Today is draft day! Over the next two days, the Maple Leafs have opportunities to re-stock the prospect pool by drafting or by trade. And it needs it.

Before we start adding, let’s see what we have. The situation is now so complicated that it’s hard to just look at a pipeline list of all drafted prospects. The Leafs have more players under NHL contract not in the NHL than they have had for some time, and they’ve been signing free agents as well. With no AHL season about to start, it’s not clear where everyone will play.

To sort this out, there are two lists. First is all the unsigned draft picks:

Maple Leafs Unsigned Draft Picks

NameBirthdatePos2019/2020 Team2020/2021 TeamRights Expire
Mike KosterApril 13, 2001DTri-City Storm, USHLUniversity of Minnesota, NCAAAugust 15, 2024
Kalle LoponenMarch 13, 2001DSudbury Wolves, OHL (Loan from Kärpät)Kärpät, LiigaJune 1, 2023
Mikko KokkonenJanuary 18, 2001DJukurit, LiigaJukurit, LiigaJune 1, 2023
Semyon KizimovJanuary 19, 2000RWLada Togliatti, VHLTorpedo, Nizhny Novgorod, KHLIndefinite
Nick AbruzzeseJune 4, 1999FHarvard, NCAAHarvard, NCAAAugust 15, 2023
Ryan O'ConnellApril 25, 1999DOhio State, NCAAOhio State, NCAAAugust 15, 2022
Eemeli RäsänenApril 6, 1999DJokerit, KHLHPK, LiigaIndefinite
Pontus HolmbergMarch 9, 1999LW/CVäxjö HC, SHLVäxjö HC, SHLJune 1, 2022
J.D. GreenwayApril 27, 1998DUniversity of Maine, NCAAUniversity of Maine, NCAAAugust 15, 2021
Vladislav KaraApril 20, 1998C/WAk Bars KHL/Bars Kazan VHLSeverastal Cherepovets, KHLIndefinite
Nikolai ChebykinAugust 1, 1997LWToros Neftekamsk/Traktor Chelyabinsk, VHLTraktor Chelyabinsk, VHLIndefinite
Vladimir BobylevApril 18, 1997CToros Neftekamsk/Traktor Chelyabinsk, VHLTraktor Chelyabinsk, VHLIndefinite

This is always the day this list looks the least inspiring. There’s a lot of defencemen, but aside from Mikko Kokkonen, not a lot to be excited about there. Kalle Loponen is likely to play most of the year on the U20 team, but Kokkonen will be in the Liiga.

The NCAA players are still on the rosters for their schools, but there is no set date for when their seasons will start, and a chance they never happen. They can’t play pro hockey without leaving the NCAA system.

The OHL and WHL have not yet sorted out a schedule, but the QMJHL is underway — except for two teams that are now not underway because of a positive test.

Next up is a hybrid list of all the players who are or are likely to be loaned to either European teams or the AHL once it’s in operation. This is a bit subjective, since training camp will alter the landscape, but none of these players have been regular NHL roster players yet.

Maple Leafs Signed and Loaned

NameBirthdatePos2019/2020 Team2020/2021 TeamJunior Eligible
David WarsofskyMay 30, 1990LDWBS Penguins, AHL
Kenny AgostinoApril 30, 1992LWToronto Marllies, AHL
Kalle KossilaApril 14, 1993CToronto Marllies, AHL
Mikko LehtonenJan 16, 1994LDJokerit, KHLJokerit, KHL
Alexander BarabanovJune 17, 1994RW/LWSKA, KHL
Nic PetanMarch 22, 1995LW/RWToronto Marllies, AHL
Teemu KivihalmeJune 14, 1995LDToronto Marllies, AHL
Adam BrooksMay 6, 1996CToronto Marllies, AHL
Yegor KorshkovJuly 10, 1996RW/LWToronto Marlies, AHLLokomotiv, KHL
Joseph DuszakJuly 22, 1997RDToronto Marllies, AHL
Kristians RubinsDecember 11, 1997LDToronto Marllies, AHLFrekerikshavn White Hawks, Denmark
Joseph WollJuly 12, 1998GToronto Marllies, AHL
Mac HollowellSeptember 26, 1998RDToronto Marllies, AHL
Ian ScottJanuary 11, 1999GToronto Marllies, AHL
Timothy LiljegrenApril 30, 1999RDToronto Marllies, AHL
Filip KralOctober 20, 1999DSpokane Chiefs, WHLHC Prerov, Czech2
Filip HallanderJune 29, 2000LWLulea, SHLLulea, SHL
Semyon Der-ArguchintsevSeptember 15, 2000CPeterborough Petes, OHLOverager
Mikhail AbramovMarch 26, 2001CVictoriaville Tigres, QMJHLYes
Nick RobertsonSeptember 11, 2001LWPeterborough Petes, OHLYes

Missing in action are all unsigned RFAs or UFAs, but they’ll be added once they pick up the pen. Maybe I should add Denis Malgin to this list, but he’s played fulltime in the NHL for years now, so I’ll call him on the NHL roster until proven otherwise.

The Leafs currently have 38 contracts out of an allowed 50, with Mikhail Abramov and Nick Robertson not counting if they play in junior hockey. There’s lots of room to sign newly drafted players and free agents.

Both of these lists can grow this week, the top one by a host of draft picks, most of them in the late rounds. The bottom list usually balloons up with trades and signings aimed at shoring up the AHL roster as free agency exits the opening frenzy and heads into the more tedious, but necessary parts of roster construction. Exactly when that construction of the Marlies will happen is an open question this year, but the outlook in the AHL is not positive for a season opening before well into next year. Assume that most teams will set aside their minor league concerns for now.

That’s what’s in the cupboard. Can we make a team of the future out of this?

Maple Leafs ProspectsNHL Draft