The Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospects had a better result after losing their first game of the Prospect Showdown in Montreal to the Ottawa Senators.
Toronto opted for an 11-forward and seven defensemen lineup for Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. Easton Cowan was among the players not in the lineup for game two as he prepares for Maple Leafs training camp beginning next week.
Ryan Kirwan and Luke Haymes each found the back of the net for Toronto. Both had a goal in their first game against the Senators on Saturday. Ryan Tverberg scored the Maple Leafs’ third goal, off a pass from Jacob Quillan. Tverberg added an empty-netter, giving Toronto the 4-1 win.
Vyacheslav Peksa stopped 36 of 37 shots, giving the prospects something to be happy about as they head home.
Despite the split weekend, there were a bunch of players who stood out. Here are a few of my takeaways from the Maple Leafs’ second game of the Prospect Showdown:
The AHL-signed forward was quite engaged in Toronto’s first game against Ottawa, and upped the energy against Montreal.
Sim fought twice during the pair of games this weekend and was a part of a couple of extended shifts in Montreal’s zone. I didn’t have many expectations for the forward coming into the tournament as a Marlies-signed player, but he caught my eye a lot.
He had a shift in the offensive zone midway through the second period, where he worked tirelessly for the puck. Sim threw his body around, too, which will obviously bode well for how his teammates see him ahead of his first pro season.
After 12 goals and 15 points in 17 games with the OHL’s London Knights during the playoffs in the spring, Sim appears to be an intriguing project for the Maple Leafs’ development staff entering the 2025-26 season.
Haymes added more points to his total before heading back to Toronto for Maple Leafs training camp next week.
The 22-year-old tallied another two points (a goal, as mentioned) and an assist on Kirwan’s first-period goal. After he won the faceoff, Maple Leafs 2025 fifth-round pick Harry Nansi fed Kirwan the puck, and he wired a shot into the back of the net.
It feels as though Haymes’ play rose along with the competition. He did it in the AHL — scoring two goals and six points in his first nine games of pro — and he’s done it again at the prospect tournament.
Haymes finished with two goals and two assists, making him one of the top-producing Maple Leafs prospects, alongside Kirwan, at the Prospect Showdown this weekend.
After struggling in his first season of North American hockey in 2023-24 with the Newfoundland Growlers, Peksa appeared to find his footing with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones this past season.
The 23-year-old Russian-born goaltender had 12 wins and a .904 save percentage through 32 games with Cincinnati. He also had a cup of coffee in the AHL with the Marlies, registering an .878 save percentage in two AHL games.
There was excitement when the goaltender first came to Canada, following a career season with Bars Kazan of the VHL (Russia’s version of the AHL). A strong showing against the Canadiens’ prospects on Sunday, which included several great stops, should set him up to be confident heading into Maple Leafs training camp before likely heading back to the ECHL for his third season.
– Harry Nansi utilized his size and playmaking ability in what was his only game of the Prospect Showdown. He, of course, had an assist on Kirwan’s goal, but also found Tyler Hopkins later in the game for a scoring chance. He appears to be a more confident player since watching him at development camp earlier this summer.
– Miroslav Holinka had another strong showing in game two. The forward was on the top line with Quillan and Tverberg, and had plenty of opportunity to showcase his hands and puck protection. He began the play on Quillan’s goal, keeping the puck away from Adam Engstrom, before dishing it up to the point. Holinka is a fascinating project for Toronto, and could be someone who sees the NHL in the future.
– Quillan and Kirwan had strong games again. Quillan, of course, had a strong back half of the year with the Marlies, which likely gave him confidence coming into prospect camp. The confidence definitely went up a notch after these two games, just in time for him to try and impress Toronto’s coaching staff at training camp. Kirwan, similar to a few of the other prospects mentioned, could be an interesting prospect to keep an eye on.
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