The Leafs journey to the first Stanley cup since '67. Joining Maple Leaf fans Worldwide !
Hope springs eternal, are the Leafs ready to win a round in 2021?
The Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas had made some interesting changes to the face of the Leafs during free agency. He added leadership, grit and defensive depth at very little cost. By signing Joe Thronton, Wayne Simmonds, T.J Brodie,Zach Bogosian and Jimmy Vessey while trading away Andreas Johnsson to New Jersey and Kapseri Kappanen to Pittsburgh the makeup of the team seemed very different. Rasmus Sandin had spent the offseason packing on some pounds while the team added the best defenseman in Europe in Mikko Lehtonen and of course Nicholas Robertson was ready to push for a spot on the team.In addition, backup goaltender Jack Campbell would start the season while goaltender Aaron Dell had been added for insurance purposes.
So, what could possibly go wrong? Injuries. Joe Thornton was no longer a spring chicken and in the past couple of seasons, injuries had affected Wayne Simmonds game and if Wayne went down, the Leafs didn't have a lot of push up front. A guy like Simmonds commanded respect and forced other players to think twice before running the Leafs star players and trying to injure and intimadate them. Players like Zach Hyman and Jimmy Vessey didn't do that and were slightly different types of players.
The Maple Leafs goaltending seemed set with Frederick Andersen heading into a contract year but the question was would Leaf GM Kyle Dubas let him walk away for nothing or would he trade him, getting an asset in return? The truth is Andersen was 0 and 8 in games that mattered and other teams had done well with young and cheaper goaltending. Rumours appeared that the Carolina Hurricanes might be interested in acquiring Andersen.
On defense it seemed the Maple Leafs had their best defense since the heady days of coach Pat Burns. Their defense boasted offense with the like of Reilly, Brodie, Muzzin, Lehtonen and Sandin. Size with Muzzin and Bogosian to keep other teams honest and of course depth with Holl and perhaps even Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren. The backend seemed set, at least on paper.
The question was, what did the Toronto Maple Leafs need to win a round or two of the Stanley cup playoffs? The answer ? The Leafs needed another power forward in case Simmonds went down to injuries again. The most likely forward to be replaced seemed to be Alex Kerfoot who was on a reasonable $3.5 Million per year contract. Depending on how Dubas saw the 2021 draft, a package of Kerfoot and a first rounder plus might get it done. If not, he might have to wait until the trade deadline to acquire such a player on the cheap.
The other thing the Maple Leafs needed to do was finish higher in the standings and gain home ice advantage where it would be harder for the refs to interfere in the outcome of the games, as all of Canada knew about. Having Campbell plus Keefe would help but the team needed to avoid those late season slumps as well.
This year's edition looked good on paper and had almost all the pieces required to make some noise in the Stanley cup playoffs, it was now upto Dubas to work some magic and find that last piece,another power forward who would put respect into opposing teams when the refs stood idly by and watched the Leafs stars attacked while calling everything the Leafs did as we have seen time after time after time here in Canada, thus the pathetic t.v numbers last year in the finals.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs having an extensive analytics team, all paid for by the hard working fans, perhaps Dubas could set up an anlytics team to analyze the nuances of referees and help spot undue influencing, after all it is the fans who get robbed. A legal team may even be set up given the Maple Leafs considerable weight in the league and thus avoid situations such as the Vancouver riots or Doug Gilmour's 2 minutes for having his face carved open by Wayne Gretzky penalty. This improvement may even bring fans back to the sport as most Canadian fans know of the inconsistencies, in fact Jarome Iginla once requested a trade to an American team knowing that he would never win a cup in Canada. The bottom line is if changes aren't made the league itself is likely in peril as more and more Canadian fans lose interest and t.v viewings continue to plumett.After all, isn't Dubas about innovation and new thinking? The Maple Leafs should be able to win a round or two with this edition, gaining invaluable experience for their now, not so young, stars. It would also help the game and it's t.v presence/ ratings. Are they ready to take out the Tampa Bay Lightning? Probably not but they may be ready to slay the Boston dragon and even that would be considered a success at this point.
So, what could possibly go wrong? Injuries. Joe Thornton was no longer a spring chicken and in the past couple of seasons, injuries had affected Wayne Simmonds game and if Wayne went down, the Leafs didn't have a lot of push up front. A guy like Simmonds commanded respect and forced other players to think twice before running the Leafs star players and trying to injure and intimadate them. Players like Zach Hyman and Jimmy Vessey didn't do that and were slightly different types of players.
The Maple Leafs goaltending seemed set with Frederick Andersen heading into a contract year but the question was would Leaf GM Kyle Dubas let him walk away for nothing or would he trade him, getting an asset in return? The truth is Andersen was 0 and 8 in games that mattered and other teams had done well with young and cheaper goaltending. Rumours appeared that the Carolina Hurricanes might be interested in acquiring Andersen.
On defense it seemed the Maple Leafs had their best defense since the heady days of coach Pat Burns. Their defense boasted offense with the like of Reilly, Brodie, Muzzin, Lehtonen and Sandin. Size with Muzzin and Bogosian to keep other teams honest and of course depth with Holl and perhaps even Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren. The backend seemed set, at least on paper.
The question was, what did the Toronto Maple Leafs need to win a round or two of the Stanley cup playoffs? The answer ? The Leafs needed another power forward in case Simmonds went down to injuries again. The most likely forward to be replaced seemed to be Alex Kerfoot who was on a reasonable $3.5 Million per year contract. Depending on how Dubas saw the 2021 draft, a package of Kerfoot and a first rounder plus might get it done. If not, he might have to wait until the trade deadline to acquire such a player on the cheap.
The other thing the Maple Leafs needed to do was finish higher in the standings and gain home ice advantage where it would be harder for the refs to interfere in the outcome of the games, as all of Canada knew about. Having Campbell plus Keefe would help but the team needed to avoid those late season slumps as well.
This year's edition looked good on paper and had almost all the pieces required to make some noise in the Stanley cup playoffs, it was now upto Dubas to work some magic and find that last piece,another power forward who would put respect into opposing teams when the refs stood idly by and watched the Leafs stars attacked while calling everything the Leafs did as we have seen time after time after time here in Canada, thus the pathetic t.v numbers last year in the finals.
With the Toronto Maple Leafs having an extensive analytics team, all paid for by the hard working fans, perhaps Dubas could set up an anlytics team to analyze the nuances of referees and help spot undue influencing, after all it is the fans who get robbed. A legal team may even be set up given the Maple Leafs considerable weight in the league and thus avoid situations such as the Vancouver riots or Doug Gilmour's 2 minutes for having his face carved open by Wayne Gretzky penalty. This improvement may even bring fans back to the sport as most Canadian fans know of the inconsistencies, in fact Jarome Iginla once requested a trade to an American team knowing that he would never win a cup in Canada. The bottom line is if changes aren't made the league itself is likely in peril as more and more Canadian fans lose interest and t.v viewings continue to plumett.After all, isn't Dubas about innovation and new thinking? The Maple Leafs should be able to win a round or two with this edition, gaining invaluable experience for their now, not so young, stars. It would also help the game and it's t.v presence/ ratings. Are they ready to take out the Tampa Bay Lightning? Probably not but they may be ready to slay the Boston dragon and even that would be considered a success at this point.
ITS A MANS WORLD JAMES BROWN CON PAVAROTTI LIVE DIRECTO EN VIVO HD EXCELENTE
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Toronto Maple Leafs - Top 25 NHL prospects 2020/2021.
With the new season somewhat in doubt due to the flu/ covid restricting travel and rumours of an all Canadian league brewing, it is time once again to look at the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool. The Toronto Maple Leafs had 12 picks in this year's 2020 NHL draft. Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has been drafting quite well and once again the pool had some very promising picks with Toronto trading for Pittsburgh's 15th overall pick(Kappanen trade) after releasing their 13th overall to Carolina for taking Patrick Marleau and his contract off their hands. Currently the Leafs prospect pool is ranked at 20th in the NHL.
1) Rasmus Sandin is listed at 5ft 11 inches and 183 lbs. He is a left shooting defenseman who was taken 29th overall in the 2018 draft. Many are hoping he can pack on some pounds but even if he doesn't the kid is a blue chip lock to play in the NHL and already has played for the Leafs, showing very well. He projects as a number 2, power play defenseman who hits well and could push Morgan Reilly for the number one job someday. He has no detectable flaws to his game and is smart and poised looking years older than he is on the ice. He is NHL ready now but will the Leafs want him playing number 7 minutes? If injuries hit, expect him in the lineup sooner than later.
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2) Nicholas Robertson is a 5 ft 9 inch 164 lb left winger who was taken 53rd overall in the 2019 draft. If he was a few days younger he might have gone 10th to 15th overall in the 2020 draft. He played in last year's elimination round and was one of the few Leafs who actually scored. This kid has drive, hustle, desire and skill mixed with courage. I can see a future top 6, 30 goal scorer with game breaking abilities. A steal in the 2nd round.
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3) Rodion Amirov is a left shooting 6ft, now at least 177 lb, left winger who currently plays against men in the KHL. Rodion is poised, can score and is defensively responsible while being an effective skater.Rodion will very likely play the next 2 years over in Russia rounding out his game before coming over to North America. While he easily projects as top 9 forward, he could very well be a top 6 one day. Amirov was taken 15th over all in the 2020 draft and while not a steal, he is a very solid pick with upside.
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4) Timothy Liljegren is a 6ft,190 lb right handed defenseman who was taken 17th overall in the 2017 draft. While Timothy has great skating capability and was thought to be a steal by the Leafs scouting team at the time, he has slipped in the rankings. He played for the Leafs and Marlies last year and didn't look very comfortable in the NHL making some question his decision making abilities. While he will likely one day play in the NHL, it no longer looks like he will be a top 4 defenseman unless something drastic occurs in his growth as a player. He has the skills but is the toolbox there?
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5) Mikhail Abramov is a 6ft 185 lb, left shot center taken 115th overall in the 2019 draft. He was named captain of Victoriaville(QMJHL) in his third year where he became a premier scorer despite the lack of support from teammates. While he was passed over for the world juniors he was very consistent in the QMJHL growing stronger as the season went on. He projects as a crafty, playmaking 3rd liner. He can play both wing and center but needs to work on his shot. He reminds some of Timashov a former Leaf 5th rounder. Is he a steal? Some think so but he will need more time to round out his game before he sees any NHL playing time.
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6) Yegor Korshkov is one of Hunter's more questionable picks which left many scratching their heads or worse when he took him as the first pick in the 2nd round, 31st overall in the 2016 draft as an overager. He is 6ft 4 inches and 214 lbs and is a left shooting left winger. Yegor projects as a top 9 winger with defensive awareness and scoring ability who may pop in 20 goals someday at the NHL level. He may be NHL ready now but needs injuries to help him into the lineup.
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7) Filip Hallander came over in the Kappanen trade with Pittsburgh. He is 6ft 1 inches and weighs in at 190 lbs. Hallander is a left shooting winger who projects as a top 9 forward. He is considered to be a capable skater and two way forward, something the Leafs could use. He is hard working and forechecks and backchecks well. He is a good team player who plays well in all 3 zones. He both shoots and passes well.
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8) Nick Abruzzese is a smallish, 5ft 9 inch and 161 lb Center who was taken 124th overall(4th round) in the 2019 NHL draft. He is considered to be an excellent player who uses his mind while making everything look easy whether its scoring,passing or being open for a scoring chance. He projects to be slightly better than Alex Kerfoot finishing his sophmore year at Harvard Crimosn with 14 goals and 30 assits for 44 points in 31 games.
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9) Roni Hirvonen is a Finnish player taken 59th overall in the 2020 draft. He is a 5 ft 9 inch 170 lb Center who was taken for his hockey IQ. He consistently makes smart decisions in all 3 zones and is very reliable while having a great desire to win. He is a good playmaker who rarely takes low percentage shots and makes his office in front of the net, despite his size. He isn't a great skater but has very good stickhandling which allows him to go through high traffic areas. He has a willingness and desire to get involved in the game and rarely takes a shift off.
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10) Joey Anderson came over from the New Jersey Devils in the Andreas Johnsson trade. He is a 5ft 11 inch, 190 lb right winger who will play at some point in the NHL. He may even prove a good replacement for Leafs winger Zach Hyman. He displays a lot of energy and wins his fair share of corner battles in pursuit of the puck. He has an excellent shot and should compliment more talented forwards well. Will need to prove himself to become a top 6 forward and might do well to bulk up a tad to do so.
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11) Topi Niemela is a 6ft 163 lb right handed defensmean who was taken 63rd overall(3rd round) in the 2020 draft.As per the hockeywriters: "Niemala is a well-balanced, mobile defenseman with a terrific hockey IQ and smooth, precise edgework. He stickhandles well and has some good offensive tools, but they’re not elite. What he does well is process plays and make good decisions at high speed. He excels at identifying open areas and using his quick feet to maneuver into those spaces, making him difficult to both attack and defend. On the defensive side of the puck, the right-handed Finn is positionally sound and good at anticipating the attack. At 6-feet, 163 pounds, he’s not the biggest guy on the ice, but Niemelä doesn’t shy away from physical battles, and has done so against older opponents all throughout his career." A safe pick. *Update: The way Niemala is playing at the 2021 world juniors he is likely worthy of a higher ranking as he currently leads defenseman in scoring with 7 points(2 goals and 5 assists.) in 4 games as of Jan 3rd 2021.
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12) Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, SDA for short is a 5ft 11 inch , 170 lb Russian center. He was taken in the 3rd round(76th overall) in the 2018 draft. He is a make or break player, much like Jeremy Bracco, who has upside. He is a playmaker who doesn't have much of a shot. He also lacks any kind of physical game but his vision and playmaking skills make him an interesting prospect who has slipped somewhat since being drafted. Does he have an NHL future? Stay tuned but he likely will play for the AHL Toronto Marlies at some point.
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13) Mikko Kokkonen is a 5ft 11 inch, 198 lb dfenseman from Finland. He was taken 84th overall(3rd round) in the 2019 draft. Has an effective wrist shot from the point with a quick release. He distributes the puck well and is well served in the transition game, McKeen's Hockey 2019 He keeps his shifts short and doesn’t make many glaring mistakes in the defensive zone, Future Considerations 2019
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14) Joseph Woll is a 22 year old American goalie who is 6ft 4 inch 203 lbs and has been playing with the AHL Toronto Marlies. His numbers havent been great with 3.75 Goals against average and a .880 save percentage. He went 11-16-4 for the season in the AHL and needs to improve this season. While goalies do take longer to develop, at this point , he projects as a backup goalie.
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15)Ian Scott is a 6ft 3 inch, 183 lb left handed goalie born in Calgary and taken 100th overall(4th round) in the 2017 draft. He was injured last year so he deserves a break. Everything so far shows potential but let us see this year as he will be playing most likely for the AHL Toronto Marlies. At 21, he is still young and has lots of time to develop.
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16)Veeti Miettinen was drafted 168th overall in the 2020 draft by The Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a 5ft 9 inch 159 lb Finnnish Right Winger. Miettinen played with Kiekko-Espoo U20 “A” in the Jr. A SM-Liiga last season and is committed to St. Cloud State University of the NCAA for this season. "Miettinen has a quality release that helps generate an effective and effortless wrist shot. He's a real power play threat from the half-wall. Miettinen can find players in the seam and in the slot. He has good edges, and he flashes very good speed. He can change his speed and surprise defenders with quick bursts, with good four-step acceleration." -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide
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17) William Villeneuve is a 6ft 1 inch 181 lb right shot defenseman who the Leafs took 122nd overall(4th round) in the 2020 draft. There isn't much of a scouting report on him but he led all defenders in scoring(points) in the QMJHL.
William Villeneuve 64 games 9 goals 49 assists 58 points.
Who doesn't like a 6ft 1 inch Canadian defenseman with offense?
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18) Dmitri Ovchinnikov is a 5 ft 11 inch, 163 lb Russian forward who the Leafs took 137th overall in the 5th round 2020. Having seen him play I think this guy is a great pick and a quick riser, he currently leads the MHL in scoring and has played some KHL games.
"He plays with pace, attacks the inside, cuts through traffic, makes flashy net drives, and creates passing lane. He identifies the trailer and teammates through layers. Defensively, Ovchinnikov brings refined decision-making and discipline. He supports the play, keeps an active stick to deter passes, and brings a consistent effort." -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide
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19) Mac Hollowell is a right handed 5ft 10 inch, 170 lb defenseman. He is willing to physically engage larger players in the defensive zone. He relies on the gap to maintain the middle of the ice. He uses positioning to contain any threats and has a great toolset for puck pursuit and has quick feet. When his team has the puck Hollowell excells at quaterbacking and breaking the puck out.He is elusive in the neutral zone and can shake pressure with a fake pass and has a proficiency for finding open lanes. Hollowell has a desirable combination of skating and hockey sense, and has the potential to be a new breed of offensive defenceman the Leafs have never had before.
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20) Filip Kral is a 6ft 1 inch 172 lb left shooting defensman from the Czech republic. He was taken 149th in the 5th round 2018 NHL draft. He is known for his smarts, skating and passing and has been desribed as a "workhorse" drawing comparisons to Rasmus Sandin. "Kral is patient and works really hard, so there shouldn’t be an issue with his commitment."
2018-2019 Spokane Chiefs WHL 47 10 26 36 14 | Playoffs 12 0 2 2 4 Czech Republic U20 WJC-20 5 1 0 1 2 | Czech Republic U20 (all) International-Jr 6 1 1 2 2 | 2019-2020 Spokane Chiefs WHL 53 12 37 49 8 |
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21) Adam Brooks is a smallish center coming in at 5ft 10 inches and 185 lbs, who was taken in the 4th round(92 nd overall) in 2016. He may be a 4th line center in the NHL one day but will it be with the Leafs? 2019-20 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7 0 3 3 0 1 | - Toronto Marlies AHL 29 9 11 20 19 -7
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22 ) Pontus Holmberg is a 21 year old,5ft 10 inch 179 lb Swedish left winger whom the Leafs took 156th overall in the 6th round in the 2018 NHL draft.He is described as smart, a gifted playmaker with good vision but a long odder to make the NHL.
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23) Arthur Ahktyamov is a 6’1, 168 lbs Russian goalie the Leafs took 106th overall in the 4th round.His combination of size and speed makes him a promising prospect but very hard at this point to project. He had a .931 save percentage in the MHL on a very good defensive team.
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24) Eemeli Rasanen is a giant defenseman who shoots righthanded and was born Mar 6, 1999 in Joensuu, Finland, 21 yrs. ago. His height is 6ft 6 inches and he weighs in at 220 lbs. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in round 2, #59 overall 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Before people jump off rooftops, he is a project and even Chara didn't become Chara until he was 26. Granted, he is trending in the wrong direction but the raw potential for a 6th or 7th defenseman is still there and let's face it, the Leafs don't have a lot of size on the backend.
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25) Michael Koster is a 5ft 9 inch 171 lb defenseman who is known for his stellar puck moving ability. The Leafs took him in the 5th round (146th overall) in the 2019 NHL draft.He has drawn comparisons to the Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott. 2019-2020 Tri-City Storm 37 3 15 18 -8 8
Propsects by position : Defense - 9
Wingers - 8
Centers - 5
Goaltenders -3
Organization grades: The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool is currently ranked 20th overall in the NHL, meaning there is still work to do. They are strong on defense and still have good depth on the wings but have a group of small potential 3rd line/4th line centers. In goal, outside perhaps Ian Scott, who was injured last year, they have question marks and no obvious number one goaltender of the future. Many consider Center and Goal the two most important positions in the NHL and one day captain John Tavares will need replacing, not to mention Auston Mathews only has 4 years left under contract. As such, the Leafs pool gets a C+ but once Rasmus Sandin and Nick Robertson graduate that grade may fall fast. They need to continue acquiring picks and hope for a few prospects to come out of left field.They may even need to pick up some first rounders if Leaf GM Kyle Dubas considers it a strong draft in which do so.
* Hidden gem/potential steal: Dmitri Ovchinnikov. This is a guy to watch.
"Really good speed. Good offensive instincts. He is someone who we just valued his offensive abilities."
1) Rasmus Sandin is listed at 5ft 11 inches and 183 lbs. He is a left shooting defenseman who was taken 29th overall in the 2018 draft. Many are hoping he can pack on some pounds but even if he doesn't the kid is a blue chip lock to play in the NHL and already has played for the Leafs, showing very well. He projects as a number 2, power play defenseman who hits well and could push Morgan Reilly for the number one job someday. He has no detectable flaws to his game and is smart and poised looking years older than he is on the ice. He is NHL ready now but will the Leafs want him playing number 7 minutes? If injuries hit, expect him in the lineup sooner than later.
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2) Nicholas Robertson is a 5 ft 9 inch 164 lb left winger who was taken 53rd overall in the 2019 draft. If he was a few days younger he might have gone 10th to 15th overall in the 2020 draft. He played in last year's elimination round and was one of the few Leafs who actually scored. This kid has drive, hustle, desire and skill mixed with courage. I can see a future top 6, 30 goal scorer with game breaking abilities. A steal in the 2nd round.
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3) Rodion Amirov is a left shooting 6ft, now at least 177 lb, left winger who currently plays against men in the KHL. Rodion is poised, can score and is defensively responsible while being an effective skater.Rodion will very likely play the next 2 years over in Russia rounding out his game before coming over to North America. While he easily projects as top 9 forward, he could very well be a top 6 one day. Amirov was taken 15th over all in the 2020 draft and while not a steal, he is a very solid pick with upside.
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4) Timothy Liljegren is a 6ft,190 lb right handed defenseman who was taken 17th overall in the 2017 draft. While Timothy has great skating capability and was thought to be a steal by the Leafs scouting team at the time, he has slipped in the rankings. He played for the Leafs and Marlies last year and didn't look very comfortable in the NHL making some question his decision making abilities. While he will likely one day play in the NHL, it no longer looks like he will be a top 4 defenseman unless something drastic occurs in his growth as a player. He has the skills but is the toolbox there?
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5) Mikhail Abramov is a 6ft 185 lb, left shot center taken 115th overall in the 2019 draft. He was named captain of Victoriaville(QMJHL) in his third year where he became a premier scorer despite the lack of support from teammates. While he was passed over for the world juniors he was very consistent in the QMJHL growing stronger as the season went on. He projects as a crafty, playmaking 3rd liner. He can play both wing and center but needs to work on his shot. He reminds some of Timashov a former Leaf 5th rounder. Is he a steal? Some think so but he will need more time to round out his game before he sees any NHL playing time.
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6) Yegor Korshkov is one of Hunter's more questionable picks which left many scratching their heads or worse when he took him as the first pick in the 2nd round, 31st overall in the 2016 draft as an overager. He is 6ft 4 inches and 214 lbs and is a left shooting left winger. Yegor projects as a top 9 winger with defensive awareness and scoring ability who may pop in 20 goals someday at the NHL level. He may be NHL ready now but needs injuries to help him into the lineup.
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7) Filip Hallander came over in the Kappanen trade with Pittsburgh. He is 6ft 1 inches and weighs in at 190 lbs. Hallander is a left shooting winger who projects as a top 9 forward. He is considered to be a capable skater and two way forward, something the Leafs could use. He is hard working and forechecks and backchecks well. He is a good team player who plays well in all 3 zones. He both shoots and passes well.
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8) Nick Abruzzese is a smallish, 5ft 9 inch and 161 lb Center who was taken 124th overall(4th round) in the 2019 NHL draft. He is considered to be an excellent player who uses his mind while making everything look easy whether its scoring,passing or being open for a scoring chance. He projects to be slightly better than Alex Kerfoot finishing his sophmore year at Harvard Crimosn with 14 goals and 30 assits for 44 points in 31 games.
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9) Roni Hirvonen is a Finnish player taken 59th overall in the 2020 draft. He is a 5 ft 9 inch 170 lb Center who was taken for his hockey IQ. He consistently makes smart decisions in all 3 zones and is very reliable while having a great desire to win. He is a good playmaker who rarely takes low percentage shots and makes his office in front of the net, despite his size. He isn't a great skater but has very good stickhandling which allows him to go through high traffic areas. He has a willingness and desire to get involved in the game and rarely takes a shift off.
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10) Joey Anderson came over from the New Jersey Devils in the Andreas Johnsson trade. He is a 5ft 11 inch, 190 lb right winger who will play at some point in the NHL. He may even prove a good replacement for Leafs winger Zach Hyman. He displays a lot of energy and wins his fair share of corner battles in pursuit of the puck. He has an excellent shot and should compliment more talented forwards well. Will need to prove himself to become a top 6 forward and might do well to bulk up a tad to do so.
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11) Topi Niemela is a 6ft 163 lb right handed defensmean who was taken 63rd overall(3rd round) in the 2020 draft.As per the hockeywriters: "Niemala is a well-balanced, mobile defenseman with a terrific hockey IQ and smooth, precise edgework. He stickhandles well and has some good offensive tools, but they’re not elite. What he does well is process plays and make good decisions at high speed. He excels at identifying open areas and using his quick feet to maneuver into those spaces, making him difficult to both attack and defend. On the defensive side of the puck, the right-handed Finn is positionally sound and good at anticipating the attack. At 6-feet, 163 pounds, he’s not the biggest guy on the ice, but Niemelä doesn’t shy away from physical battles, and has done so against older opponents all throughout his career." A safe pick. *Update: The way Niemala is playing at the 2021 world juniors he is likely worthy of a higher ranking as he currently leads defenseman in scoring with 7 points(2 goals and 5 assists.) in 4 games as of Jan 3rd 2021.
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12) Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, SDA for short is a 5ft 11 inch , 170 lb Russian center. He was taken in the 3rd round(76th overall) in the 2018 draft. He is a make or break player, much like Jeremy Bracco, who has upside. He is a playmaker who doesn't have much of a shot. He also lacks any kind of physical game but his vision and playmaking skills make him an interesting prospect who has slipped somewhat since being drafted. Does he have an NHL future? Stay tuned but he likely will play for the AHL Toronto Marlies at some point.
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13) Mikko Kokkonen is a 5ft 11 inch, 198 lb dfenseman from Finland. He was taken 84th overall(3rd round) in the 2019 draft. Has an effective wrist shot from the point with a quick release. He distributes the puck well and is well served in the transition game, McKeen's Hockey 2019 He keeps his shifts short and doesn’t make many glaring mistakes in the defensive zone, Future Considerations 2019
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14) Joseph Woll is a 22 year old American goalie who is 6ft 4 inch 203 lbs and has been playing with the AHL Toronto Marlies. His numbers havent been great with 3.75 Goals against average and a .880 save percentage. He went 11-16-4 for the season in the AHL and needs to improve this season. While goalies do take longer to develop, at this point , he projects as a backup goalie.
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15)Ian Scott is a 6ft 3 inch, 183 lb left handed goalie born in Calgary and taken 100th overall(4th round) in the 2017 draft. He was injured last year so he deserves a break. Everything so far shows potential but let us see this year as he will be playing most likely for the AHL Toronto Marlies. At 21, he is still young and has lots of time to develop.
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16)Veeti Miettinen was drafted 168th overall in the 2020 draft by The Toronto Maple Leafs. He is a 5ft 9 inch 159 lb Finnnish Right Winger. Miettinen played with Kiekko-Espoo U20 “A” in the Jr. A SM-Liiga last season and is committed to St. Cloud State University of the NCAA for this season. "Miettinen has a quality release that helps generate an effective and effortless wrist shot. He's a real power play threat from the half-wall. Miettinen can find players in the seam and in the slot. He has good edges, and he flashes very good speed. He can change his speed and surprise defenders with quick bursts, with good four-step acceleration." -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide
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17) William Villeneuve is a 6ft 1 inch 181 lb right shot defenseman who the Leafs took 122nd overall(4th round) in the 2020 draft. There isn't much of a scouting report on him but he led all defenders in scoring(points) in the QMJHL.
William Villeneuve 64 games 9 goals 49 assists 58 points.
Who doesn't like a 6ft 1 inch Canadian defenseman with offense?
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18) Dmitri Ovchinnikov is a 5 ft 11 inch, 163 lb Russian forward who the Leafs took 137th overall in the 5th round 2020. Having seen him play I think this guy is a great pick and a quick riser, he currently leads the MHL in scoring and has played some KHL games.
"He plays with pace, attacks the inside, cuts through traffic, makes flashy net drives, and creates passing lane. He identifies the trailer and teammates through layers. Defensively, Ovchinnikov brings refined decision-making and discipline. He supports the play, keeps an active stick to deter passes, and brings a consistent effort." -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide
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19) Mac Hollowell is a right handed 5ft 10 inch, 170 lb defenseman. He is willing to physically engage larger players in the defensive zone. He relies on the gap to maintain the middle of the ice. He uses positioning to contain any threats and has a great toolset for puck pursuit and has quick feet. When his team has the puck Hollowell excells at quaterbacking and breaking the puck out.He is elusive in the neutral zone and can shake pressure with a fake pass and has a proficiency for finding open lanes. Hollowell has a desirable combination of skating and hockey sense, and has the potential to be a new breed of offensive defenceman the Leafs have never had before.
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20) Filip Kral is a 6ft 1 inch 172 lb left shooting defensman from the Czech republic. He was taken 149th in the 5th round 2018 NHL draft. He is known for his smarts, skating and passing and has been desribed as a "workhorse" drawing comparisons to Rasmus Sandin. "Kral is patient and works really hard, so there shouldn’t be an issue with his commitment."
2018-2019 Spokane Chiefs WHL 47 10 26 36 14 | Playoffs 12 0 2 2 4 Czech Republic U20 WJC-20 5 1 0 1 2 | Czech Republic U20 (all) International-Jr 6 1 1 2 2 | 2019-2020 Spokane Chiefs WHL 53 12 37 49 8 |
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21) Adam Brooks is a smallish center coming in at 5ft 10 inches and 185 lbs, who was taken in the 4th round(92 nd overall) in 2016. He may be a 4th line center in the NHL one day but will it be with the Leafs? 2019-20 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7 0 3 3 0 1 | - Toronto Marlies AHL 29 9 11 20 19 -7
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22 ) Pontus Holmberg is a 21 year old,5ft 10 inch 179 lb Swedish left winger whom the Leafs took 156th overall in the 6th round in the 2018 NHL draft.He is described as smart, a gifted playmaker with good vision but a long odder to make the NHL.
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23) Arthur Ahktyamov is a 6’1, 168 lbs Russian goalie the Leafs took 106th overall in the 4th round.His combination of size and speed makes him a promising prospect but very hard at this point to project. He had a .931 save percentage in the MHL on a very good defensive team.
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24) Eemeli Rasanen is a giant defenseman who shoots righthanded and was born Mar 6, 1999 in Joensuu, Finland, 21 yrs. ago. His height is 6ft 6 inches and he weighs in at 220 lbs. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in round 2, #59 overall 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Before people jump off rooftops, he is a project and even Chara didn't become Chara until he was 26. Granted, he is trending in the wrong direction but the raw potential for a 6th or 7th defenseman is still there and let's face it, the Leafs don't have a lot of size on the backend.
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25) Michael Koster is a 5ft 9 inch 171 lb defenseman who is known for his stellar puck moving ability. The Leafs took him in the 5th round (146th overall) in the 2019 NHL draft.He has drawn comparisons to the Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott. 2019-2020 Tri-City Storm 37 3 15 18 -8 8
Propsects by position : Defense - 9
Wingers - 8
Centers - 5
Goaltenders -3
Organization grades: The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool is currently ranked 20th overall in the NHL, meaning there is still work to do. They are strong on defense and still have good depth on the wings but have a group of small potential 3rd line/4th line centers. In goal, outside perhaps Ian Scott, who was injured last year, they have question marks and no obvious number one goaltender of the future. Many consider Center and Goal the two most important positions in the NHL and one day captain John Tavares will need replacing, not to mention Auston Mathews only has 4 years left under contract. As such, the Leafs pool gets a C+ but once Rasmus Sandin and Nick Robertson graduate that grade may fall fast. They need to continue acquiring picks and hope for a few prospects to come out of left field.They may even need to pick up some first rounders if Leaf GM Kyle Dubas considers it a strong draft in which do so.
* Hidden gem/potential steal: Dmitri Ovchinnikov. This is a guy to watch.
"Really good speed. Good offensive instincts. He is someone who we just valued his offensive abilities."
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