Over the years, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Jeremy Bracco has probably heard plenty of reasons why he wouldn’t one day land an NHL contract.

A 5-foot-10, 190-pound right winger, Bracco may not be big but he possesses elite passing skills and the kind of hockey sense that diminishes concerns about his size. On Tuesday, the Maple Leafs gave him their biggest stamp of approval yet, inking the 20-year-old they drafted 61st overall in 2015 to a three-year, entry-level contract.

“When a team that drafts you puts enough faith in you to sign you to a contract and they want you to be a part of the organization, it’s special. I was real happy to get the call,” Bracco told TSN.ca. “It’s been a couple of weeks of my agent talking to Lou [Lamoriello] and figuring things out, and the Leafs have been nothing but helpful in getting me to this point.”

The signing comes in the midst of Bracco’s breakout junior season in the OHL. The Freeport, N.Y. native started with the Kitchener Rangers and amassed 51 points during a 26-game point streak, the second-longest streak in franchise history. By December he was named to Team USA for the 2017 World Junior Championship, one year after being uninvited to the camp. Bracco scored five goals in seven tournament games, and the USA won gold over Canada in the final. 

“It’s amazing how we went from [down 4-2 to Canada] to all of a sudden our gloves are off, helmets are off [celebrating]. It was a crazy feeling,” he said. “The game was actually on NHL Network the other day and I caught the end of it with my billet brother so it was cool to see again.”

Around the same time, rumours began swirling the Windsor Spitfires were interested in trading for Bracco, a move that came to fruition on Jan. 9. Bracco had a no-trade clause in his contract, but opted to waive it for the opportunity to play for this year’s Memorial Cup hosts. He has 32 points in 30 games with the Spits, who kick off the OHL playoffs on Friday against the London Knights. 

“When you looked at the standings, obviously Kitchener wasn’t going to go on a run this year,” Bracco said. “They have a great team here, so it was easy to say yes.”

Staying on the right path has meant hard choices in the past - Bracco opted to leave Boston College after five games two seasons ago to join the OHL. Criticized at the time over whether the NCAA system was too daunting, Bracco says everything he’s done has been in service of securing that first NHL deal - and what comes after. 

“It’s crazy to look back on it and think about how I got to this moment,” he said. “When people see the potential you can bring, they expect more out of you and I expect more out of myself now. I put more pressure on myself than anyone else ever will.”

As Bracco’s offensive prowess has emerged, the inevitable comparisons to Toronto winger Mitch Marner have also surfaced. Marner is listed as 6-foot, but he and Bracco are both smaller and can victimize opponents with their elusiveness. Marner is second on the Maple Leafs in points (56) as a rookie and Bracco would like nothing more than to get to his level. 

“If I was fortunate enough to even come close to that, it’d be nice,” Bracco said. “He’s a great player. We play similar ways, try to play with more skill, not heavy. I try to pick up little tips from watching him whenever I can.”

But before he reaches the NHL, Bracco is likely headed for the AHL’s Marlies. Even Leafs head coach Mike Babcock has commented on the plethora of talented wingers already in the organization, but like everything else, Bracco embraces the challenge of making an impression.

“I haven’t looked at the depth chart per say, but you get a sense of where guys are at,” he said. “The pressure [in Toronto] won’t bother me; I don’t think I’ll get nervous anymore about hockey stuff after world juniors. I like the pressure. It’s better when you win, you’ve got people rallying behind you.”

And for those who aren’t, Bracco keeps a zen attitude about that too. He’s already working towards what’s next.

“Someone is going to say ‘he’s too small’ or ‘he’s too soft’ or ‘he’s not fast enough,’” Bracco said. “For me, my internal drive is about wanting to play the best I can and play the game I love for a long time. That comes from within, so it’s pretty simple for me.”