We haven't picked players from Russia all that much in the past decade so the sample size is fairly low before this new front office. Between 2006 and 2014, the Leafs drafted ZERO players out of the Russian development system or the KHL. That's absurd.
Our US amateur scouting has been FAR worst. So many wasted picks. Bracco looks to be the best player drafted out of there since freaking Jimmy Hayes and Matt Frattin.
Well it is Ladygin's job to point those guys out. They obivously gave him a shot to prove himself after not getting anything from there before, but in the 4 years since then Dubas must not have been happy at what he's done. I think he was the one who definitely got kicked out.
And maybe things change, but John Lilley was promoted to director of US scouting. I think he is the only one who survived the purge out of that region. Maybe he is the one guy who has been good.
Since 07', the Leafs have drafted Hayes, Pateryn, Knodel, D'Amigo, Ryan, Biggs, Cameranesi, Everson, Toninato, Vesey, Piccinich, Joshua, Bracco, Woll and Greenway from US programs. It's not the best group, but there are some decent NHLers in there. You also have to remember that there is a lot of Burke bias littered in these picks as well that probably had a negative impact on the overall success of the selections.
Since 2014/2015 it has been a lot better. Outside of Vesey, which was as much of a charity 6th round pick (for his father who is a scout here) and a pitch tool to get his brother more than being a legit selection, the worst selection has probably been Piccinich in the 4th, but I think he could start working his way up as a late bloomer. Bracco, Woll, Greenway (minus the personal issues) and Joshua all look like good picks. Maybe they do not all turn out, but at the very least Bracco and Woll were considered higher end prospects for the Leafs. Who knows, with Martino potentially leaving and maybe Vesey Sr. following him, the Leafs could be looking at giving Lilley a new staff to work with.