Leafs prospect Jeremy Bracco is a Memorial Cup Champion, has three points in final

For the second straight year, a key Leafs prospect was a key player on the Memorial Cup Champion team.

With a 4-3 victory over the Erie Otters, Jeremy Bracco’s Windsor Spitfires won their 3rd Memorial Cup in a back and forth game, that could have… wait for it… gone either way. Bracco opened the scoring in the first period, as well has having picked up assists on the (4-3) game winning goal and the 2-2 marker.

His goal:

And the winner:

The game was easily an instant classic, with no team holding more than a one-goal lead at any point. If you missed it, make sure to catch the highlight reel tonight as those two GIFs don’t do it any justice.

It was the first Memorial Cup final to feature two OHL teams since 1993. Windsor made their way as tournament hosts, while Erie won the OHL this year to earn their spot. Tough luck, Otters.

Bracco finished the tournament with 3 goals and 5 assists in four games.

The win comes a year after 2015 4th overall pick Mitch Marner’s 14 points in 4 games as he won Memorial Cup MVP. Marner then turned into a good NHLer.

While it’s no certainty where Bracco will end up next season, he definitely impressed while on junior hockey’s biggest stage.

Bracco was initially traded for a package that included: winger Cole Carter, defenceman Andrew Burns, Windsor’s 2^nd round pick in 2023, a 2^nd round pick in 2024, and a conditional 2^nd round pick in 2025.

It’s safe to say that trade paid off in spades.

If it’s your thing, Coyotes prospect and 2015 3rd overall pick Dylan Strome was on the losing side… though he was named tournament MVP.

See you in September, junior hockey. If the teenagers are done playing hockey, I guess this means we’re one step closer to the NHL draft.