The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have a deep prospect pool. Instead, they have a few big names to watch. Easton Cowan is the forward everyone has their eye on as the skilled player was recently sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) while William Villenueve is the two-way defenseman having a great season on the Toronto Marlies. Then there’s a rookie in the AHL named Borya Valis who is slowly becoming a name to watch.
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Valis is in his first season with the Marlies and is already establishing himself as one of their top players. His goal in the Nov. 5 Wednesday night game fueled the comeback win, where they trailed 3-0 and won 4-3 in overtime. It ignited the offense in the third period and showed that the Marlies go as he does.
“He’s not afraid, he wants to be good, and he’s still young,” Marlies head coach John Gruden noted after the recent win. Valis is a prospect on the rise, and if he keeps working on his game, he’ll make an impact with the Maple Leafs soon enough.
Valis As a Scorer
Through the first 10 games, Valis has five goals and two assists. Stats don’t tell the full story but it’s indicative that he’s a scorer first and a passer second. The same is true about his style of play, where he’s looking for the goal every time he touches the puck. Valis has the scoring instincts and knows how to find the back of the net.
It’s hard for a rookie to make an impact in the AHL. Yet, that’s what Valis is doing on the offensive end. He finds the open looks and the areas where he can score and does just that. It’s how he scored twice in a 2-1 overtime win over the Belleville Senators as he picked apart the opposing goaltender with his shooting.
Diving deeper, Valis knows where his bread is buttered. “He’s got a knack for the net,” Gruden added after the latest game. Valis skates to the dirty areas and finishes scoring chances near the net. It’s how he scored against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in the recent game.
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At 6-foot-2 and weighing 204 pounds, Valis has the build of a power forward. He’s also shown the skill to be one as well, and not just an enforcer or the modern-day version of that. Valis looks a lot like Anders Lee, a player Gruden coached when he was an assistant with the New York Islanders, and he saw the parallels as a bigger forward who can skate as well.
Maple Leafs Can Use His Style of Play
The Maple Leafs have a great offense, and the forward unit is typically regarded as their strength (even with the Mitch Marner departure). That said, they struggled to find that physical scoring presence when they needed it. And they usually need it in the playoffs, which partially explains why they’ve come up short in the playoffs.
They keep searching for goals in the dirty areas and fail to get them. Valis is the type of forward who can provide that. He has a great shot but has a willingness to play through the hits and score in the dangerous ice.
By the time Valis is making an impact in the NHL, the Maple Leafs will probably be a different team. The core will be older, and there’s a good chance the championship window will be closed. That said, Valis looks like a key part of the next wave of talented forwards and can be part of the new Leafs identity.
Give Valis Time But The Upside is High
Valis, while exciting, is still a work in progress. His start in the AHL has seen a few big goals but this league is known for humbling scorers and making their NHL teams forget about them. Valis has a lot to work on.
He’s a 21-year-old who went undrafted, yet after spending multiple seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and playing on the same team as Connor Bedard for two of them, he’s starting to find his strengths.
Now, it’s about working on his weaknesses. “He’s got the size and could skate, so it’s a good start for him but there’s still work to do,” Gruden added about his top forward prospect. Valis must prove he can also set up scoring chances consistently and, more importantly, prove he can drive the play instead of waiting for the puck to find him.
Maple Leafs Will Need More From Valis
The Marlies are hovering around the .500 mark to start the season and have been bailed out a few times by Valis. His two-goal performance led them to an early-season win over the Senators, and his goal against the Penguins ignited the third-period comeback.
The reality is that the Maple Leafs need him to look like an NHLer. His start is a good sign, and now, it’s about putting together a season that proves he belongs at the next level. As of now, he’s a story for hockey fans everywhere to cheer for.
It’s not bad for an undrafted kid who spent five years in the WHL to finally make it to the AHL. It’s another to see that player become the top scorer for the Marlies. There’s a chance Valis becomes a great scorer for the Maple Leafs and is one for years to come.
