As we count down to the start of the Maple Leafs rookie camp next month, THN Toronto looks at the organization’s top 10 prospects in their system.

Nicholas Moldenhauer had a rather down year after placing fourth in THN Toronto’s prospect rankings last summer.

For the next 10 days — from Aug. 12 to Aug. 23 — I will highlight the top 10 prospects within the Maple Leafs organization. The rankings will be based on:

• Highest ceiling at the NHL level, under 23 years old
• Past season of play on their perspective team
• Closest to seeing an NHL game with the Maple Leafs

Nicholas Moldenhauer (Michigan, NCAA) 20, C/RW, 5-foot-10, 170lbs

There was a lot of excitement — and respectively so — after the Maple Leafs selected Moldenhauer in the third round (95th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. His puck-handling, strength, and shot were all aspects of his game that appeared strong in his final year with the Chicago Steel and in Toronto’s development camp last summer.

Maple Leafs assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser said during the 20-year-old’s second development camp that a big step for Moldenhauer will be transitioning from the USHL to college hockey.

It was bumpy at the start — only scoring nine points (three goals, six assists) in his first 18 games — but after a Christmas break that was likely filled with seeing family, his production at the University of Michigan rose.

Moldenhauer returned to school and finished the season with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 23 games, a slight uptick compared to the first half of his season.

“It was great. Just being able to play against better competition, bigger, older, stronger, faster guys was definitely good for me,” Moldenhauer told The Hockey News Toronto at Maple Leafs development camp this summer.

“I think, too, being on Michigan’s team, we had a lot of high-end guys, so just day-in and day-out, the practices, on the ice, day-to-day habits, being able to learn from some of those guys was definitely beneficial for me. I think it was a good year overall, definitely a bit of a learning curve, but it’s going to be like that moving forward.”

Patience should always be had for a player in his first year of college hockey after a few seasons in junior. It can be a lot on a person to juggle life at a new school, a step up in competition, and not one of the most relied-upon players after being so on your previous team.

“I think it’s just the style of game [that’s different from the USHL]. USHL and a lot of junior leagues is a lot of run and gun and a lot of offense off the rush. In college, it’s a lot more defensive game style and a lot of offense gets generated from the o-zone versus rush,” Moldenhauer said of the difference between college hockey and the USHL.

“I think that was the biggest adjustment and just getting used to that and looking to create more in the o-zone versus off the rush. That’s something I was trying to get better at a lot as the year progressed and something I’m going to continue to focus on next year.”

The latter could change in the upcoming season with three — or potentially four if you count Rutger McGroarty, whose future appears to be still up in the air — of Michigan’s top-producing forwards in Gavin Brindley, Dylan Duke, and Frank Nazar turning pro.

Wickenheiser added, during Toronto’s development camp this summer, that she expects Moldenhauer to have a “better second year” in Michigan. Building confidence will also be a key area of focus for the forward.

“You can see when he has the open ice, he can make plays. We’ll continue to work on all areas of the game with him, but more establishing power, good habits off the ice,” Wickenheiser added.

There are a lot of positives to take away from the second half of Moldenhauer’s season at Michigan. His ability to be strong up tight along the walls, the strength in his shot, skating, and hockey IQ continue to make Moldenhauer a fascinating prospect within the Maple Leafs organization.

Although he’s fallen in the rankings, I believe there’s still plenty to be excited about with the forward from Mississauga, Ontario. The future will all depend on him, and his second season in the NCAA with Michigan.

“It was a good year,” Moldenhauer said of his freshman season. “I’m looking forward to finishing off a great summer and getting back into things next year.”