Ranking the Maple Leafs prospect pool by tiers

Ranking Maple Leafs can be an emotional experience. Even the prospects are in tiers.

Terrible jokes aside, it’s one thing to say Easton Cowan is the Leafs’ top prospect, but it is another thing to say what type of role he’ll fill and when he’ll actually fill it.

It probably goes without saying that tiers, like rankings are far from perfect and will require updating on at least an annual basis but based on the current state of the prospects here’s the assessment of the Leafs.

Tier 1: Future All-Star

None

With all due respect to Easton Cowan, this isn’t him. A future All-Star is probably someone who would be considered in the top 20 prospects outside the NHL, and recently Daily Faceoff’s rankings put Cowan at 46th.

For a team that hasn’t been drafting in a lottery position in almost a decade coming across a potential All-Star is asking a lot but of course it does happen when you hold onto your draft picks.

Tier 2: Top Six Forward/Top Four Defenceman/Starting Goaltender

Easton Cowan | Ben Danford

Easton Cowan could realistically make the Leafs as soon as training camp but seems very likely to be on Toronto’s NHL roster at some point this season. This year might not see him achieve his top six forward potential but with strong offensive instincts, including as a playmaker, being a quick thinker, and having a strong work ethic, Cowan will start his path towards his potential and it looks like the floor for his success will be a bottom six NHL forward.

Ben Danford is a bit further out and will spend the year in the OHL. He’ll likely get a look at the World Juniors, which is a good sign of high potential, but given that his game is modelled after Chris Tanev, it’s unlikely he’ll be in the All-Star tier but still be the kind of player that coaches are excited to give minutes to.

Tier 3: Bottom Six Forward/Bottom Pairing Defenceman/Backup Goaltender

Noah Chadwick | Dennis Hildeby | Artur Akhtyamov | Tinus Luc Koblar | Tyler Hopkins | Topi Niemela | Miroslav Holinka | Victor Johansson

There are a lot of exciting options in this tier for the Leafs and as always when talking about goaltenders, until they’ve had a serious NHL run they can be considered mystery boxes.

Holinka, Koblar, and Hopkins form an interesting trio of potential two-way forwards that seemed destined for the middle of the Leafs lineup if all goes well for them.

Chadwick and Johansson have shown a lot of promise to date and with a bit more time could be on the path for meaningful NHL roles.

Tier 4A: Bubble players

Luke Haymes | William Villeneuve | Jacob Quillan |Hudson Malinoski

This trio of prospects are a little older and their best contribution might be that they can perform spot duty in the NHL almost immediately.

The Leafs being light on offensive defencemen further down the depth chart opens a door for Villeneuve.

Both Haymes and Quillan will be competing to be the hot hand in the AHL worthy of an NHL call up, especially at the centre position.

Hudson Malinoski is the only one of these players that isn’t on the Marlies and is still developing but as a potential two-way centre who has looked good but hasn’t stood out as of yet, this seems like a potential landing spot.

Tier 4B: Good AHLers

Ryan Tverberg | Cade Webber | Borya Valis | John Prokop | Blake Smith | Vyacheslav Peksa

Hey, if the NHL expands soon it’s worth having a worthwhile deck of quality AHL players that might be reclassed as potential callups.

It might be too early to say Tverberg lands in this tier as one underwhelming season shouldn’t fully define him and while Valis would be a long shot, he hasn’t really had a chance to show what he is at the pro hockey level. The same can be said of Prokop and Smith.

There’s value in having good AHLers and they could certainly move above this tier but at this point it seems like a stretch to be considering them as future AHLers.

Tier 5A: Boom or bust

Nick Moldenhauer | Joe Miller | Alexander Plesovskikh | Roni Hirvonen | Semyon Der Arguchintsev 

If they are going to make it to the NHL they are probably going to need to jump multiple tiers to get a look. They aren’t really bottom of the lineup guys, not worth considering as bubble players, or straight up won’t be willing to come to (or back) to North America for an AHL gig.

It’s a fun group if you are an optimist.

Tier 5B: Excited but it’s early

William Belle | Sam McCue | Nathan Mayes | Harry Nansi |Timofey Obvintsev

All of these players that have characteristics that are endearing but a couple of them need to show what they can do in their draft plus one year and a couple need to show what they can do in pro hockey.

Obvintsev as a young goaltender working outside the Leafs system is certainly a wildcard as well.

Tier 6: The field

Rylan Fellinger | Semyon Kizimov | Matt Lahey | Mathew Hlacar | Braeden Kressler

Prove me wrong. (Many have.)