It’s no secret the Leafs’ pool of prospects is decidedly thin on the backend.
Andrew Nielsen, a 2015 NHL Draft overaged third rounder, has turned into a real prospect. Travis Dermott, taken 34th overall, is off to a strong start in his professional career with the Marlies and remains a potential NHL option down the line. Marlies defenseman Rinat Valiev might become a candidate for an NHL job but he’s turning 22 in May and hasn’t yet separated himself as a lock. Others, including James Greenway, Stephen Desrocher, and Jesper Lindgren are long-shots while Viktor Loov, Nicolas Mattinen, and Keaton Middleton likely never make the jump.