Prospects get set to hit the ice

Matthew Barnaby Jr. enters the Maple Leafs’ prospects camp this week a bit differently than the nine players who joined the organization at the NHL draft this past weekend.

Barnaby, the son of former NHLer Matthew Barnaby, was not drafted into the NHL.

The 20-year-old Buffalo native, and the Pembroke Lumber Kings’ leading scorer the past two seasons, is instead a camp invitee. On-ice sessions begin Tuesday. Barnaby has committed to Lake Superior State University for the coming season, and given how bloodlines in baseball and hockey have drawn increased interest from media and team management this past year, Barnaby presents an interesting case for the Leafs and local hockey fans.

In an ideal world, Barnaby raises eyebrows at Toronto’s prospects camp, and elevates the club’s interest in signing him to a pro contract in the future.

That would hinge on whether Barnaby decides to play some, or all, of his four years in U.S. college hockey (once he signs a pro contract, he would forgo his college career.).

Barnaby, who joins T.J. Fergus as players in the prospects camp with NHL fathers, has time on his side in terms of his pro options. But the Leafs, who have 10 U.S. college prospects among the 46 players in camp this week, are no strangers to signing and drafting players out of the American college system.

Another interesting bloodline is 20-year-old J.D. Greenway, brother of Minnesota Wild forward Jordan Greenway, and the Leafs’ third round, 72nd overall, pick in 2016.

Goalie Joseph Woll, for instance, was selected in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Boston College, and will be one of four goalies at camp.

“With Matt, he was one of the top offensive players in our league (Central Canada Hockey League),” said Lumber Kings coach Dale McTavish, who played with the Calgary Flames in 1996-97.

Barnaby’s next stop, after this week’s prospect camp, is with Lake Superior State University. Barnaby won the Terry O’Neill leading scorer award in Pembroke this past season with 32 goals and 44 assists in 62 games — a 1.23 points per game pace that also ranked him third in CCHL scoring.

Barnaby’s hardware haul also included the Dr. Terry Olsheski Award as the team’s MVP.

Here are five players to watch in camp: 1. D Rasmus Sandin. Selected in the first round, 29th overall last weekend in Dallas. 2. D Sean Durzi. A talented skater and passer who North American Central Scouting said made the biggest jump of any player in this year’s draft. 3. LW Chris Van Os-Shaw. Another camp invitee and former Humboldt Bronco, Van OsShaw was named the 2017-18 CJHL MVP, scoring 97 points (51 goals) for the Spruce Grove Saints. 4. D Fedor Gordeev. A fifthround pick in 2017, Gordeev is the biggest player in camp — six-foot-six — and was a physical presence with Flint in the OHL last season. 5. LW Nikolai Chebykin. The 21year-old, a seventh-round pick in 2016, has size — six-foot-four — and a great release.