Earlier tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Ottawa Senators in the annual rookie tournament. Unfortunately, the Leafs lost out on this one, falling by a score of 5-4 in overtime. William Nylander led the charge for the prospect, adding two goals and an assist, while Nikita Soshnikov and Travis Dermott potted the other goals in the loss. Though the Leafs didn't come on top in this game, there are still some good takeaways from our first taste of the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: William Nylander
Nylander was outstanding in so many ways in this game. You can tell by watching him play that he's been working hard to bulk up for the pros, but doesn't let it get in the way of his explosiveness and the rest of his offensive game. He netted two goals tonight, including one that can be seen here in which he banks in a rebound from Dmytro Timashov after breaking out of the defensive zone in a matter of seconds. He also added an assist on a goal from Travis Dermott. All in all, Nylander was a great player in this game.
DARK HORSE: Nikita Soshnikov
The Leafs brought in Soshnikov on a three year entry level contract in March, and though it's wildly expected that they'll send the Nizhny Tagil, Russia native to the minors, don't expect him to go down without a fight. He joined the Leafs because he knew there'd be a chance that he could make the roster, and even though the forward core on the Buds is packed, he could always impress in training camp and force himself into the lineup. He had a good game tonight, scoring his first goal in the blue and white and using his soft hands to make creative plays. Expect him to be the top rookie challenger for the Leafs in preseason.
UNDERRATED: TJ Foster
Not many fans know this guy, but he had a good game for the Buds. He made some slick plays in the neutral zone to create breakout situations, and had some very quick reactions and moves while playing alongside of Mitch Marner and Kasperi Kapanen.
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