How many rookies make the Leafs next year?

[MJ65]

- Nylander (100%)
- Sparks (100%, if either Bernier or Reimer is traded)
- Marner (75%)
- Johnson (60%, at least will be given a chance to make the roster)
- Timashov (50-60%)
- Leivo (50%, might not be with the organization)
- Percy (same as Leivo)
- Brown (30%, another year with Marlies)
- Kapanen (30%, At least one more year with Marlies)
- Soshnikov (25%, another year with Marlies)
- Hyman (another year with Marlies, not sure if he can make it)
- Loov (another year with Marlies)
- Gauthier (another year with Marlies)
- Leipsic (another year with Marlies)
- Dermott (another year with Marlies)
- Valiev (another year with Marlies)
- Bailey (another year with Marlies, not sure if he can make it)

 

[Dwolf63]

Speculating on rookies next season is pointless because we are missing two vital pieces of information:

1) who if anyone gets traded at the deadline.
2) what if any free agent signings/extensions are enacted for next season.

Also, when this topic is discussed, as some posters have been wise to point out, total number of rookies with the team at the end of next season may be different than rookies starting next season.

The same way there's a potential sell off at this trade deadline, you can't rule out a similar situation at next year's trade deadline.

What will likely happen:

The team will sell of some assets this year. They will then pick up some more cheap free agent signings next year.

There will be a competition at training camp. Two or three of the best rookies max are given an opportunity to make the team. The team is assessed through next year's trade deadline. Then depending on how they're doing and how the first crop of rookies have adjusted, more players are traded for assets and possibly a second wave of 2 to 3 rookies come up to finish the season.

So we'll probably end up with 4 to 6 rookies in the roster by the end of next year. What happens after that depends on how those rookies do and how many of them are future core building blocks.

That first wave? Nylander for certain. After that, I haven't a clue. Do we end up signing Zaitev (or whatever his name is) and is a condition of the signing that he get a shot at the NHL right away? What about Andreas Johnson. Getting him to come over here may mean giving him a long nhl look rather than sending him to the ahl. That might be all we get immediately.

That second wave? One or two D, maybe Connor Brown if he gets it back after recovering from all the lost time this year.

Two years from now is likely to be the first big bumper crop of rookies and the first year the leafs don't grab a bunch of disposable free agents.

 

[deletethis]

Look at the young players with some pro experience to get auditions after the trade deadline for the possible rookies for next season: Nylander, Leipsic, Harrington, Loov, Sparks, maybe Brown. Slow and steady development means Marner plays another year in the OHL and new pros like Dermott and Timashov play in the AHL no matter how well they play at the NHL camp.

 

[Mess]

Nylander is the only automatic

Brown's injury makes him uncertain as he lost a year of development this season, how he plays the rest of the year once he returns will determine if he might get promoted next year.

Leivo, Soshnikov and Harrington & Loov are other candidates to fill depth positions on the Leafs, where there are openings.

Marner might get the 9 game NHL tryout, based on his offseason strength gain and training camp performance.

If Leafs get a top 3 pick in the draft that player is a strong candidate to remain with the team also.

 

[MJ65]

Nylander is the only automatic

Brown's injury makes him uncertain as he lost a year of development this season.

Leivo, Soshnikov and Harrington & Loov are other candidates to fill depth positions on the Leafs, where there are openings.

Marner might get the 9 game NHL tryout, based on his offseason strength gain and training camp performance.

What is Leivo's future with the club, I am not impressed. Whatever number of games he has played, he was not up to the challenge and I know the sample size is very small but even in AHL I haven't seen him to be a dominant player

 

[SprDaVE]

What is Leivo's future with the club, I am not impressed. Whatever number of games he has played, he was not up to the challenge and I know the sample size is very small but even in AHL I haven't seen him to be a dominant player

He's been arguably the best Marlies forward this season aside from Nylander...

 

[sgupca]

What is Leivo's future with the club, I am not impressed. Whatever number of games he has played, he was not up to the challenge and I know the sample size is very small but even in AHL I haven't seen him to be a dominant player

maybe you were just looking for flaws?

in his 3 games he's been pretty good imo. Sure he makes a few mistakes but his overall game has been pretty solid at the NHL level.

He's also dominated the AHL this year.

 

[Mess]

He's been arguably the best Marlies forward this season aside from Nylander...

I don't think arguably is even debatable as Marlies GM Kyle Dubas was on Leafs lunch last week claiming that very fact that after Nylander (who was injured at the time) Leivo has been their next best player.

Leivo was also selected for the AHL All-star team by the league.

The only other Marlie in the discussion is TJ Brennan but he isn't a rookie nor a prospect in the eyes of the organization. IMO

 

[1AM]

A lot of wishful thinking but...

Could be 1 - 3

Could be none

Depends on how many of the Top Three Picks they get this year

 

[1AM]

- Nylander (100%)
- Sparks (100%, if either Bernier or Reimer is traded)
- Marner (75%)
- Johnson (60%, at least will be given a chance to make the roster)
- Timashov (50-60%)
- Leivo (50%, might not be with the organization)
- Percy (same as Leivo)
- Brown (30%, another year with Marlies)
- Kapanen (30%, At least one more year with Marlies)
- Soshnikov (25%, another year with Marlies)
- Hyman (another year with Marlies, not sure if he can make it)
- Loov (another year with Marlies)
- Gauthier (another year with Marlies)
- Leipsic (another year with Marlies)
- Dermott (another year with Marlies)
- Valiev (another year with Marlies)
- Bailey (another year with Marlies, not sure if he can make it)

99.9 of your list will never make the Leafs club

ahl, elsewhere or traded

 

[HeroNtF]

99.9 of your list will never make the Leafs club

ahl, elsewhere or traded

so we get nylander for half a season then we trade him, everyone else doesnt make it or is traded... good to know.

 

[selltrade]

Nylander, Leivo, Soshnikov and Hyman upfront, Harrington and Percy on the backend. Loov, Valiev, Brown, Leipsic, Gauthier, and Kapanen get another year in the AHL.. Neilsen, Dermott, Johnson, Timashov all start in AHL... Marlies will be strong again.. Marner I hope goes back to London. Leafs D will be young with Phaneuf, Hunwick, Harrington, Percy, Reilly, Gardiner, Marincin and Corrado on the team.. I could see one of Marincin or Corrado moved.

 

[RyanOhReally]

Nylander, Soshnikov, Hyman for forwards. Leivo won't technically be a rookie next year, same boat as Froese. Marner is maybe, especially if we deal one of Holland or Bozak.

Harrington and Zaitsev on defence. I'm counting on us signing Zaitsev more so than Stamkos and I think he'll replace Polak for next year. Him and Harrington will likely be our 3rd pairing.

Sparks in net as Bernier's back up.

All in all, I see (at the moment):

JVR - Kadri - Komarov
Winnik - Bozak - Lupul
Holland - Nylander - Soshnikov
Leivo - Froese - Hyman

Hunwick - Rielly
Gardiner - Phaneuf
Harrington - Zaitsev
Corrado

Bernier
Sparks

 

[MJ65]

99.9 of your list will never make the Leafs club

ahl, elsewhere or traded

so we get nylander for half a season then we trade him, everyone else doesnt make it or is traded... good to know.

Yes I am talking about next year and if people think that 5 - 8 rookies are going to make the team, you guys are dreaming

 

[francis246]

I'll say, Nylander, Marner, Timashov, Harrington and which ever top 5 pick we hopefully get are locks.

Guys who could potentially make a real strong case are Percy (although I think they'll trade him), Soshnikov, and Andreas Johnson.

Everyone else I'm not sure will make the jump

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Well we do know the owners.

Unfortunetly that's not how it works.

 

[bobermay]

Laine-Stamkos-Brown
JVR-Kadri-Komarov (Takes on team's top line)
Lupul-Nylander-Marner
Winnik-Froese-Hyman
Holland, Soshnikov

Reilly-Hunwick
Gardiner-Phaneuf
Percy-Corrado
Harrington

I highly doubt this will happen, but I would love to see it!

 

[Mess]

Yes I am talking about next year and if people think that 5 - 8 rookies are going to make the team, you guys are dreaming

I agree in principle that they are not going to dump 6-8 rookies at the same time because they want structure on the team and bringing in youngsters slowly and injecting them strategically to make it a safe environment allowing them to succeed.

Basically they will have 4 rookies competing for the same roster spot not 4 different spots.

Case in point if say Roman Polak is traded away. Then you might have Harrington, Loov, Percy, Corrado etc all competing against each other for a single spot.

Reilly, Phaneuf, Hunwick, and Gardiner still expected to fill the top 4 spots with these kids brought in as depth 3rd pairing candidates with limited TOI/g.

 

[BlueBaron]

Speculating on rookies next season is pointless because we are missing two vital pieces of information:

1) who if anyone gets traded at the deadline.
2) what if any free agent signings/extensions are enacted for next season.

Also, when this topic is discussed, as some posters have been wise to point out, total number of rookies with the team at the end of next season may be different than rookies starting next season.

The same way there's a potential sell off at this trade deadline, you can't rule out a similar situation at next year's trade deadline.

What will likely happen:

The team will sell of some assets this year. They will then pick up some more cheap free agent signings next year.

There will be a competition at training camp. Two or three of the best rookies max are given an opportunity to make the team. The team is assessed through next year's trade deadline. Then depending on how they're doing and how the first crop of rookies have adjusted, more players are traded for assets and possibly a second wave of 2 to 3 rookies come up to finish the season.

So we'll probably end up with 4 to 6 rookies in the roster by the end of next year. What happens after that depends on how those rookies do and how many of them are future core building blocks.

That first wave? Nylander for certain. After that, I haven't a clue. Do we end up signing Zaitev (or whatever his name is) and is a condition of the signing that he get a shot at the NHL right away? What about Andreas Johnson. Getting him to come over here may mean giving him a long nhl look rather than sending him to the ahl. That might be all we get immediately.

That second wave? One or two D, maybe Connor Brown if he gets it back after recovering from all the lost time this year.

Two years from now is likely to be the first big bumper crop of rookies and the first year the leafs don't grab a bunch of disposable free agents.

Your first point is pretty weak. Even if we trade no one it does not take a rocket scientist to see we have a lot of contracts expire next year and there will be spots. Do you really think we are going to acquire 8 contracts at the deadline that will be on the team next year ? (yes that is how many pending free agents we have currently) .

Your second point ignores the fact management will sign free agents based on perceived needs so if they think Nylander is on the team they are unlikely to sign someone for his spot.

So we can conclude there will be some spots (as Babcock has already said he expects 3 or 4 rookies on his roster next year and a potential step back) and so we play the game of who we think is ready and by extension could/should make the team.

This is not quite like one of those ridiculous exercises where people put out rosters for 5 years from now with their trades, free agents and draft picks that have no basis in reality. We have these guys, we watch them play and we know management want to add youth to the line up next year.

 

[BlueBaron]

I agree in principle that they are not going to dump 6-8 rookies at the same time because they want structure on the team and bringing in youngsters slowly and injecting them strategically to make it a safe environment allowing them to succeed.

Basically they will have 4 rookies competing for the same roster spot not 4 different spots.

Case in point if say Roman Polak is traded away. Then you might have Harrington, Loov, Percy, Corrado etc all competing against each other for a single spot.

Reilly, Phaneuf, Hunwick, and Gardiner still expected to fill the top 4 spots with these kids brought in as depth 3rd pairing candidates with limited TOI/g.

Some good points Mess. The question becomes what spots need to be filled (baring trade of guys like Lupul and Bozak)

No question there are openings on RW and D , maybe 1 C and 1 G .

 

[KGL]

Hard to say. On one hand it looks like there are a lot of guys who will be ready. On the other hand you don't want to have like six or seven rookies make the jump at one time and have a team full of rookies. William Nylander is a lock, of course. Leivo and Brown should make it as well. One of Harrington or Percy will make it, but it'll be tough for both to make it and they'll both be waiver eligible so we'll end up trading one of them most likely. Now the toughest choices are Marner, Leipsic, Johnson, and Kapanen.

Marner, obviously, is OHL or NHL, he's far too good for the OHL this season, nevermind next season, but he also might not be ready for the NHL or Babs and co. may decide they want him to overcook more. Leipsic has been great with the Marlies, but he may be a casualty to too many young guys fighting for a small number of spots. Johnson has been doing very well in the SHL so he has pro experience and may just steal a spot, although I think it's more likely he comes over and learns the system with the Marlies for a year. Kapanen has done quite well with the Marlies this season, I see some people say they're disappointed with his point totals, which is frankly absurd because in most cases he wouldn't even be in the AHL right now, not everyone is William Nylander. I think one more year with the Marlies is the most likely route for Kap.

So yeah, I guess I see Nylander, Marner, Leivo, Brown, and Harrington/Percy making it. Five rookies.

 

[Leafsbeast*]

How to get a thread hijacked in 3....2.....1....

3 you think will make it.

Bunch who are close.

Darkhorse

 

[Mess]

Some good points Mess. The question becomes what spots need to be filled (baring trade of guys like Lupul and Bozak)

No question there are openings on RW and D , maybe 1 C and 1 G .

Pretty well you can look at the pending UFA players as the potential openings as outside of that we don't really know what spots are going to come open via trade.

Spaling, Grabner, Boyes, PA Parenteau, Polak seem like the realistic holes in the lineup.

If the Leafs still have Kadri and Bozak as centres does that make Nylander the #3 centre or does he fill a winger spot in the top 6? That decision has a trickle down effect on others rookies below that.

I would break the prospects down into where they would compete for roster spots in order to help determine where and when players might make it.

ex. Nylander and Marner ideally would become top 6 forwards when ready. Leivo, Brown, Soshnikov types would be more depth roster players for the 3rd and 4th line openings. Leafs don't have a top 4 Dmen in the system ready to step in next year and most are 3rd pairing players so that limits them to openings in the bottom pairing.

 

[Stephen]

Depending on whether or not we draft Matthews this June, I could see him making the Leafs before Marner, so that we roll with Matthews and Nylander.

 

[Stephen]

That said, I'd like to see Leivo, Percy, Harrington and a couple of other kids get more ice time after the deadline.