Last season, the Leafs had a very average prospect pool. They had a couple of big name prospects such as William Nylander and Connor Brown, but there didn't seem to be many names to get excited about. After this offseason, the Leafs currently have one of the best prospect pools in the draft.
That being said, many people seem to forget the definition of a prospect. A prospect is somebody who has been watched in the system and in juniors, but has appeared in little to no NHL games. So while prospects such as Nikita Korostelev and Dmytro Timashov who had outstanding junior seasons may not make this list, that's only because they have not been watched enough to determine whether they will carry their production to the AHL and NHL, or simply be a bust. So to kick off this series, I take a look at who I believe are the Leafs top 10 prospects in the system. Keep in mind that heading into this season, this could very well change. To begin the list, we look at #10, a defenseman on the Erie Otters by the name of Travis Dermott.
The reason Dermott cracks this list is because he's a very well rounded player and even if his skills were to drop once he reaches the AHL/NHL, he still has a lot going for him. A 2nd round pick by the Leafs in the 2015 NHL Draft, he's a solid two way defenseman who can quarterback a powerplay, but he can also be relied on in the defensive zone and can throw the body. He's not the biggest of defensemen, standing at 5'11 and 196lb, but he has enough weight on him that he can make big hits and be tough to push off the puck. A solid playoff run with the Erie Otters saw him put up a memorable 15 points in 17 games, and when the time comes for Dermott to appear in the NHL, he should be a solid top four d-man.
PROBABLE NHL ROLE: TOP FOUR DEFENSEMAN
Like many other defensemen, Dermott plays a game that uses all the tools needed to be a serviceable top four defenseman. He can put up points from the blue line and can be trusted in pressure situations such as the penalty kill.
PROSPECT GRADE: B+
Dermott is not an amazing prospect, but he's far from a bad one. A B+ seems reasonable for him considering he has a good chance at making the NHL, but might not blossom into a top tier defenseman.
What do you think of Dermott, Leafs fans? Should he be at #10, or should he be lower or higher? Weigh in below.
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