Ilya Mikheyev, signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs this spring as a UFA, makes his one and only appearance on the Top 25 Under 25. He just barely makes the age cut this year, as he turns 25 on October 10. He is the latest in a list of European free agents the Leafs have signed as they try to make the best possible roster while coping with diminishing draft picks on the high end and a historical drafting record that was terrible for years.
In 2015, Nikita Soshnikov hit the list at 18th, and he’s in the KHL now, after playing 87 NHL games, most of them on the Leafs.