Nobody in the Maple Leafs system had a better junior season than Jeremy Bracco. The winger first won the world junior championship in Montreal with Team USA. Then he won the Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires.

Now, the sleek playmaker will try to make a name for himself with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I gained a lot of confidence last year,” said Bracco. “I was on two great teams to win two championships with. I had great coaches who prepared me for this moment and to make the jump to pro this year. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Bracco is one of the bigger names among the 26 prospects gathered at Ricoh Coliseum for the Leafs’ annual rookie tournament.

“It’s a great jumping-off point heading into camp,” said Bracco. “We’re fortunate to get a couple of games under you. We’re fortunate to wear this sweater, fortunate to have this staff and the resources here.”

The rookies will start to learn about the Leafs’ rivals in a hurry. They play the Montreal Canadiens’ prospects on Friday and the Ottawa Senators’ rookies on Sunday, in an event cut to three teams and moved from its old home in London, Ont.

“You expect them to work hard and compete, and all the things that come with playing real hockey when people pay admission and you put NHL jerseys on,” said Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe, who will work the bench with the Leafs’ prospects this weekend.

“It’s a step in the process. It’s an opportunity to get exposed to the system, exposed to the structure, exposed to what’s expected of you. It’s a taste of what they’ll be in for at main camp. Every player gets something out of this opportunity.”

Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello and coach Mike Babcock will take in the games, where the spotlight will be on Bracco, top draft pick Timothy Liljegren and Marlies defenceman Travis Dermott, who is the closest to making the big club.

“Everybody has things to work on,” said Keefe. “There are no NHL players. Everybody here is working to get to that level. We’re going to do our part to help them.”

There are others further down the depth chart, including forward J.J. Piccinich, for whom this tournament looms large.

“This is the start of the new hockey year,” said Piccinich, who captained the London Knights last season. “I’m happy to be here of course, and I’m excited.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Piccinich was drafted 103rd overall in 2014. He signed an AHL deal with the Marlies and hopes to earn a shot at the NHL after a winding hockey journey: “I’ve had a taste of every which way. I played two years in the USHL, a year in college, two years in the OHL. That’s experience not many people have. I used that to develop myself to go into this year, my first year pro. This is another year for me to get better. I think I’m pretty close. I’m not there yet.”

The success of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander — still prospects just a year ago — means the Leafs are now a harder team to make. But the prospects here don’t sound deterred when it comes to pursuing their dream.

“What they did was pretty remarkable, and you want to follow in their footsteps, but just get better every day and push yourself to be the best you can, in the end you hope it works out,” said Bracco.