Two Sleeper Prospects Poised to Break Into Maple Leafs Roster Next Season

If the Maple Leafs are going to have a new look roster next year, they should certainly do their due diligence and use training and development camp to see if any of their Marlies talents are ready to make the jump next year.

Names like Alex Steeves, Reese Johnson and Cade Webber could all make moves as potential new faces, but if the team wanted to solidify two key pieces, they should look at seriously consider Jacob Quillan and William Villeneuve.

Adding both Quillan and Villeneuve would give Toronto two things they need: A young defensively sound forward (who can play both wing and center) with offensive upside on their fourth line, and a puck moving right-handed defenseman on the back end.

Given that Quillan already has experience with the Maple Leafs should give him an edge to come onto the club come next season, especially if the team gets rid of names like Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf; he could easily slide in for one of them.

He's a jack of all trades it seems. He's speedy, and can cause chaos with offensive zone entries, he crashes the net, he's got a good shot, and doesn't mind getting down and dirty defensively.

A hero at Quinnipiac University, where he helped bring them their first Frozen Four Championship in school history, he can always be counted on to win a face-off, kill a penalty, or just be involved at any opportunity.

This season with the Marlies, he skated in 67 games and registered 37 points (18G, 19A) while also getting to play in one game with the Maple Leafs, registering no points.

Villeneuve on the other hand is a very interesting prospect. A very smooth handed puck-mover, he isn't shy about quarterbacking a play and giving his team a chance to score with smart decisions, good positioning and a keen hockey sense.

He's not as big as some would hope at only 6'2, 183-pounds, and he might need to bulk up this summer if he wants to hang with Craig Berube's defense, but his offensive upside is intriguing, especially for a team lacking a true playmaker on defense outside of Morgan Rielly.

He registered 40 points in 55 games (4G, 36A) and has a total of 90 points (9G, 81A) over his last three seasons (163 games).

That's very solid production especially considering guys like Topi Niemala, Marshall Rifai, and Mikko Kokkonen; players who have been in the system awhile but have never shown much improvement, and Villenueve outplayed them all.

If the Leafs are going to admit they are going through a transition year because of the Mitch Marner situation it makes a lot of sense.

Adding Quillan and Villenueve would allow Toronto to feel comfortable dumping salary like Kampf, and letting go of players like Niemala and Rifai in trades, and not re-signing Dakota Mermis or Jani Hakanpaa.

Putting Quillan as your fourth line center could give Toronto some more offensive depth, and he could find chemistry with Pontus Holmberg and a re-signed Steven Lorentz; he's good enough defensively and can carry the offense when needed.

Villeneuve would more than likely be a seventh defender given that Berube is pretty set on his current lineup.

But having him available to switch out at a moment's notice for someone like Simon Benoit or Oliver-Ekman Larsson is a huge help if Berube struggles for offense.

Plus, they need to at least see what they can offer, and if the Leafs don't think they have room for them in their future plans, at least audition them a bit to teams who do and get the assets you do want.

So give the young kids a chance, they might surprise you.