herman
Well-known member
What is the psychology behind this
Ranking Prospects 2026-27
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
Bender
Well-known member
What do you mean?
herman
Well-known member
PPP: 17. William Villeneuve
This is his final year of eligibility for this list, and no longer waiver exempt, so it's make or break on all levels for Villeneuve to show he has the chops to lock down routine minutes in the NHL. Given that he didn't even play top dog minutes for the Marlies, I'd say the ship has basically sailed. Without the skating and without any real standout skill/tool that might carve out a specialist position, I think he passes through waivers with relative ease. He's kind of only still there by virtue of being a righty that will at least try to make a play with the puck.
TLN/DFO:
6. Ethan MacKenzie
The Leafs scouting staff must've got some good looks at MacKenzie while they were monitoring Holinka's progress on the Oil Kings because they made a nice pick this past June to make sure the twice overager didn't get past them. There's a Jake McCabe-y vibe to his game, possibly with better wheels, albeit not close to McCabe's full strength. Defense with suffocating gap control is his calling card, but he can definitely keep plays going for higher offensive lines at the other end of the ice as well.
5. Alexander Bilecki
Bilecki was picked ahead of MacKenzie using draft capital from the Laughton trade to LA. Bilecki is a Memorial Cup winner with the Kitchener Rangers (along with former Leafs pick Matthew Hlacar) and is touted as a mobile puck moving LD.
McKeen's:
Not quite as polished as the older MacKenzie who was drafted 9 picks after, it's clear the Leafs consider his ceiling to be higher, and might answer the question: what if Morgan Rielly was taught how to play defense in Junior?
Fun note: Sam O'Reilly (TBL pick traded to EDM) also won the Memorial Cup this year, after winning in the previous season with the Knights/Cowan.
This is his final year of eligibility for this list, and no longer waiver exempt, so it's make or break on all levels for Villeneuve to show he has the chops to lock down routine minutes in the NHL. Given that he didn't even play top dog minutes for the Marlies, I'd say the ship has basically sailed. Without the skating and without any real standout skill/tool that might carve out a specialist position, I think he passes through waivers with relative ease. He's kind of only still there by virtue of being a righty that will at least try to make a play with the puck.
TLN/DFO:
6. Ethan MacKenzie
The Leafs scouting staff must've got some good looks at MacKenzie while they were monitoring Holinka's progress on the Oil Kings because they made a nice pick this past June to make sure the twice overager didn't get past them. There's a Jake McCabe-y vibe to his game, possibly with better wheels, albeit not close to McCabe's full strength. Defense with suffocating gap control is his calling card, but he can definitely keep plays going for higher offensive lines at the other end of the ice as well.
5. Alexander Bilecki
Bilecki was picked ahead of MacKenzie using draft capital from the Laughton trade to LA. Bilecki is a Memorial Cup winner with the Kitchener Rangers (along with former Leafs pick Matthew Hlacar) and is touted as a mobile puck moving LD.
McKeen's:
Not quite as polished as the older MacKenzie who was drafted 9 picks after, it's clear the Leafs consider his ceiling to be higher, and might answer the question: what if Morgan Rielly was taught how to play defense in Junior?
Fun note: Sam O'Reilly (TBL pick traded to EDM) also won the Memorial Cup this year, after winning in the previous season with the Knights/Cowan.
