The NCAA free agent signing period is underway – and the Toronto Maple Leafs have made their first move.
The club has always been interested in the college UFA market, having signed Jacob Quillan out of Quinnipiac University last year. This year, they’ve started things off by snagging left-handed defender John Prokop from Union College. Prokop was considered by many to be one of the top college free agent defenders on the market, albeit in a weaker market overall.
Prokop was initially eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, but was coming off an unremarkable season between the USHL’s Omaha Lancers and NAHL’s Janesville Jets. He then split the following year between Muskegon and Green Bay in the USHL before finishing off with two years at Des Moines. Overall, he had just four goals and 40 points in 170 games – he was hardly an offensive standout.
What did stand out, though, was his 6-foot-3 frame. And if he could mix in other elements of his game to take that next step forward, there’d be a chance for him to have a decent pro career. Immediately, he made an impact with Union, scoring four goals and 23 points in 35 games. The following season, Prokop led the school in scoring with eight goals and 35 points – nearly tying his four-year USHL output. He wasn’t able to match that output this season on a weaker Union squad, but he still had 27 points to finish sixth in team scoring.
Prokop’s improved offensive production earned him a Vegas Golden Knights development camp invite last year. Suddenly, teams were zoning in on the 23-year-old junior player despite having another year of college eligibility left.
To be clear, most college UFAs turn out to be depth players at best, and Prokop is no different. Fortunately, he’s more rounded than many other blueliners available this year. Many scouts don’t expect him to be an offensive defenceman at the next level but more of a shutdown guy. That’s partly because Prokop’s offensive game is more about straight-line, simple moves and less dynamicism. He can be creative at times but predictable all the same. At the very least, he knows how to defend well in his own zone and take time and space away.
The good thing here is that there’s still plenty of upside. Prokop plays a physical game, and he seems absolutely fearless. He’s also a solid skater for his size, especially on the back check. Once he figured out how to exploit college teams to create offence, we really saw his ability to skate and control the play. His decision-making with the puck and his ability to read plays at speed will need to improve. But plenty of time in the AHL will help with that.
Some scouts wondered if another year in college could help him really build upon his ability to beat players with more advanced plays, especially with the puck. But, in the end, he’ll be better served defending against stronger and faster players in the AHL.
For the most part, this is a low-risk depth add. Prokop likely won’t be an NHLer in any meaningful capacity, at least not for a while. But he’ll be 24 in May, meaning he’ll be much farther along in his development than most in Toronto’s system. The Maple Leafs don’t have a ton of defensive depth, and Prokop gives them someone with decent pro ability and hockey smarts. There’s an argument that he has a better chance at being an NHLer than, say, Cade Webber.
This was a good signing for Toronto. Even if he doesn’t pan out, having more defensive depth is never a bad thing. Dakota Mermis, William Villeneuve, Mikko Kokkonen and Nicolas Mattinen need new deals this summer, so there could be some openings with the Marlies. That’s where he’ll start his pro career in the coming days as he looks to get accustomed to the higher pace and skill.
From there, we’ll see how Prokop performs in training camp. Being an older prospect means there’s less development runway – what you see is what you get. But he’s got the traits you’re looking for out of a college signing that you hope can at least make an impact in the AHL.
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