Prospect Info: 2015-16 Prospects and Marlies - Brown injured!

[saltming]

Friedman's 30 thoughts

Would be excellent news if we get him. 6'2" RHD dman with a big point shot

This is the most promising thing I've read about him and the Leafs. And it's from the summer.

http://editorinleaf.com/2015/06/22/toronto-maple-leafs-nikita-zaitsev-during-visit/

 

[bobermay]

Updated: November 12 2015

Player|Age|Position|Team|Games Played|Goals|Assists|Points|PIM|+/-
AHL/ECHL||||||||
Casey Bailey|23|F|Toronto Marlies|7|1|3|4|2|+2
Connor Brown|21|F|Toronto Marlies|8|0|4|4|0|+2
Sam Carrick|23|F|Toronto Marlies|10|1|2|3|38|+2
Frederik Gauthier|20|F|Toronto Marlies|12|1|4|5|6|+4
Petter Granberg|23|D|Toronto Marlies|0|0|0|0|0|0
Zack Hyman|23|F|Toronto Marlies|11|1|3|4|8|+3
Kasperi Kapanen|19|F|Toronto Marlies|9|4|0|4|0|+2
Brendan Leipsic|21|F|Toronto Marlies|12|1|6|7|6|+7
Joshua Leivo|22|F|Toronto Marlies|11|3|7|10|6|+8
Viktor Loov|22|D|Toronto Marlies|11|0|3|3|6|+5
William Nylander|19|F|Toronto Marlies|12|7|7|14|4|+6
Stuart Percy|22|D|Toronto Marlies|11|0|3|3|9|-1
Ryan Rupert|21|F|Toronto Marlies|8|3|1|4|2|+4
Nikita Soshnikov|21|F|Toronto Marlies|13|4|2|6|4|+3
Rinat Valiev|20|D|Toronto Marlies|12|0|3|3|12|+6
QMJHL||||||||
Cody Donaghey|19|D|Halifax|8|1|2|3|10|-2
Martins Dzierkals|18|F|Rouyn-Noranda|19|12|15|27|10|+5
Dmytro Timashov|18|F|Quebec|19|10|25|35|37|+11
OHL||||||||
Jeremy Bracco|18|F|Kitchener|6|2|5|7|0|+2
Travis Dermott|18|D|Erie Otters|17|0|12|12|14|+13
Stephen Desrocher|19|D| Oshawa|17|5|6|11|6|-2
|||Kingston|4|0|2|2|0|+1
Nikita Korostelev|18|F|Sarnia|18|5|10|15|11|+4
Mitch Marner|18|F|London Knights|14|9|17|26|26|+15
John Piccinich|19|F|London Knights|14|11|12|23|7|+14
WHL||||||||
Andrew Nielsen|18|D|Lethbridge|17|7|13|20|40|+11
NCAA||||||||
Jeremy Bracco|18|F (FR)|Boston College|5|0|3|3|4|+3
Tony Cameranesi|22|F (SR)|Minnesota-Duluth|7|2|6|8|5|+5
Dakota Joshua|19|F (FR)|Ohio State|4|0|0|0|2|+1
Dominic Toninato|21|F (JR)|Minnesota-Duluth|9|4|0|4|8|-8
Nolan Vesey|20|F (SO)|Maine|9|0|0|0|21|-4
EUROPE||||||||
Peirre Engvall|19|F|Mora (Allsvenskan)|19|3|5|8|6|+4
Fabrice Herzog|20|F|ZSC (NLA)|17|4|9|13|20|+7
Andreas Johnson|20|F|Frolunda (SHL)|16|7|8|15|6|+2
Jesper Lindgren|18|D|MODO (SHL)|15|0|0|0|4|-7

Player|Age|Position|Team|Games Played|.SVV%|GAA
Antoine Bibeau|21|G|Toronto Marlies (AHL)|6|.908%|2.17
Garret Sparks|22|G|Toronto Marlies (AHL)|7|.932%|2.24

 

[Shwaguy*]

So what's the deal with Zaitsev? When can we sign him?

And he'd be hopping into the NHL right away right? And would be our runaway best RHD?

 

[saltming]

So what's the deal with Zaitsev? When can we sign him?

And he'd be hopping into the NHL right away right? And would be our runaway best RHD?

We could sign him this offseason and he's good. Depends on how he adjusts to the smaller ice. I have faith, after seeing soshnikov, that the leafs scouts are assessing big ice players well.

 

[Shwaguy*]

And what calibre of player is he? If we get him should we be expecting to get a big piece sorta like Artemi Panarin for the Blackhawks? Or is this more a Christian Hansen type free wallet?

 

[Mad Brills*]

And what calibre of player is he? If we get him should we be expecting to get a big piece sorta like Artemi Panarin for the Blackhawks? Or is this more a Christian Hansen type free wallet?

more panarin ish.

 

[Lahey]

And what calibre of player is he? If we get him should we be expecting to get a big piece sorta like Artemi Panarin for the Blackhawks? Or is this more a Christian Hansen type free wallet?

Definitely not hansen caliber haha. This guy has the skills to be a #2 dman some day.. Not to mention he has an absolute BOMB of a shot and is a RHD. would easily be our best RHD. Just a matter of bringing his play to NHL ice, hope he signs with us and it translates over

 

[Shwaguy*]

Definitely not hansen caliber haha. This guy has the skills to be a #2 dman some day.. Not to mention he has an absolute BOMB of a shot and is a RHD. would easily be our best RHD. Just a matter of bringing his play to NHL ice, hope he signs with us and it translates over

Awesome, if he's 24 I'd expect he's pretty close to #2 level already? Or at least top 4?

That'd be awesome if he's that for us, would solve probably the biggest whole in our prospect pool going forward.

 

[saltming]

And what calibre of player is he? If we get him should we be expecting to get a big piece sorta like Artemi Panarin for the Blackhawks? Or is this more a Christian Hansen type free wallet?

I'm not expecting Panarin level. In the middle? I'm not good at projecting I usually wait as there are too many factors.
He's a good 2 way defender in the KHL with good work ethic. Elite prospects says he needs to get more physical.
I'm hoping for a gunnarsson level player.
With better offense.

 

[Lahey]

Awesome, if he's 24 I'd expect he's pretty close to #2 level already? Or at least top 4?

That'd be awesome if he's that for us, would solve probably the biggest whole in our prospect pool going forward.

Zaitsev would be a very interesting get for the Leafs. Through 22 games this year, the 24-year-old defenceman has four goals and nine assists. This ties him for 13th in scoring among KHL defencemen. That's already pretty good, but what makes it better is that he's played fewer games than most of the players ahead of him and has lower ice time. His 1.69 points per 60 minutes is ranked 7th amongst the top 14, which is pretty decent for a guy who is the youngest of the bunch, in most cases by several years.

On CSKA Moscow, Zaitsev is used as a top pairing defenseman, averaging a team-leading 21 minutes per game. This doesn't seem like a lot, but it's significant in a league that uses four defensive pairings. Zaitsev has been praised by scouts for his shot, but he hasn't used it all that much this year; likely as a byproduct of spending so much of his ice time with the likes of Alexander Radulov and "wasn't fit for the NHL" superstar Geoff Platt, who have combined for 7.4 shots per game. Last year, he scored 12 goals in 57 games. Zaitsev also plays on CSKA's powerplay. Presently, he is CSKA's alternate captain, though he's worn the C in spurts as well.

http://theleafsnation.com/2015/11/12/leafs-remain-favourites-to-sign-highly-touted-and-skilled-defenceman-nikita-zaitsev

The guy is really good. At least top 4 from the get-go with the potential to be top pairing. Would be a better free wallet than Bozak IMO

 

[Lahey]

Also....

In his summers, he comes across the Atlantic and trains with fitness guru and former Leaf Gary Roberts.

 

[Beleafer4]

Im hoping for a second pairing guy once he adjusts, #2 is a tad optimistic

 

[gabeliscious]

Im hoping for a second pairing guy once he adjusts, #2 is a tad optimistic

rielly-hunwick
gardiner-phaneuf
chychrun-zaitsev
harrington

^^^^^ this could actually be our defense next season

 

[bobermay]

rielly-hunwick
gardiner-phaneuf
chychrun-zaitsev
harrington

^^^^^ this could actually be our defense next season

with hopefully one or two of: Loov, Percy, Granberg, Valiev knocking on the door.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Zaitsev is a wild card...as any Euro coming over here is.

Kontiola didn't work out at all with us, and we saw Lehtera adjust well in St.Louis. A lot of people saw it going it the opposite way but you never know until the player makes their way over here.

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

Is marner and Dermott playing for team ohl tonight?

 

[burpsalot]

Is marner and Dermott playing for team ohl tonight?

Dermott is, Marner isn't. Marner will play in the November 16th game.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Dermott just got an assist on the OHL's goal less than a minute into the OHL/Russia game. Took a shot that was blocked and the puck went to Watson who scored

 

[Atomos2]

Gauthier looks very very comfortable playing in the pros.

I agree. He has been the surprise of the season so far for me. Didn't think he'd adjust this well.

 

[Johny Drama]

Wonder if the USA junior team will look at Piccnich

 

[LaPlante94]

Zaitsev is a wild card...as any Euro coming over here is.

Kontiola didn't work out at all with us, and we saw Lehtera adjust well in St.Louis. A lot of people saw it going it the opposite way but you never know until the player makes their way over here.

I think it's easier for a defenceman to adjust to the smaller ice then forwards.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think it's easier for a defenceman to adjust to the smaller ice then forwards.

Loov excelled. He did much better on NA ice than he ever did in Sweden. Engvall and Herzog will probably be the same. They play a more grinder, tight space game. It's much easier to do so on smaller ice.

I can't wait to see both around, if they aren't traded first. I also want to see what Nolan Vesey can do when he's not stuck on a crappy Maine team. He's proven to be a scorer, but Maine is having a tougher time scoring than the Leafs.

 

[Cor]

Pretty awesome that Zaitsev is going to sign here. Very well could be the player we pair with Rielly long-term.

He's been killing it this season.

Averaging 21 minutes a game. Has 13 points in 23 games. Only 4 PIM's so he's pretty disciplined. 26 Hits. 29 Blocked Shots.

Very excited.

 

[CaymanIslands]

Getting Zaitsev is like getting a free 1st round pick that turns out..He is that good it would be a huge lift for the D corps of the Leafs

It could change the draft strategy as well making a big winger a more pressing need

 

[saltming]