’ll follow all these players in the Euro Report and the North American Prospect Report as the season goes on.

Maple Leafs Prospects