Leafs prospect expected to challenge for a roster spot this fall; it's not who you think either
There is expected to be fierce competition at Leafs training camp this fall and with so many UFAs and RFAs potentially walking this summer, it's really anyone's guess what next year's roster might look like. We do know that the Leafs are expected to be active during free agency this summer, but we don't yet know who they're in on and I think a lot of it will hinge on what happens with Jack Campbell and how those negotiations go.
Assuming that Campbell signs and that the dollar figure is in excess of $4M per season, the Leafs are really going to have to get creative to fit a competitive roster under the cap. One way to do that is to allow a few of their own prospects to make the full time jump to the NHL next season, as entry-level contracts are inexpensive and can provide the Leafs with a ton of flexibility, particularly with those who are waivers exempt.
We're all expecting that 2019 2nd round pick Nick Robertson to finally make the full-time jump to the NHL next season, but one prospect who has caught the eye of Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is 5'11, 180-pound Swedish foward Pontus Holmberg.
Holmberg, a 2018 6th round pick by the Leafs (156th overall), has had a development curve that has far exceeded everyone's expectations and after winning a Swedish Hockey League Championship with Vaxjo HC in 2020-21, the 23-year-old forward followed that up by nearly doubling his point totals from the year before, producing at nearly a point per game with 41 points in 46 games before coming over to North America and notching 4 points in 6 games for the AHL's Toronto Marlies this past season.
Dubas mentioned during the Leafs' season-ending press conference that he fully expects Holmberg to be among those who will challenge for a roster spot at training camp in September. The Vasteras, Sweden native can play both left wing and center, which bodes well for him, as Sheldon Keefe and the Leafs' coaching staff seem to love versatile players who can play multiple positions.
There should be plenty of competition for Holmberg, with the aforementioned Nick Robertson along with Alex Steeves, Joey Anderson, Pavel Gogolev, Mikhail Abramov, Curtis Douglas and potentially even 19-year-old Dimitri Ovchinnikov all competing for a very limited number of spots in the Leafs' lineup.
| POLL | ||
MAI 21 | 95 ANSWERS Leafs prospect expected to challenge for a roster spot this fall; it's not who you think either Will Pontus Holmberg grab ahold of a roster spot at training camp this fall? | ||
| Yes | 41 | 43.2 % |
| No | 34 | 35.8 % |
| Who? | 20 | 21.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
