Toronto Maple Leafs: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so older players are not eligible for discussion.

In this piece, we finish up the Atlantic Division with the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are hoping to break their first round curse this year and when looking at their roster, there is certainly plenty to be optimistic about. These two players also appear to be potential breakout candidates heading into the season. There will also be some honorable mentions worth addressing, too.

Rasmus Sandin D: This could be a big year for young defenseman Rasmus Sandin. The 2018 first-round pick appeared in just nine games this past season with the Leafs, but had four assists. In two NHL seasons, he has a goal and 12 points in 37 games. This should not only be the season where Sandin becomes a mainstay in their top-six, but also given more chances on the power play and penalty kill. The development of Sandin is crucial moving forward, as Morgan Reilly could end up being an unrestricted free agent next off-season. Many believe Sandin has a lot of potential, so now is the time that he may reach it.

Adam Brooks C: Adam Brooks is a very interesting player heading into this season. He scored four goals and added an assist in 11 games with the Leafs this past season. The 25-year-old center may be on the older side of potential breakout candidates, but he did impress in his small sample size. Perhaps this season he will cement himself a spot in the team's bottom-six. He's a player to keep an eye on moving forward.

Honorable Mentions: In our previous prospect piece, we looked at Nick Robertson and Timothy Liljegren. Due to this, it felt necessary to discuss two other players in this one, even if they are definitely breakout candidates as well. Furthermore, Nick Ritchie could see his offense go up if given the chance to play in the top-six. He may be on a line with either Auston Matthews and John Tavares, which would surely benefit him.

Check out our previous piece on the Tampa Lightning here. In our next one, we will be starting the Central Division with the Arizona Coyotes.