Brad Ross - The Super Pest

Age:19
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 183lbs
Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010, 2nd Round 43rd Overall Pick.
Currently playing with Portland Winterhawks(WHL)

The Summary

Brad Ross is simply a super pest.  He plays with energy, grit and aggression and combines it with offensive skills.  He is a really tough player to play against because he gets in opposing players faces and is not afraid to drop the gloves with anyone.  He is really good at getting under the skin of opposing players and if that's not enough, he'll score a goal or two to frustrate them some more. Brad Ross is a heart and soul player who puts in 110% every shift and does whats necessary to get his team going and for his size he plays a lot bigger than his size.  Brad Ross signed an Entry Level Contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs two days ago and he may join the Toronto Marlies as soon as this month if his WHL team is eliminated from Playoffs.

The Now
Brad Ross has been playing in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks since he was drafted by the Leafs and he has been improving offensively each year.  This season he has tallied 42 goals, 40 assists, 82 points and 163 penalty minutes in 68 games played.  With the Winterhawks, he has been playing with the skilled players because he can open up the ice and provide space for those players and he and his line mates have been very successful. 

The Coming Soon

Brad Ross will most likely be competing for a spot with the Toronto Marlies next year.  If he impresses Leafs management during training camp next year, he may get a shot at the third or fourth line with the Leafs.  I think if Brad can impress Leafs management next year, he will be a valuable asset to this team because he can provide energy, skill, and grit which the Leafs seem to be lacking. Brad Ross will need to bulk up a little more to be able to play his type of style in the NHL so it may be a couple more years before we see Brad Ross secure a permanent spot on the Leafs roster.  Brad Ross is projected to be a third or fourth line energy player with some skill.  He plays a similar style to Darcy Tucker.  I believe that once Brad has earned a permanent spot on the Leafs roster, he will be a fan favourite because of the energy, grit and skill he brings to the game.

Greg Mckegg - The Natural Scorer

Age:19
Position: Centre
Height: 6'0
Weight: 191lbs
Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010, 3rd Round 62nd Overall Pick.
Currently playing with London Knights(OHL)

The Summary

Greg Mckegg was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010.  He has been developing in the CHL for the past 4 years, most of which were spent with the Erie Otters and recently the London Knights.  He is a dynamic offensive player who can naturally score goals and has quick hands to maneuver in tight areas.  He is not very physical but is not afraid to get into the dirty areas and he is defensively sound forward who works hard to back check and support the defense. Greg is an interesting Leafs prospect as he was drafted in the third round and is developing into a successful offensive player and his chances of making the Leafs roster appears to be closer to reality. 

The Now
Greg Mckegg is in his fourth season developing in the OHL.  He was captain of the lowly Erie Otters and was recently traded to one of the league's best, the London Knights.  The London Knights are a highly skilled team and this proves to be a great opportunity for Greg to take his game to the next level by being around better skilled players. So far, it appears he has had a lot of success with his new team as he has registered 19 goals, 22 assists, 41 points in 28 games.  In comparison, this season with the Otters, he registered 12 goals, 22 assists, 34 points in 35 games. Gregg appears to be in a very successful environment now and this shows positive signs in his development. 

The Coming Soon

Greg Mckegg looks to be in his last season in the OHL and with his continued success, next year he may be part of the Toronto Marlies.  He will need to get stronger and adjust to faster game pace and bigger bodies as he makes his transition to the pros. He should provide the Marlies with an upgrade offensively and give them some offensive spark with his natural goal scoring abilities.  Greg has the tools to be a solid third line centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the next few years as he is able to provide a solid defensive game and also contribute offensively as well. 

Korbinian Holzer

Age: 24
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 205lbs
Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006, 4th Round 111th Overall Pick.
Currently playing with Toronto Marlies (AHL)

The Summary
Korbinian Holzer is a solid two-way defenseman.  He has the size to complement his physical play and he is quite mobile.  He is a really reliable player as he has excellent defensive awareness and is willing to block shots. Not only can he play solid defense, he can also contribute offensively, as he has shown in international play as he was able to register 6 goals, and 16 assists with team German at the Vancouver winter Olympics. 

The Now
Korbinian Holzer is in his second season with the Toronto Marlies and throughout the two years, he has been called up with the Leafs a few times, but due to the depth of the Leafs defense, his stay was not permanent.  This year he has played a significant role with the Toronto Marlies and has played 53 games, registering 1 goal and 16 assists with a +5.  He has been slowly developing in Germany and now in the AHL, and there are signs that the Toronto Maple Leafs are about to give him a big opportunity with the big club very soon because the Leafs recently traded a similar player in Keith Aulie at the trade deadline. 

The Coming Soon
Korbinian Holzer has shown that he can compete in the AHL and his play has persuaded Leafs management to give him an opportunity in the NHL.  With the recent collapse of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it may force Brian Burke to make some adjustments to the team and I believe that Korbinian Holzer will be one of the new additions to the Leafs next season.  His combination of size, physicality, defensive awareness, and mobility provides the Leafs with another potentially reliable defenseman who can contribute in all zones.  He has shown great results in his development and the NHL is the next step for him and I believe that he will make a solid third pairing defenseman for the Leafs.

Ben Scrivens

Age: 25
Position: Goalie
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 192lbs
Signed as a Free Agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010.
Currently playing with Toronto Marlies (AHL)

The Summary
Ben Scrivens was free agent signing by the Leafs in 2010.  He played for Cornell in the NCAA and won the NCAA Championship with them along with being named the NCAA Goaltender of the Year.  Ben has really good size at 6'2" and he plays a very simple and calm game. He always seems to be in the right position which makes his saves look really easy.  Part of this is also due to his quickness which allows him to move side to side at ease. 

The Now
Ben Scrivens is in his second year with the Toronto Marlies and has been developing very well into the pro game.  He has been given starting role duties for most of the year and has been able to show signs of improvement and flashes of potential.  Earlier this year when James Reimer was injured with the Leafs, Ben was called up and played 8 games.  He had a record of 2 wins, 4 losses, 1 over time loss, with a save percentage of .904. In the games where he played well, he showed a calmness in net that excited fans, boosted his teammates confidence, and frustrated the opposing teams. However, after a couple of games the speed and accuracy of NHL's stars were able to solve him and he was eventually sent down to the AHL for more development. 

The Coming Soon
Behind James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson, Ben Scrivens is the next goalie in line for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Out of all the Leafs goalie prospects, Ben Scrivens is most closest to being NHL ready.  He still has to take some time to develop and adapt to the pro game, but he has showed signs that indicate that he can potentially be a starting goalie in the NHL. There are no indications that Ben will play in the NHL next year, but with a couple more years of development, he can potentially make an impact in the NHL as one of those late bloomer goalies that reach the NHL in their late 20s or early 30s, such as Tim Thomas.