Fletcher had already been putting in work for the Maple Leafs in the post-Ballard era with the drastic franchise changing move that brought Doug Gilmour from Calgary, a Leafs trade that seemed to follow in the path of the Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar trade the Jays made a couple years earlier that would be the foundation for their World Series success.
Plenty of Toronto Maple Leafs will be haunted by the name Mitch Marner, but fair or not, Matias Maccelli may inspire the most comparisons of all. Both are smallish wingers. While you should expect a mammoth gap in actual production, each forward boasts sometimes-dazzling passing skills. Critics may at times even complain that passing is too often their first, second, and last options. Heck, they both even have alliterative names starting with an "M."
After a year where Cowan scored 34 goals (62 assists) and 96 points as well as capturing the Red Tilson Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) most outstanding player award, OHL playoff MVP (Gretzky 99 Award) and an OHL championship, he changed many people's minds ( eliteprospects.com). Cowan quickly became a prospect recognized around the league and especially amongst Leafs nation, being named the club's top prospect unanimously, a title he still holds today.
Caleb Joseph doesn't profile as a power-hitting catcher, but in his first regular season at bat with the Blue Jays, he went deep. It was over two years - 766 days, to be exact - since the backstop hit his last home run. But he celebrated like it was his first. Joseph also worked with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez, adjusting swing paths and altering his thoughts at the plate. The seven-year veteran wasn't planning to go yard in his first at bat as a Blue Jay, but he felt a sense of belonging by contributing to the team in his first game.
