The Toronto Maple Leafs organization has been busy lately, as they just signed five players to their AHL squad.
These players are a mix of veterans, designed to help lead the Marlies, and prospects, who could potentially crack the Maple Leafs lineup one day. Lets take a look at each of them individually.
Robert Mastrosimone
Perhaps the most intriguing player of the group is 23-year-old forward Robert Mastrosimone, who spent last year with the Marlies and recorded 15 points in 25 games. He is listed at just 5’10” 170 pounds according to Elite Prospects, but he has some pedigree as a former 2nd round pick of the Detroit Red Wings. He also had a rather successful NCAA career where he shined in his senior season with Arizona state University where he scored 42 points in 38 games during the 2022-23 season. His size will always make his path to the NHL difficult, but if any of these players have the skill for it, it is Mastrosimone.
Joseph Blandisi
Nest we have 30-year-old veteran forward Joseph Blandisi. Blandisi is a familiar name for Marlies fans as he has spent the last three seasons with the club, even serving as an alternate captain last year. He is a proven scorer at the AHL level and even has some NHL experience, although his last NHL game came during the 2019-20 season. He figures to be part of the Marlies’ core leadership group this season. He should continue to serve as a mentor for the younger players on the team while leading by example both on and off the ice.
Zach Solow
Solow, 25, has established himself as a career AHL/ECHL type player. However, last season was a bit of a breakout year for him as he stayed with the Marlies for the entire season, registering 26 points in 66 games as well as 132 penalty minutes. He will be hoping for another year of stability within the organization and figures to be a depth forward. At this point though, it is pretty clear that he does not figure into the Leafs long-term plans at the NHL level.
Matteo Pietroniro
Matteo Pietroniro is a 25-year-old blueliner who stands at 6’1″. He’s bounced around the world in the past few years, primarily within the North American system playing in the ECHL and AHL, but he also spent two seasons in Europe, one in the top tier Finnish pro league where he recorded 2 points in 21 games, and one in Italy, where he actually holds dual citizenship, alongside his US residence. Since then he has been back in North America and was a regular for the Marlies last season, appearing in 40 games.
Tommy Miller
Tommy Miller, re-signed by the Marlies this summer, has been a regular in the lineup for the past two seasons. In the 2022-23 season he split time between the Marlies and Growlers of the ECHL, appearing in 40 games at the AHL level. Last season he spent the entire year with Toronto, but dealt with injuries that limited him to 44 contests. he had 5 points and was a plus 18, with just 12 penalty minutes. He also recorded 2 assists in two playoffs appearances.
Ryan McCleary
Finally, that brings us to Ryan McCleary. The 21-year-old is a big blueliner, standing at 6’3″ and perhaps more importantly, he shoots right. He was a 7th round draft pick of the Penguins back in 2021 and spent last season with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL where he recorded 36 points in 56 games. He will likely never be a game changer at the NHL, but unlike many of the players signed today, he has a legitimate path to the NHL. After all, big, right-handed defenders are hard to come by, and clearly scouts have seen some potential in his game.
None of these players will play for the Leafs this season unless there are some serious injury problems. That being said, a couple of these guys have a chance to make it if they stick around long enough. Be sure to keep an eye on their development as it will impact their future in the sport.
Discussion about this post