Kristen Shilton TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter Follow|Archive

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs annual week-long development camp came to a close on Saturday, releasing the 46 draft picks and invited free agents to tackle their summer homework.

The hope at every camp is for the Leafs' development staff - led by director of player development Scott Pellerin - to arm players with tips and tricks they can apply going forward, whether that's in skating, shooting, or just the overall strength of their game. Toronto cut the number of invites by about 30 from last year, so there was more time to focus on each player's specific needs.

Assessing young players in early summer isn't an exact science, either, especially when the competition doesn't include any of the Leafs' AHL prospects (the Toronto Marlies' successful Calder Cup run ended just weeks ago). But as is always the case, a contingent of players still separated themselves from the pack in both drill and scrimmage work as the week wore on. They, along with their peers, will leave Toronto with a plan from the development staff on how to reach the next level in their careers, wherever that happens to come.

10 standouts from Leafs' Development Camp

Rasmus Sandin (First Round, 29th overall, in 2018)

The highlight at most development camps is the player – or players – whom the Leafs selected in the first round of their most recent draft, and that was the case with Sandin this year. The defenceman was an eager student throughout camp, accepting and applying feedback from the surrounding stable of coaches and putting much of the council into practice during the camp’s two scrimmages. Sandin isn’t the biggest body (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) but the 18-year-old is quick and changes direction well down low, which helps make up for a less-than-imposing frame. He showed off good puck protection along the boards in both games for Team White, and playing alongside the 6-foot-8 Eemeli Rasanen, amounted to a good top tandem for the week’s winning team. Like most prospects, Sandin has work to do on aspects of his skating and needs to add more size to his frame. But Sandin will have plenty of positives to take into Team Sweden’s U-20 Showcase next month, the first step in vying for a spot on his country’s World Junior team this winter.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Third Round, 76th overall, in 2018)

The youngest player in this year’s draft, 17-year-old Der-Arguchintsev is small in stature (5-foot-10,159 pounds), but shows an aptitude for being a big-time playmaker. In both scrimmages, Der-Arguchintsev was flipping two-line passes onto the tape of a waiting stick better than anyone, and revealed good stick work of his own, especially in the offensive zone to keep Team Blue pressing. There’s no doubt – not even to him – that Der-Arguchintsev needs to put the puck on net more, and make better use of his accurate, if not especially powerful shot. His work in forward drills was also solid, putting notes on release points and net-front presence into action. The Moscow native (and friend of Leafs’ defenceman Nikita Zaitsev) will be back with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes next season.

Mac Hollowell (Fourth Round, 118th overall, in 2018)

Passed over during his first go-around in the draft last year, Hollowell had to make improvements to his defensive game in order to be more appealing the second time. Toronto clearly liked what they saw in Hollowell last season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and he showed a similar flair for improvement as development camp went on. Despite this being his second camp with the Leafs, Hollowell looked more hesitant in drills to start the week than he did by the end. And once the two teams were scrimmaging, Hollowell was even more in his element. Proving to be an adept puck thief with an active stick, Hollowell forced turnovers in neutral ice and stalled Team Blue’s attack. Aggressive off the rush, the 19-year-old sees the ice well and can feather a puck nicely through traffic. Still undersized at 5-foot-9, Hollowell will benefit from more muscle on his frame but could conceivably see time in the AHL as soon as next season.



Brady Ferguson (AHL contract, Robert Morris University)

Ferguson impressed in Thursday’s initial scrimmage with a pair of nifty goals that showed off his quick, precise release, and was sound defensively during both tilts. Unafraid to tackle the middle of the ice area, the 23-year-old was involved in seemingly every aspect of the game on each shift. Ferguson played in five games with the Toronto Marlies last season after finishing at Robert Morris, notching four assists. Ferguson has the sort of work ethic and high-character demeanour that appeals to Leafs brass, so it’s not surprising he signed an AHL deal with the Marlies earlier this month.

Fedor Gordeev (Fifth Round, 141st overall, in 2017)

Training at Toronto's facilities during the summer seems to have made a difference for Gordeev, who showed marked improvements to his game from last summer’s development camp. The biggest difference was strides in his skating, which Gordeev credited to the tutelage of Leafs’ skating development consultant Barb Underhill. Standing at 6-foot-6, mobility is a concern for Gordeev, as are the details of his skating like cutbacks and crossovers. Underhill has helped with both, and Gordeev showed more confidence on the ice because of it. During drills and scrimmages, Gordeev put his blistering point shot on display, as well as a fine-tuned playmaking sense. He set up a great scoring chance in Saturday’s scrimmage that started with retrieving a lost puck in the neutral zone, and then skating with it through the entire offensive zone before dumping the puck back to a trailing forward to put right on Zachary Bouthillier. Gordeev also bailed out Der-Arguchinstev after the forward turned over a puck, racing back in front of the net to thwart an ensuing three-on-one situation. As would be the Leafs’ hope, the specifics of Gordeev’s game appear to be more and more amplified.

Eemeli Rasanen (Second Round, 59th overall, in 2017)

Rasanen will be trading the OHL for the KHL next season in search of tougher competition, and the 6-foot-8 defender showed at development camp why he might be in need of a challenge. Last season in Kingston, Rasanen was slotted onto the team’s top defensive pairing, a move that forced the 19-year-old into improving his defensive game. That was on display at camp, where his work along the boards and in one-on-one puck battles was noticeably better than last year. With his formidable size and mean streak, Rasanen can close gaps in a hurry and exhibited stronger awareness on the ice. Still not a fast, or particularly lithe skater, Rasanen will get a different kind of education playing against men in the KHL, one that will give the Leafs more clarity on when they want to extend an entry-level deal.

Sean Durzi (Second Round, 52nd overall, in 2018)

Entering his second straight development camp with the Leafs, this time as a draftee rather than invite, Durzi didn’t show any less hustle than he did gunning for a contract last summer. The Mississauga product was relentless during drills, not just while in action but in eliciting feedback and putting it to use. Showing a high proficiency on the offensive side and good possession once scrimmages began, Durzi was flying around after loose pucks, jumping into the rush and keeping play alive. But one of Durzi’s real strengths is his smarts and ability to read the situation in deciding when to attack and when to hang back. The 19-year-old does have a fine shot, but uses it more from close range than the point. He will be eyeing an entry-level deal and potentially playing in the AHL next season.

Brett Neumann (Free Agent Invite, Kingston Frontenacs)

It would be tough to argue anyone at development camp worked harder than Neumann. Whether participating in yet another shooting drill or charging towards the net in scrimmages, the centre battled at 100 per cent in every opportunity given. A native of the Toronto area, Neumann is a smaller forward (5-foot-8, 166 pounds) who plays a high-pace, high-energy game. To compete against players who are as much as a foot taller than him, Neumann tries outmuscling them with speed and playmaking sense. In Saturday’s scrimmage, he was crashing Team White’s crease looking for loose pucks to pocket, and won his fair share of foot races for the puck. At 19-years-old, Neumann is likely headed back to the OHL for his fourth season in the league.

Zachary Bouthillier (Seventh Round, 209th overall, in 2018)

Goaltenders are harder to assess at development camp since they work on their own with goalie coaches and the drills are more condensed than those of forwards and defencemen. But at least in the two scrimmages, Bouthillier really stood out among his three peers in camp. The 18-year-old didn’t shy away from challenging skaters around his crease and tracked the puck really effectively through traffic in front of him. At times he was less than efficient using his body to get in front of the play but still found a way to keep the puck out of Team White’s net. At 6-foot-2, 186 pounds, Bouthillier will need (and have) plenty of time to fill out his frame wherever he lands next season (he played the last two years in the QMJHL). At least in competition against fellow prospects, Bouthillier made a solid first impression at camp as he backstopped Team White to a pair of victories in the week’s scrimmage action.

David Levin (Free Agent Invite, Sudbury Wolves)

Hailing from Tel-Aviv, Israel and a former first-overall pick in the OHL draft back in 2015, Levin was passed over in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft after a knee injury limited him to 46 games with the last-place Wolves. But if development camp was any indication, Levin certainly hasn't been dissuaded from striving towards a future in hockey. Noticeably rawer than other 18-year-olds in the camp, Levin’s lack of comparative polish can be attributed to the fact he didn’t even start skating until age 12, but he’s still a proficient playmaker in the offensive zone and his stickhandling is fairly strong. For Levin, developing more confidence with the puck (he’s a clear pass-first winger) and showing more consistency in his total game will be key to getting on teams’ radar for next year’s draft.