SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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So they invited the three guys who seem like they have potential, plus Donaghey who also seemed decent just not what we exactly need. Not a lot of the invitees had a lot of potential on paper, but M.Rupert, Doetzel and Fraser looked like they had the most. I guess that translated. I'm not familiar with the UDFA signing rules, but Doetzel has been passed twice (19), so I don't know if he can be picked up. Fraser can because he's turning 20 and has been passed over 3 times. Rupert also. Donaghey is 18, so he can't be signed.
Summer Camp Scouting Report:
Antoine Bibeau is our best shot at a quality goalie in our system at this point. Really proved himself as a starter in the Q and hopefully he backs it up again next year in the AHL.
Connor Brown took major steps in his development and he could be in the NHL as soon as two years from now if he has a good year in the top 6 of the AHL next year.
Tony Cameranesi is a guy who I don't particularly like because he's small and therefore doesn't have a good shot. Although he has a better shot than most small players, as represented by going to a really good school and being drafted, I would say his best value to us would be in a trade, as he's probably the best prospect we don't need. After all we have Dominic Toninato.
Robert Carpenter is probably much like Tony Cameranesi whose still young and not even draft eligible yet. Only really here to prove himself to be drafted as he is also quite undersized (5'10" like Cameranesi)
Kayle Doetzel is a big right handed defenseman on Red Deer. Alternate Captain last year, who looks like he won't be anything more than a right-handed Andrew MacWilliam if anything. Probably just trying to make a case for himself in the draft next year.
Cody Donaghey is a left handed offensive defenseman. Like we need another one of those right? Still, he did quite well picking up 38 points in 67 games with Quebec in the QMJHL, but he doesn't really fit with what we need in our pool as much as Doetzel probably would.
Pierre Engvall was drafted with our 7th round pick in this year's draft... And I thought it was a solid move. We should continue drafting out of Europe, because whoever is our scout there is doing a great job. First Herzog and Johnson last year, and Nylander and Engvall this year. All are great value picks. He scored 35 points in 39 games at the U20 level at Frolunda despite being 18. He's a frame who still needs to fill out his frame, but I think he has the potential to overpass Biggs and Ross as a potential skill power forward or pest or whatever they were going to become. Those two could be on the move sooner rather than later, especially with our depth in the AHL as it is.
Matt Finn is probably the best defensive prospect in our pool now that Rielly doesn't really count anymore. 2012 was a great draft for us I guess. He and Percy could be a guy who eventually leads Nonis to trade Phaneuf and/or Gardiner, or as a piece to bring in a franchise player. I hope he continues to be a top flight player in the AHL, because he's going to be given every opportunity to become a serious two-way defenseman.
Jack Flinn is a huge goalie (6'7" 201 lbs) who was a backup goalie in Owen Sound. It's too bad his stats look like crap on two teams. He's still young and can use this camp as a way to improve himself.
Jeremie Fraser was slated to be drafted in the top 5 in the QMJHL if he didn't have off ice issues. I'm not a fan of people with off ice issues like Max Everson, but if he proves he's clean and still has his ability, he could be a steal. Good size, good offensive production, right-handed and a little bit of snarl. Sounds like somebody the Leafs could use right now.
Frederik Gauthier is going back to the QMJHL to develop more. He's our second best offensive prospect now that we drafted Nylander, but he will be a guy who at the worst will probably become another Bolland (hopefully he doesn't go asking for 5.5 mill though).
Fabrice Herzog is a skilled power forward with NHL size and I think is quite underrated. I think once he comes to the AHL he'll prove to be someone who deserves a serious NHL look sooner rather than later. However, for now he goes to play for Zug in the NLA.
Andreas Johnson is one of our most skilled forwards, probably only behind Nylander and maybe Leivo. Despite lacking height (5'10"), he is a guy who can easily make the NHL as a winger, unlike Cameranesi whose a center (shorter centers have more trouble than wingers). Also, I feel like despite both of them having two-way skills, Johnson has more than Cameranesi and could be a solid 3rd like winger at the worst if he can adjust to the North American game (which is really an issue for any overseas player). Despite that issue, he's more than worth it as a 7th round draft pick and could end up being the next Gunnarsson, just like Herzog and Engvall could be too.
Dakota Joshua is another 2014 draft pick whose a NCAA center project in the 5th round (2011, 2012 and now 2014). Sizable forward going to Ohio State next year who seems like another, bigger Toninato. It's a little early to judge, but he could be better than Toninato and even more so than Cameranesi, which once again gives reasoning to see Cameranesi's best value to us in a trade.
Viktor Loov is a 7th round pick back in 2011 who we signed and rightfully so, despite almost flying under the radar enough for us not to. He's a solid but really unspectacular guy who reminds me more of Gunnarsson than anyone else in our prospect pool. Don't be surprised if he does become the next Gunnarsson, and I can't wait to see him and his 6'3" frame in the AHL next year. It's too bad he's a left-handed defenseman, because we really don't need another one of those. I wouldn't be surprised if we traded one of MacWilliam or Marshall for a center, because we only have two centers on the Marlies right now while have 6 left-handed defenseman and 2 right-handed, and that doesn't include Holzer if he doesn't make the bottom line or 7th defenseman next year as he's slated to.
Matthew Mancina is a lot better than Flinn. He's a solid backup goalie from Guelph who may end up being better than Sparks, who also came from Guelph. Maybe a guy we look at in the 2015 to bolster our weak goalie pool unless we acquire one in a trade. At least we have some experienced depth to train Bibeau in Gibson and Sparks.
Tom Nilsson is a hard hitting right handed defenseman whose coming to the AHL next year and may have a better shot next year simply because he's a right-handed defenseman. He and Granberg are our only ones, but either way he's a great defensive defenseman who has the capabilities to perform in the offensive end even if he hasn't shown it yet. Reminds me of Giordano a little bit if you ask me.
William Nylander is a guy we will have a lot of pressure on to perform, because he's our best offensive prospect since Kadri. We are counting on this guy to perform, but luckily he won't be asked to perform right away and will be given time to develop. For once we will have a real number 1 center or winger, unlike Kadri whose probably better slated as a great number 2.
J.J. Piccinich was our 4th round pick in 2014 whose another NCAA project, which is just what we need. We have a lot of good depth prospects in our system right now, and in the 4th round you're probably not going to find an immediate performer unless you get lucky like we did with Connor Brown. A couple of guys stashed for the future is a good choice, and this guy has the potential to be a great playmaking winger if he gets his consistency fixed. He probably will with Boston University, so there's no problem there.
Zachary Pryzbek is a big freshman NCAA winger with Brown University. He seems like a bruiser much like Brad Ross, which could be a good thing, but he's got to do a lot more to prove himself before possibly being a guy who could be a priority college free agent in 3 years time. This camp is a good way to do so.
Matt Rupert is the undrafted half of the Boom Twins, whereas Ryan is the guy we drafted in the 6th round in 2012. Despite being the smallest guys at camp at only 5'9", he and Ryan will ironically probably be the biggest guys on the ice, because they dish out pain. Their size will not be an issue, and if we sign anyone out of this crop of prospects, I hope Matt is the one, despite not needing another winger in the AHL. With the mixture of physicality, offense and heart, they could be guys who could simply lead the Marlies to many years of prosperity even if they never make the NHL.
Ryan Rupert is one of the only centers in the AHL right now along with McKegg. Luckily we do have Kontiola potentially, as well as Devane, Ryan and Abbott among others having the potential to play center. Otherwise, read Matt's profile because they are twins both on and off the ice.
Dorian Saeftel is the latest German defenseman we always bring into camp. Last year is was Tim Bender, who was a really good player I must say, and this year it's Saeftel. Unlike Bender, Saeftel has some size at 6'3" 214 lbs. He has a left handed shot who is probably much like Holzer, therefore someone we probably do not need with Loov already in the system.
Sven Senteler is a Swiss center who is probably skilled, but probably does not have much of a shot with us long term, if ever. He is much like many of the other projects, but he doesn't seem to be have as much upside despite being further along in development at 21. Maybe if we are desperate at the center position in the AHL he gets a shot, but it's more likely we trade Marshall, MacWilliam, Ross, Orr, McLaren, etc. for an AHL center (or sign one for that matter) before we get him.
Dominic Toninato I have already talked about. He's a two-way center NCAA project who I think it a solid guy to have in the pool and along with the drafting of Dakota Joshua may push Cameranesi out of the pool.
Rinat Valiev is Russian left-handed (I thought he was right-handed, but maybe he plays right side like Jordan Leopold) offensive two-way defenseman who at first I was quite confused about once we drafted him. He had a lot of skill, even being projected to be taken at the top of second round in the 2013 NHL draft or even slipping into the first round at one point, but had a lot of issues in terms of his consistency and willingness to stay in North America. He also didn't perform very well for the Indiana Ice as the season went on. However, he entered the CHL draft and joined another Ice team in Kootenay where he dismissed his consistency and commitment issues. He wasn't as highly projected as he was in the 2013 draft, partially because the 2014 draft is a lot deeper and it was a stretch for him to be taken that high even in the 2013, and was drafted in the 3rd round of this year as a result. I think he may be a guy who surprises some.
Carter Verhaeghe really proved himself in the OHL last year with Niagara. He's a typical center who has a bright future for the Leafs, but needs to go back to Niagara and build off his big year. Maybe the center version of Josh Leivo, like a better Greg McKegg.
Nolan Vesey is another NCAA project we drafted in 2014 (we nearly doubled our NCAA projects in that draft) whose an average sized scoring winger who will join Abbott's Alma Mater of Maine University. We'll see how he turns out, but he looks good so far for a 6th round pick, maybe another Connor Brown?
Samuel Vigneault is a big framed center (6'4") who really needs to fill out his frame since he's only 174 lbs. He'll have plenty of time to do so as he's joining Clarkson University next year as a freshman. However in the QCHL he was one of the top scorers, so maybe he's another NCAA project Toronto looks at long term.
That's everyone. One surprising omission is Eric Knodel. Whether he's too old or what, he's a really good (and big at 6'6" 225 lbs) defenseman. Despite being big, he's not physical as he relies on proper defensive technique rather than big hits, which is really good. He has very good mobility, puck moving and offensive skills. Perhaps he becomes a guy who can be a serious threat for the Leafs not too long from now, even as much as a top 4 defenseman. Also should be mentioned that he was the captain at the University of New Hampshire, which shows a lot. We don't have a lot of spectacular prospects, but we have a lot of solid prospects who all have a good shot at being solid NHLers, with some potentially being spectacular. And then there's Max Everson...
