Josh Leivo

[APV]

Do we have a thread for him yet? I think its worthy. He was very impressive in the first rookie tournament game (expected) but I was also surprised to hear that he is the first Marlie to ever score 20 goals in his rookie season. I really think he should be challenging for a spot on the Leafs.

What do you guys think of him for this season? What do you think of him in regards to his future as a leaf?

I for one am very excited….

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[SprDaVE]

Inching towards blue chip status to be perfectly honest. His big negative while developing was his consistency and he's been able to really get over those question marks.

Fantastic shot, really good 2-way game and has the mobility to be a really great top 6 winger. He doesn't have pure top end skill but I think his overall game more then makes up for that.

He reminds me a bit Loui Eriksson when he plays. Similar stat line around the same age as well. He won't deke the pants off of you, but has a terrific shot and obviously has a great 2-way game. I'm hoping Leivo can develop into that kind of player for us in a couple years.

I'll be looking forward to him being a top end AHL producer and player for the Marlies. I have a feeling he won't stay there for long.

 

[X66]

Leivo has proven to be a steal once in his career, he was selected in the 11th round of the OHL draft and went on to be one of the better players in the league for his career. The Leafs could really use him to be a steal for them moving forward.

He often didn't garner the same type of attention as the more 'sexy' prospects in the system, largely due to draft position IMO. First round picks draw more of the attention, which shouldn't surprise anyone. Since Leivo was drafted, it feels like we've heard more about the development of Kadri, Rielly, Biggs, Percy and Gauthier largely due to where they were selected(the first round).

Leivo put up a very good stat-line as a rookie in the AHL. He scored 23 goals and added 19 assists in 59 games(42 points). Scoring over 20 goals as a rookie in the AHL is impressive, he was on pace for just shy of 30 goals.

He was a top 20 goal scorer for players under 25 years old in the AHL, and all but 4 of those players were older than him(he is 20 years old). Of those 4 players that were the same age, Leivo has a higher PPG average than 3 of them(one is Ty Rattie) and the one that has a higher PPG than him is Granlund.

Leivo is also capable of playing the two-way game and can always be found in the dirty areas trying to get a goal or winning a battle, he plays a style of game that is sorely missed by this team IMO.

 

[PuckMagi]

I really like Leivo. I think he would have made the Leafs this year if we didn't sign guys like Booth, Santa, Kontiola, Frattin, and Komorov.

The only two forward prospects I like are Leivo and Nylander. Though I was a little bit more impressed with Gauthier's game this tournament (but I see Gauthier as a 3rd line C at most... but likely a 4th line C). I think Leivo would be a good second line winger and would play well with someone like Kadri. I think Leivo will be a goal scorer... he seems to have that touch.

I think if 2 of our forwards are out at some point this year, I think Leivo could get called up (assuming Nylander doesn't make the team).

 

[ShameOnYouZidlicky]

I'd call him our 4th best prospect after Nylander, Finn and Percy. Hopefully he'll be our first call up this year and then makes the team full time for the 2015-16 season. I see him as a 40-45 point two way 2nd/3rd line tweener winger.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

I'd call him our 4th best prospect after Nylander, Finn and Percy. Hopefully he'll be our first call up this year and then makes the team full time for the 2015-16 season. I see him as a 40-45 point two way 2nd/3rd line tweener winger.

I honestly have him ranked right behind Nylander

 

[SprDaVE]

I honestly have him ranked right behind Nylander

Same. A notch higher then Finn and Percy. I think he's more likely to reach a higher ceiling.

 

[ponder]

Love him - great hustle, strong two way play, and quite good offensive talent too. He was excellent for the Marlies last year, and in his short don't with the Leafs I thought he looked better than a number of regulars too (cough Clarkson cough). Agreed that he's up there with Finn and Percy as prospects, possibly better than both. He should make the team out of camp this year IMO.

 

[ponder]

I really like Leivo. I think he would have made the Leafs this year if we didn't sign guys like Booth, Santa, Kontiola, Frattin, and Komorov.

Agreed that these signings will make it way harder for to make the team, but I can see him beating out guys like Booth and Frattin in camp.

 

[Dough72]

Leivo has proven to be a steal once in his career, he was selected in the 11th round of the OHL draft and went on to be one of the better players in the league for his career.

I've always wondered how much value scouts put on things like this

success in the pros is about adapting to a higher level. It's hard to tell which guys can pull off that mental trick and start reacting faster and seeing things faster, that's why there are so many busts. But if a guy already has a track record of it at lower levels along the way? I think I'd bump him quite a few spots on my rankings list, even ahead of guys with more base talent

 

[Pholus]

He's been talked about as a potential replacement for Lupul. If he can become a solid 2nd line winger with good offensive play and a decent defensive game without all the injury problems, I would be extremely happy with that.

 

[Ace88*]

I am totally okay with a second line of lupus, Kadri leivo.

 

[The Podium]

I had him pencilled into the lineup before all of the signings. Too bad he likely won't crack the roster now even though he likely will out play most of the players at camp.

 

[SprDaVE]

I am totally okay with a second line of lupus, Kadri leivo.

It's never lupus.

 

[Sypher04]

Inching towards blue chip status to be perfectly honest. His big negative while developing was his consistency and he's been able to really get over those question marks.

Fantastic shot, really good 2-way game and has the mobility to be a really great top 6 winger. He doesn't have pure top end skill but I think his overall game more then makes up for that.

He reminds me a bit Loui Eriksson when he plays. Similar stat line around the same age as well. He won't deke the pants off of you, but has a terrific shot and obviously has a great 2-way game. I'm hoping Leivo can develop into that kind of player for us in a couple years.

I'll be looking forward to him being a top end AHL producer and player for the Marlies. I have a feeling he won't stay there for long.

Consistency is still an area of concern with Leivo. Gord Dineen made specific reference to this in a media scrum within the past week. I think for this reason he'd be better off spending the season in the AHL than he would have been had he jumped to the NHL anyway. There's still a lot more he can do and learn about playing pro before he gets the expectation of Leafs Nation heaped onto him in the big league.

This guy quietly had a very good rookie AHL season, but he's got significant room for improvement on that season. I say we be patient with him. I suspect that is large part of the idea behind signing guys like Santorelli, Booth, Komarov, Kontiola, and re-aquiring Frattin. To afford these prospects like Leivo the time they should get to continue their pro development.

They also see him taking on more of a leadership role this year.

 

[Cor]

Depending how this year goes in the AHL for him, and how the big team is doing, this could lead to an opportunity to dealing Joffery Lupul, possibly at the deadline.

 

[Mess]

One more year in the AHL, mainly to all the stop gap signings this year and he should be a full time Leaf in 2015-16.

His development curve is what you like to see from a prospect.

 

[WTFMAN99]

One more year in the AHL, mainly to all the stop gap signings this year and he should be a full time Leaf in 2015-16.

His development curve is what you like to see from a prospect.

Agreed. I think this year buys him more time to develop and then he'll have an NHL spot in the top 6-9 locked up.

I like his ability to protect the puck, steal it off opposing players and board work. He has a heavy shot too.

He looks like he got faster over the summer so one more year and he's definitely ready to go.

He's also one of the first guys I look at to come up in case of an injury.

 

[Purity*]

He was up for 7 games last year and he didn't look too bad at all, even potted his first NHL goal.

I'm thinking he's got the hockey sense to make it in the NHL. We've been due for a long time to have a steal 2nd-7th round steal in the draft, and I think this guy might be it.

 

[Eyedea]

Love the way he has developed thus far. Hopefully he can be a key two-way cog that the Leafs can rely on in all situations. It hasn't come as quick for him as it has for Saad but I think he has a pretty similar skill set.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Joshua Leivo can be as good as he wants to be, if he wants to be a NHL all-star, he has the ability to be one.

There was never a doubt with his talent, a tremendous value pick by Morrison. It's all up to Joshua, who at one point was a healthy scratch by Spott last year, when reinserted he went on to have an excellent year.

Hopefully Leivo will take this lesson and never look back. If so, we have a good one here. Possibly our best pick from 2011.

 

[Guy Boucher]

He looked like our best player in the rookie tournament bar none. Nylander, while impressive, looked at times like he was still adjusting to the smaller ice surface.

Leivo, meanwhile, had full control of the play when he was on the ice. It was only disappointing that he didn't have better linemates surrounding him.

I think he'll really challenge in training camp to steal a spot on the team.

 

[pooleboy]

I thought leivo should have been on the team last year, was awesome with the leafs in his short stint with the big club.

Imo he should be in the running for the 2nd line RW spot

 

[rdawg1234]

Would've challenged for the 2nd line RW spot and he really fits there right now.

guarentee he'll be first call-up though due to injury, guy has top 6 potential and looked really good so far.

So glad some of our forward prospects are starting to pan out, if he doesnt make the team this year he'll be ready 100% next year, makes those 1 year contracts look kind of smart imo, some of these marlies are close to ready.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

i think both Holland and Leivo have second line upside, with Leivo maybe even with a higher ceiling but we will see.