Abruzzese, a 1999-birthdate who has been passed over twice in the 2017 and 2018 drafts, is the third under-sized left-shot forward the Leafs have taken in their first four picks of the 2019 entry draft, although Abruzzese could project as a center at the pro level (Robertson and Abramov are wingers). Even as a 20-year-old third-time eligible, the New York native is among the more physically slight players in the draft.
A late bloomer who played his full AAA eligibility before joining the North Jersey Avalanche of the T1EHL, Abruzzese lit up offensively in his second USHL season for the Chicago Steel in 2018-19 with 29 goals and 80 points in 62 games.