Maple Leafs Draft Review Part 2: 2016 draft class

In Part 2 of this series, we look at how the Maple Leafs’ picks in the 2016 NHL Draft have fared. When it starts with Auston Matthews, things can’t be too bad.

This was it. The year in which the Toronto Maple Leafs’ fortunes really turned around. For years, the Leafs were looking for a No. 1 center and never found one. It’s amazing what finishing in last in the right year can do for a team.

Beyond Auston Matthews, who else did the Leafs get? Well, there are two potentially useful players down the line, and a few maybes. However, in a draft in which the Leafs had 11 picks, four players have not been retained.

Let’s look at what the Leafs did in 2016?

Auston Matthews, C

Drafted: 1st Overall (First Round)

What is there really to say? He scored four goals in his first NHL game. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie in 2017. He has 74 goals in his first two seasons. That number would be even higher if he didn’t run into injury trouble in his sophomore season. He will probably be the Maple Leafs captain either this season or next.

The Leafs have their superstar. More importantly, the Leafs have an elite No. 1 center that every successful team needs.

Yegor Korshkov, RW

Drafted: 31st Overall (Second Round)

When the Maple Leafs announced Korshkov as their first pick of the second round pick, “Who?” was a common response. This was the highest that the Leafs had ever drafted a Russian player. Things actually looked good going into his first post-draft season but he suffered a broken leg in December of 2016. He still managed to outscore his previous season in five less games by six points.

He had eight goals and 26 points in 51 games with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv last season. It looks like he’ll be staying there for at least another season,

Carl Grundstrom, LW

Drafted: 57th Overall (Second Round)

Grundstrom has primarily been playing for Frolunda of the SHL the past two season, where he has 44 points in 80 total regular season games. He was also a standout at the 2017 World Juniors for Sweden.

He joined the Marlies after Frolunda’s season last season ended. He had a goal and three points in two regular season games. He then had eight goals and 14 points playing alongside Andreas Johnsson and Miro Aaltonen. It’s a longshot, but he could earn a spot on the fourth line next season.

Joseph Woll, G

Drafted: 62nd Overall (Third Round)

He may be hidden all the depth the Leafs have at the goalie position, but Woll could very well be goalie of the future. He already has Bronze and Gold Medals at World Junior Championships. He has save percentages of .913 and .915 in the past two seasons for Boston College.

Woll still has two seasons to go for BC, but by that time he could battle for the starting job for the Marlies. With Andersen still having three years left on his contract and Garret Sparks, Calvin Pickard and Kasmir Kaskisuo ahead of him, Woll has the time he needs to develop.

J.D. Greenway, D

Drafted: 72nd Overall (Third Round)

Greenway spent the past seasons at the University of Wisconsin, where he had 10 points in 46 total games. However, he has decided to play in the USHL next season. Originally, his USHL rights were held by the Chicago Steel but they were traded to the Dubuque Fighting Saints for four players and a draft pick.

That return shows that Greenway, the younger brother of Minnesota Wild prospect Jordan, is pretty sought after and could be on the Marlies sooner rather than later. He can only play one season in the USHL, so its maybe its in the 2019-20 season.

Adam Brooks, C

Drafted: 92nd Overall (Fourth Round)

Like Stephen Desrocher in 2015, Brooks was drafted as 19-year-old out of the Regina Pats. He played his overage season with Regina, where he served as the captain and had 43 goals and 130 points in 66 games.

He joined the Marlies last season and got off to a slow start. He came into his own as the season went on and finished the season with eight goals and 19 points in 57 games. Brooks could move up in the Marlies depth chart if Miro Aaltonen wins a spot on the Leafs.

Keaton Middleton, D

Drafted: 101st Overall (Fourth Round)

Middleton looked to be drafted for his size and not much else. In his two post-draft seasons, the defenseman had eight goals and 42 points while serving as the Saginaw Spirit’s captain. Obviously, he didn’t do enough to have the Leafs sign him. He is re-entering the draft this year, where it’s unlikely he will be picked.

Vladimir Bobylev, LW

Drafted: 122nd Overall (Fifth Round)

The Russian winger was drafted out of the WHL’s Victoria Royals. However, he started the next season in the KHL before moving back to Victoria after 38 games. He was traded to another team in the KHL and split last season between the KHL and two of its junior leagues. He hasn’t been signed so it looks like he will re-enter the draft as well but his KHL status has confused things.

Jack Walker, LW

Drafted: 152nd Overall (Sixth Overall)

In an interesting turn of events, the Maple Leafs lost the rights to Walker last offseason due to a weird rule in the CBA. He participated in the Minnesota Wild’s training camp and split last season between the Iowa Wild and the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush.

Nicolas Mattinen, D

Drafted: 179th Overall (Sixth Round)

This was a Mark Hunter pick if there ever was one. Drafted from Hunter’s former team, the London Knights, Mattinen was a bit player when the Knights won the Memorial Cup. He was traded to the Flint Firebirds shortly before last season and then traded again, this time at the trade deadline, to the Hamilton Bulldogs. He had a bigger role with the Bulldogs and won his second OHL Championship with the team.

However, as the growing theme of this draft comes to a close, Mattinen was not retained and he will be going back into the draft. Maybe this wasn’t a coincidence that it was announced shortly after Hunter left.

Nikolai Chebykin, LW

Drafted: 182nd Overall (Seventh Round)

Chebykin has stayed in Russia ever since getting drafted, mostly playing in the VHL (KHL minor league). Since he was drafted out of Russia, the Leafs have three more years to sign him to a contract. He is likely to be back at the Maple Leafs development camp for the second time when it starts on June 25.

Next: Maple Leafs Draft Review Part 1: 2015 draft class

It’s unlikely we see Chebykin cross the Atlantic on a more permanent basis for at least another two seasons, if ever.

You can read Part 1 taking a look back at the 2015 Maple Leafs Draft class here.