Meet Nick Baptiste, the Marlies’ most intriguing reclamation project yet

It was not long ago that 23-year-old Nick Baptiste, the Toronto Marlies’ newest acquisition, was a highly touted prospect in the Buffalo Sabres’ organization.

That may seem surprising, especially considering that it was just last week that the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Baptiste from the Nashville Predators–his third team in as many years– in exchange for ‘future considerations.’ Nevertheless, it really wasn’t too long ago that Baptiste, who was selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, was making waves in both the OHL, AHL and even the NHL, for a bit.

Let’s rewind back to Baptiste’s final junior campaign.

After scoring 45 goals for the Sudbury Wolves during the 2013-2014 season, Baptiste was a hot commodity on the trade market, ahead of the OHL’s trade deadline. After suiting up for three full seasons with the Wolves, Baptiste would be dealt to the Connor-McDavid led Erie Otters in the early stages of the 2014-2015 season. It was a highly anticipated, or rather, expected move, by members of that Otters team.

McDavid wanted Baptiste on his team.

“McDavid and [Dylan Strome], throughout the year, were trying to tell the teams’ management staff to go out and get Baptiste,” one player from that 2014-2015 Otters team told The Leafs Nation. “We just kinda knew we were trying to get him. There were guys like Snapchatting him [before the deadline] like ‘are you coming? we’re going to go for [the Memorial Cup]. You gotta get here.'”

Those that were in and around the OHL at that time say it was almost a forgone conclusion that Baptiste would end up in Erie before the deadline. The Otters were determined to get him. And Baptiste would go on to provide the Otters with some bang for their buck come playoff time, recording 23 points in 20 games of postseason action.

Baptiste carried forward the momentum he garnered in junior, to the pro ranks, rather quickly. After getting his feet wet with the Rochester Americans in his rookie season (and recording 13 goals and 28 points in 62 games in his rookie season) Baptiste took his game to a whole new level in his sophomore season. During the 2016-2017 season, Baptiste evolved into a go-to player for the Americans and one of the organizations top recall options as he finished second in goals amongst all U-22 AHL skaters, with 25. That same year, he suited up for 14 NHL games and recorded six points through that span. He was starting to quickly vault up the Sabres’ depth chart.

Back then, things were on the upswing for the Ottawa native.

“To me, he was right on the verge [of being an NHL player],” said Dan Lambert, the Rochester Americans’ head coach during the 2016-2017 season. “He was right there. I thought with a little bit of experience and more refining on the details of his game— I thought he had the potential to be an everyday NHLer.”

Baptiste’s showing in his second year of pro hockey encouraged the Sabres’ brass. He’d go on to split the 2017-2018 season with Buffalo (six points in 33 GP) and Rochester (18 points in 36 GP), but failed to sustain much momentum at either level. Things started to look grim for Baptiste, who was failing to adjust in an NHL bottom-six and in with that fogging up his mind, it hindered his ability to contribute at the AHL level. He was starting to overthink.

The Sabres didn’t really know what they had in Baptiste. Was he going to be a top-six player? Was he going to be a solid bottom-six addition? Was he ever going to be able to be an NHL player consistently? They didn’t know and Baptiste’s struggles in his third year didn’t help him build a case that he was worth keeping around. And that’s why just before the 2018-2019 AHL season started, the Sabres dealt Baptiste to the Predators in exchange for defenceman Jack Dougherty.

On the surface, Nashville seemed like a pretty good opportunity for Baptiste. Early in the year, a quick glance at the Predators’ depth chart could tell you that Baptiste was at least one of the few players that would be considered for a call-up, if needed. But with the Predators looking to acquire some more offensive firepower as they prepare for their Stanley Cup run, Baptiste was getting boxed out.

He needed a fresh start and when Toronto took a flier on him, he was provided with just that.

“Things didn’t really work for me in Nashville and it’s unfortunate but I’m happy to be here,” Baptiste told reporters after his Marlies debut on February 27th. “This organization’s unbelievable.”

Baptiste is joining the Marlies at the perfect time not just for himself, but the team, too. It seems like the Marlies top contributors–like Sam Gagner, Carl Grundstrom, Mason Marchment and (probably) Trevor Moore– are departing as frequently as a airplane does out of Pearson airport.

Right off the hop, Sheldon Keefe has given Baptiste a real chance to contribute. In the two games he’s suited up thus far, he’s skated alongside Adam Brooks and Jeremy Bracco on the teams’ top line, along with getting plenty of repetitions on the power play.

The box score may not do him justice–with only one secondary assist to show for– but so far? So good.

“He’s definitely fit in nicely with [Bracco] and I,” Marlies forward Adam Brooks told reporters after the team’s 3-2 win over the Cleveland Monsters on March 2nd. “He’s a big body who can skate and has a great shot. It’s nice to get him in here and nice to be able to play with a guy like that who creates opportunity with his speed. When you lose a guy like [Moore] who does that for you every night, it’s nice to get a guy back that can do similar things.”

In Baptiste’s Marlies debut, he tallied five shots on goal–all of which were quality scoring chances–but couldn’t find the back of the net. Keefe isn’t too worried, though.

“When he’s not overthinking things and he’s a little more comfortable—those [shots] go in based on the Nick Baptiste that I know,” Keefe told reporters on February 27th. “He’s proven that in the league.”

Baptiste’s repertoire provides good reason to believe that he can help fill in the holes on the Marlies’ roster.

“He’s had a lot of chances in the two games he’s played for us and they haven’t fallen,” Keefe said. “But I think over time he’ll get comfortable and [the puck] will start to go in.”

Baptiste sure hopes he gets comfortable sooner rather than later. He knows the proof is in the pudding.

“At the end of the day, this is a result-oriented business and I’ve got to put pucks in the net,” Baptiste said.