Former Toronto Maple Leafs star Gary Roberts has a son in the OHL, and Sam Roberts could very well be a project winger that the Leafs can keep some tabs on.
Sam Roberts is currently in his second OHL season and is already dealing with some adversity. Just seven games into his campaign with the Oshawa Generals, Roberts was traded to the Brantford Bulldogs.
The 17-year-old 6-foot-1 winger has played nine games with his new team and has scored three goals. This gives him a total of six points in his first 16 games this season. It's impressive when you consider he only had four goals and nine points in 55 games during his rookie campaign.
At 6-foot-1 and 186 pounds, Roberts has a similar frame to his famous father, and he is only going to keep growing over the next couple of years.
While Roberts is not being touted as a top prospect just yet, he is certainly somebody who could be considered a project winger in the next few years.
The forward will turn 18 in May, and this means NHL teams will have to take a look at him very soon. Scouts will be attending more and more Bulldogs games, and the Leafs could potentially be one of the interested parties.
Gary Roberts was a phenomenal player with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and having his son within the organization could keep tradition alive and well.
What is Sam Roberts' potential?
Ultimately, there is no telling what Roberts' potential is. His numbers don't jump off the page right now, which makes you wonder if he is a real NHL prospect.
However, you could have said the same for Harry Nansi. Ever since being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nansi has gone from being a one point every three games player to a near point-per-game guy.
This just goes to show that once you enter your third year of OHL hockey, there is potential to make a massive leap. It's something to think about heading into Roberts' draft year.
It is still early in the year, so it's a bit premature to predict where certain players will end up in the draft. The fact remains that there are plenty of gems out there with real NHL potential, ready to be unlocked.
Do you believe Sam Roberts is going to make the NHL some day?
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