Prospect and Marlies Thread: 2017 - 2018

[SeaOfBlue]

Hope he keeps it up and earns himself and ELC

We're not exactly flush with guys who bring what he does to the table

Size, defensive ability, mobility, physicality, leadership

He's pretty much what the Leafs need on the 3LD right now...

If Mattinen can keep it up too, he could do a similar thing on the RD, except with a bomb of a shot. Skating is much improved. I don't know if it's as improved as Middleton's and whether it'll be enough for him to earn an ELC, but he's a +2 with 9 points in 15 games. He's not doing too bad on a mediocre team. Only a little bit less than Hague and Stanley.

Imagine a 6'5" shutdown pairing on the Marlies who can skate well enough and and contribute a bit offensively. Not to mention both are very physical That would scary for teams...

 

[Maplebeasts]

Igor Ozhiganov's wife is in Toronto. She's visiting the Zaitsev family. Zaitsev's wife just posted an Instagram picture proclaiming how much she loves Toronto.

Ozhiganov is a KHL defenceman that is reportedly getting contract offers from NHL teams. A lot of speculation that he and Toronto have a lot of interest in one another.

If management is high on this guy, I see no need to be upset with it. Apparently he has a bullet from the point which will always be welcome here. Encouraging that his wife is visiting Toronto and the interest in us seems high and genuine.

 

[taurine330]

Will he come over after this season?

We should hope so.

 

[Pholus]

I'm allowing myself the tiniest glimmer of hope for a WJC camp invite, definitely justifiable depending on the size of roster they bring. Hell if staff are purists in a meritocracy he'd have a shot to fill the 3rd pair LH/ 7D PK role. A lot of offensive firepower down that left side- Clague, Cholowski, Bean, Girard. I give all those guys PP and offensive EV time over Stanley and Hague, and Middleton is better than either defensively.

Tiny glimmer. 50% realistic hope, 50% Friday night beers

Middleton is also playing in the Canada/Russia CHL series, Nov 13 in Sudbury, so at least he'll have a chance to impress enough for that invite. That's really all you could ask for at this point.

https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/...icked-to-play-in-the-chl-canada-russia-series

 

[LeafChief]

Rasanen with 12 points in 16 games. Anyone have a scouting report?

 

[Walshy7]

Rasanen with 12 points in 16 games. Anyone have a scouting report?

He was picked for Finland’s wjhc squad last year right? Should be in for a larger role this year if so.

There are a couple of guys here who have good knowledge of him, say he needs to fix his skating but it is fixable as opposed to Nielsen whose issues aren’t fixable and we have to hope. I like rasanen most out of our big guys seems to have the most offensive skill 6’7” rhd would be fantastic

 

[Scott Malkinson]

If management is high on this guy, I see no need to be upset with it. Apparently he has a bullet from the point which will always be welcome here. Encouraging that his wife is visiting Toronto and the interest in us seems high and genuine.

Just doing some reading on him and watching some clips, it looks like he's a relatively mobile, big body defenceman with a great shot and sneaky good puck skills.

He seems to be having a relatively underwhelming year with CSKA Moscow but I would imagine his talents haven't diminished. The KHL is a tricky league to judge players solely based on statistics.

 

[Walshy7]

Just doing some reading on him and watching some clips, it looks like he's a relatively mobile, big body defenceman with a great shot and sneaky good puck skills.

He seems to be having a relatively underwhelming year with CSKA Moscow but I would imagine his talents haven't diminished. The KHL is a tricky league to judge players solely based on statistics.

There is a great poster on Russian players named caser, he basically said don’t expect Zaitsev not sure if he meant don’t expect a top4 or that Zaitsev is more than a top4. Sounds like he could be a bottom pair upgrade on polak which would be fantastic

 

[Canada4Gold]

He was picked for Finland’s wjhc squad last year right? Should be in for a larger role this year if so.

No he wasn't. There was a Rasanen on that team but it's a different Rasanen, who will also be on this years team, a forward.

He should be on this years team but there's a lot of good D in front of him. Juolevi, Heiskanen, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are all 1st round picks. Then you have Salo and Niemelainen as 19 years olds he'll be fighting with for a spot presumably. Won't be easy to get much playing time as a 18 year old D on that team.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Ian Scott is having a nice year so far.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Grundstrom with 2 goals. Now has 6 points in 10 games.

 

[BigWilly]

Grundstrom with 2 goals. Now has 6 points in 10 games.

I LOVE this kid. He's going to be such a stud for us.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

No he wasn't. There was a Rasanen on that team but it's a different Rasanen, who will also be on this years team, a forward.

He should be on this years team but there's a lot of good D in front of him. Juolevi, Heiskanen, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are all 1st round picks. Then you have Salo and Niemelainen as 19 years olds he'll be fighting with for a spot presumably. Won't be easy to get much playing time as a 18 year old D on that team.

The nice thing is that only Jokiharju is a RHD on that list.

 

[Walshy7]

No he wasn't. There was a Rasanen on that team but it's a different Rasanen, who will also be on this years team, a forward.

He should be on this years team but there's a lot of good D in front of him. Juolevi, Heiskanen, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are all 1st round picks. Then you have Salo and Niemelainen as 19 years olds he'll be fighting with for a spot presumably. Won't be easy to get much playing time as a 18 year old D on that team.

Ah my mistake, yeah the d you listed are probably more suited to a fast paced wjhc so he will be in very tough. Doesn’t matter though I’m high on the kid I think he is pretty much a shoe in to get a elc at the end of his jnr career where as a few of the others may be less likely (Mattinen for example) Gordeev seems to be playing well too right now

 

[saltming]

No he wasn't. There was a Rasanen on that team but it's a different Rasanen, who will also be on this years team, a forward.

He should be on this years team but there's a lot of good D in front of him. Juolevi, Heiskanen, Valimaki, Vaakanainen, and Jokiharju are all 1st round picks. Then you have Salo and Niemelainen as 19 years olds he'll be fighting with for a spot presumably. Won't be easy to get much playing time as a 18 year old D on that team.

Didn't he get a couple games in? I swear I recall the announcer talking about there being 2 Rasanen on the team. I could be mistaken but I recall hearing.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Didn't he get a couple games in? I swear I recall the announcer talking about there being 2 Rasanen on the team. I could be mistaken but I recall hearing.

There's a 3rd Rasanen, who was drafted by the Canes this year in the 7th round. Maybe you recall talk of 2 Rasanen's drafted this past year? Neither him nor our Rasanen was on the Finland World Junior team this past year

 

[Bullseye]

Didn't he get a couple games in? I swear I recall the announcer talking about there being 2 Rasanen on the team. I could be mistaken but I recall hearing.

Both Rasanen's played in the summer series - the other is a smaller forward.

 

[saltming]

There's a 3rd Rasanen, who was drafted by the Canes this year in the 7th round. Maybe you recall talk of 2 Rasanen's drafted this past year? Neither him nor our Rasanen was on the Finland World Junior team this past year

I honestly don't know but elite prospects has him with 6 WJC 18 games played
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=302228

 

[saltming]

Both Rasanen's played in the summer series - the other is smaller a forward.

Ahh maybe that was it!
Thanks Bullseye

 

[Bullseye]

Ahh maybe that was it!
Thanks Bullseye

Fitness was a concerned for our Rasanen after the training camps this fall. He was going back to his junior team with an awareness that just being big bodied point producing guy in the OHL is not nearly enough to play professionally. So, in addition to his well-known skating issues - he was not working out nearly enough. See what the future brings.

 

[Barilko14]

EDITED Fridge Watch:
Middleton with the game winner earlier this week against Flint, and 2 assists tonight against London, the second on the OT game winner .Up to 7 points in 11 games.

Higher touted 98 born fridges Stanley and Hague with 12 and 14 points in 15 games respectively, but on the ice for 21 and 23 5v5 goals against to Middleton's 10 (3 of which of have come in the backups 90 minutes of .762 hockey)

I'll be disappointed in this board if "Fridge Watch" doesn't catch on.

We've got 5 towering D to keep track of, so posts concerning them should be labelled.

 

[saltming]

Fitness was a concerned for our Rasanen after the training camps this fall. He was going back to his junior team with an awareness that just being big bodied point producing guy in the OHL is not nearly enough to play professionally. So, in addition to his well-known skating issues - he was not working out nearly enough. See what the future brings.

I remember reading that his conditioning was a concern. Also at that height he will need to hit the weights to fill out.
I would think his skating is only lacking the strength that would come from a good condition routine.
Maybe billet him with Gary Roberts?

 

[saltming]

I'll be disappointed in this board if "Fridge Watch" doesn't catch on.

We've got 5 towering D to keep track of, so posts concerning them should be labelled.

Yes but to be fair Middleton was dubbed that, by kiwi I think, first. Maybe we should come with a different tag for the group?

 

[LeafChief]

Does anyone else find it strange that Stephen Desrocher isn't playing anywhere yet this year? Is he with a team?

 

[LeafChief]

FRIDGE WATCH:

Eemeli Rasanen: 12 points in 16 games (CHL)
Keaton Middleton: 7 points in 11 games (CHL)
Fedor Gordeev: 7 points in 15 games (CHL)
Nicolas Mattinen: 9 points in 16 games (CHL)
J.D. Greenway: No games played (NCAA) - anyone know why?