Rasmus Sandin is the Leafs 2nd ranked prospect

At this point in the prospect rankings, we are now talking about players who are on the fringes of a full-time role in the NHL after making headways in their early days in the best hockey league on the planet. @Rasmus Sandin one such player, who was forced into playing meaningful minutes for a Leafs team riddled with injuries from January until the season was put on pause and showed promise in his 22 games during the second half.

Despite not suiting up during the Leafs series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the future remains bright for Sandin and he now has a legitimate shot at cracking the Leafs lineup to begin the 2020-21 campaign. Judging by how quickly he’s flown through the farm system, it’s impressive that he has put himself in this position at such a young age.

Position: Defence

Age: 20

Height: 5’11

Weight: 183 lbs

Drafted: 2018 1st round, 29th overall

Sandin is a defenseman that likes to get involved in the offensive drive but also makes smart decisions in the defensive end. This has been the case throughout his development and he is modelling into the ideal type of defender that can find success in today’s NHL. Meaning he’s a great passer, can move around the ice well, has solid hockey-IQ, and covers his man with ease.

As his confidence continues to grow, so too will his minutes and responsibilities on a nightly basis. This will mean wonders for a Leafs team that has had trouble throughout the years to develop quality defenceman internally. With @Morgan Rielly’s future in Toronto uncertain and @Travis Dermott still trying to fine-tune his game, Sandin appears to be in line to one become the Leafs’ top defender if all goes according to plan.

By no means is Sandin a finished product as there remain some areas of growth that he needs to work on before he can successfully be implanted into the lineup for good. His decision making when he doesn’t have the puck has to improve since NHLers react differently to resistance compared to AHLers. Adjusting to the different playstyles will come with time and experience, so giving him reps will be key to his development.

Another thing Sandin needs to work on is bulking up a bit so he has better success at one-on-one battles and can more easily muscle off players to either retrieve loose pucks or protect it. There were numerous instances last season where this negatively affected the Leafs which resulted in either extended time in the defensive end or a goal against. It might be a reason why Sandin did not suit up in a single game against a Blue Jackets team that is riddled with big-bodied players.

In spite of his weaknesses, there is a lot to like about what Sandin provides to the Leafs from an on-ice perspective and he is just getting started.

This past season saw Sandin split time between the Leafs and Marlies, resulting in a productive year from an offensive standpoint. In only 21 AHL games, he posted two goals, 13 assists, and 15 points. It equates to a 0.71 PPG rate, which is impressive given that he missed Marlies action due to the aforementioned call-up and spending time with Sweden at the 2020 WJC on route to a bronze medal finish.

With the Leafs, he recorded eight points in 28 games, with six of them coming during his second stint with the team from January 14 onward. Sandin did see his minutes go down as the season progressed but the fact Toronto was willing to burn the first year of his entry-level deal shows how much faith they have in him (and that the team was hampered with injuries).

His underlying metrics were also promising as he posted a 55.06 CF%, a 49.81 xGF%, a 53.82 SCF%, and a 45.64 HDCF% at even strength. The stats back up that Sandin did reasonably well during his two stints with the team in spite of a lack of production and should be on track to land a bigger role soon.

In spite of moving around a lot throughout the 2019-20 campaign, it’s safe to say that Sandin played well this past season and is getting closer to finding stability in his playing time and role within the organization.

Given just how vital he is to the team’s long-term success defensively, where Sandin plays will be one of the Leafs’ top priorities heading into 2021. There is a lot of competition for defensive slots with him going up against players like Dermott, @Mikko Lehtonen, and @Zach Bogosian for full-time jobs on the team. Should he not crack the opening night roster, then the best place for Sandin to play would be the Marlies under the assumption that they do get to play. Should the NHL implement a taxi squad system, Sandin would also be a prime candidate to grab a spot and swap into the lineup later on in the year.

At 20-years-old, Sandin still has a lot of runway for further growth and refine the weakness in his game. While he moves the puck well and is a great skater, he could benefit from bulking up a bit and improving his decision making away from the puck. These small areas of improvement are typical of a young defenceman who is trying to figure out how to thrive in the NHL.

With that in mind, the Leafs should not be in any rush to fast-track him to the big leagues unless he surprises at training camp enough to earn a spot in the lineup or the injury bug hits Toronto hard once again. So with that in mind, don’t be too shocked if Sandin doesn’t land a full-time role with the team until the 2021-22 campaign.

No matter what happens this coming season, Sandin remains on track to become one of the Leafs’ key defenders and the fact he’s in the conversation to crack the lineup is a testament to how well his development has gone so far. He is well-deserving of the silver medal on TLN’s prospect ranking.