Prospect Info: 2019 Maple Leafs Development Camp

[Shak19]

Most excited to see Gunnerwolfe Fontaine, the name alone earns a roster spot

 

[SeaOfBlue]

No Kizimov or Holmberg

Yeah that tells me there is likely some tournament or training camps happening right now so it wasn't worth it for a lot of Europeans to make the trek. Seems like only our Finnish league players are making it over here, so I guess they either are not going to be in tournaments or the Finn pro teams and international teams hold their development camps a little bit later than Sweden and Russia.

Denmark and Austria made the trip. Otherwise, there is one Russian who is not worth consideration for anything is here as well (but at least he's a billionaire's son).

I'm keeping tabs on the CHL Import Draft on Thursday. I don't expect our guys to be taken, or at least I don't expect them to come over, but it's also the start of looking for some potential 2020 draftees.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Like that they invited Simoneau. Thought with them trading their last pick of the draft For a pick next year I highly doubt there’s anyone that they like enough that a development camp is enough to offer an ELC.

 

[4thline]

Like that they invited Simoneau. Thought with them trading their last pick of the draft For a pick next year I highly doubt there’s anyone that they like enough that a development camp is enough to offer an ELC.

One area I could see that not applying is d-men at the right age to go pro, for example if a Larsen or Sapego shows better than Kral/Duzcak/ Hollowell I think they could enter consideration for Marlies time.

 

[stickty111]

I know some things about these guys.

Alistrov plays like a power forward but I believe his issue is he lacks skating ability. Joe Carroll had issues with IQ and consistency in both ends. He does possess some decent skill, but he does not possess a ton of upside, and his skating is also kind of an issue. Really, there is not a lot which doesn't need a fair amount of work, and even then you may only get a solid 3rd/4th line grinder out of it. If he takes major leaps, I could see him maybe getting drafted as a D+1 or D+2, but it would be a Leason-like rise. Very similar to Alistrov from what I've seen from him, but I've seen a lot more of Carroll than I have Alistrov. Both seem like filler.
I've seen a lot of Kartye as well. Smart, responsible, respectable two-way center but lacks upside. He should be a great OHLer, but I doubt he ever becomes a pro player from what I've seen out of him, and if he does, it'll be on an AHL contract at best. He's filler.

Sapego is a puck moving PP QB type whom I believe has a physical edge to him along with solid two-way ability. I thought he could have been drafted this year possible. I think out of everyone, he could have the best chance at an ELC. Staios is very similar, but is much smaller and was held back by a poor Windsor team. He could be drafted next year. Pepin is solid in his own zone but can move the puck well. He too could be drafted next year after doing well in a small sample size with Shawinigan this year. Those guys need to make some improvements and lead teams that should be on the rise for that to happen though. People already know quite a bit about Simoneau. Undersized with not enough skill to make up for it, but he's a potential breakout candidate for next year's draft.

Larochelle is a pure offensive defenseman who is undersized. Needs a lot work in his own end. I don't expect much out of him at any point. QMJHL produces a ton of guys just like him every year, but he'll be a great QMJHL PP QB for the next few years. Maybe gets an AHL deal at the end of it. He's filler.

Rotenberg was here last year. That's about as good as it gets. He's not very good, so he's mostly filler.

Fontaine is a decent player. I believe he was on Abrusseze's line and I think in a few highlight packages I've seen he's shown he has some good hands and shot. He's going to go to the NCAA next year so really this is just an early scouting report for a potential late 2020 pick. He may be more than filler, so I'll trust the couple of scouts we have in the USHL/Chicago area now on him.

Haven't seen the rest of them. I've heard of Haudum and I know he was often Austria's best player in international tournaments. Put together a decent season in the Allsvenskan points-wise last year but he's filler. Same with Larsen and the rest of the guys I haven't mentioned above. Hamblin is a guy who could explode in his OA year and earn an ELC, but more than likely he could just be another solid AHL contract candidate like Riley Woods. Keep tabs on him for that.

C/LW Josh Nelson also looks like he is on that list. He played in London, speedy, skilled, good IQ. Low upside though. He's a potential AHL contract candidate next year. I don't think he does enough to earn an ELC, and even an AHL contract would require a fair bit of improvement out of him offensively. He can play a solid defensive game, but he's small.

So to break it down:
Solid Invites (i.e. guys with a solid chance of getting drafted/earning an ELC): LD Marc-Antoine Pepin, C Xavier Simoneau, RD Sergei Sapego, LD Nathan Staios, LW Gunnarwolfe Fontaine
Filler: The rest.

This description makes him sound intriguing and good.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

One area I could see that not applying is d-men at the right age to go pro, for example if a Larsen or Sapego shows better than Kral/Duzcak/ Hollowell I think they could enter consideration for Marlies time.

Sapego would be a good measuring stick for Kral. If Kral outperforms Sapego (assuming Sapego plays to the standards I've seen him play to), then it could be enough to convince management that Kral is worth an ELC and is ready to play for the Marlies. If not, they may decide to let him convince them otherwise over the course of the year in the CHL or wherever he plays next year (or maybe Sapego was just so good and is worth an ELC himself).

With Gordeev not in the organization anymore, I wouldn't mind giving his Marlies' spot to Kral and seeing what he can do. We have some ice time available for him.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Whens the last time we even gave an ELC to an invite?

 

[4thline]

Sapego would be a good measuring stick for Kral. If Kral outperforms Sapego (assuming Sapego plays to the standards I've seen him play to), then it could be enough to convince management that Kral is worth an ELC and is ready to play for the Marlies. If not, they may decide to let him convince them otherwise over the course of the year in the CHL or wherever he plays next year (or maybe Sapego was just so good and is worth an ELC himself).

With Gordeev not in the organization anymore, I wouldn't mind giving his Marlies' spot to Kral and seeing what he can do. We have some ice time available for him.

Larsen is the guy who's resume intrigues me the most. Decent looking U21 allvenskan season, good size, and a lot of top level IIHF experience.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

This description makes him sound intriguing and good.

Here is something on Alistrov as well. Probably should have mentioned that he has some good hands (especially in tight) and a good shot. I think that is better than what I've seen out of Carroll.



2018-19 HIGHLIGHT REEL | Vladimir Alistrov

Top 10 NHL Shootout Goals of All-Time

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Whens the last time we even gave an ELC to an invite?

Trevor Moore.

That didn't work out too bad.

Technically Mason Marchment worked out that way too, just not right away. He was an invitee due to being on an AHL deal and within a year earned an ELC.

 

[MyBudJT]

Whens the last time we even gave an ELC to an invite?

Was it Andrew Crescenzi??

 

[SprDaVE]

Whens the last time we even gave an ELC to an invite?

Trevor Moore and Mason Marchment were camp invites from AHL contracts to ELCs -- not straight ELCs. A couple others are on AHL deals at this time.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Brazeau and Der-arg....... looked really good today up front. Braz some nice snipes and rocked a couple guys. Der-arg is sweet skater and soft hands. 2 guys who may surprise at main camp. At very least gives us a couple more guys in AHL who can develop and bolster the system.

 

[Mess]

Whens the last time we even gave an ELC to an invite?

I believe the answer to your question is Andrew Crescenzi ,whom the Leafs signed in 2010.

The 18 year old went undrafted and then received an invite to Leafs development and then later rookie camp and earned a 3 year ELC before being returned to the OHL Kitchener Rangers.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Trevor Moore and Mason Marchment were camp invites from AHL contracts to ELCs -- not straight ELCs. A couple others are on AHL deals at this time.

Trevor Moore was not on an AHL deal. Never was. He was a straight ELC from college.

Maple Leafs sign Trevor Moore to three-year contract

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I believe the answer to your question is Andrew Crescenzi ,whom the Leafs signed in 2010.

The 18 year old went undrafted and then received an invite to Leafs development and then later rookie camp and earned a 3 year ELC before being returned to the OHL Kitchener Rangers.

Even before Trevor Moore, there was Cody Donaghey.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Brazeau and Der-arg....... looked really good today up front. Braz some nice snipes and rocked a couple guys. Der-arg is sweet skater and soft hands. 2 guys who may surprise at main camp. At very least gives us a couple more guys in AHL who can develop and bolster the system.

Well in SDA's case, it won't be next year. He's back to the OHL for one more year.

 

[MyBudJT]

Devin Cooley looks like an intriguing goaltending target for next offseason (assuming he wants to go back to Denver)

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Devin Cooley looks like an intriguing goaltending target for next offseason (assuming he wants to go back to Denver)

Depends if he gets playing time. Magnus Chrona is there as a Tampa DP and he will probably be given a good shot at the starting role left by Filip Larsson.

 

[Mess]

Even before Trevor Moore, there was Cody Donaghey.

Trevor Moore was a previously undrafted player that played 3 years in the NCAA before getting signed as a "free wallet" at age 21. This situation is very common around the league as teams snap up these types of players after they leave/graduate the NCAA.

I think this question was more about first time eligible draft prospects that earned a ELC out of Leafs camp that are still eligible to be drafted in upcoming years.

Cody Donaghey would qualify as an 18 year player that earned an ELC from the Leafs as one of these invitees. Forgot about him because he never played a single game in the Leafs organization and was traded away in the Phaneuf contract dump to Ottawa.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Trevor Moore was a previously undrafted player that played 3 years in the NCAA before getting signed as a "free wallet" at age 21. This situation is very common around the league as teams snap up these types of players after they leave/graduate the NCAA.

I think this question was more about first time eligible draft prospects that earned a ELC out of Leafs camp that are still eligible to be drafted in upcoming years.

Cody Donaghey would qualify as an 18 year player that earned an ELC from the Leafs as one of these invitees. Forgot about him because he never played a single game in the Leafs organization and was traded away in the Phaneuf contract dump to Ottawa.

I was just going off of the OP, which was simply ELC to an invite (in which case it would be Moore). If it was to an 18 year old invite, then it would be Donaghey.

Either way, I doubt you see anyone break that trend. It hasn't exactly worked out for us in the past, unlike Philly who was able to get both Myers and Zamula that way. No idea why nobody drafted Zamula last year TBH. Even with the lack of production he was pretty impressive last year.

 

[Mess]

I was just going off of the OP, which was simply ELC to an invite (in which case it would be Moore). If it was to an 18 year old invite, then it would be Donaghey.

Either way, I doubt you see anyone break that trend. It hasn't exactly worked out for us in the past, unlike Philly who was able to get both Myers and Zamula that way. No idea why nobody drafted Zamula last year TBH. Even with the lack of production he was pretty impressive last year.

If you're not willing to invest a draft pick even a 7th rounder in a 1st time draft eligible player then signing them to an ELC as 18 year olds is very unlikely coming out of a development camp. The main reason being the early commitment needed as with your own picks you have at least 2 more years owning their rights (more for NCAA/Europe) to evaluate them and then decide by age 20 then if they're worth an ELC, or cutting loose.

As we see Leafs walk away from their own draft picks that they feel haven't developed, so lots of risk in an 18 year old undrafted player when you have a 50 max contract limit even if they slide for their Junior eligible years.

Who knows perhaps 1/3 - 1/2 of the players the Leafs actually drafted this year and attending this development camp may not end up with a Leafs ELC when the time comes.

 

[stickty111]

Here is something on Alistrov as well. Probably should have mentioned that he has some good hands (especially in tight) and a good shot. I think that is better than what I've seen out of Carroll.



2018-19 HIGHLIGHT REEL | Vladimir Alistrov

Top 10 NHL Shootout Goals of All-Time

Thanks.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Trevor Moore.

That didn't work out too bad.

Technically Mason Marchment worked out that way too, just not right away. He was an invitee due to being on an AHL deal and within a year earned an ELC.

Trevor Moore and Mason Marchment were camp invites from AHL contracts to ELCs -- not straight ELCs. A couple others are on AHL deals at this time.

Yea thanks. So it doesn't happen much, at least with us. That Simoneau guy sounds intriguing though.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Yea thanks. So it doesn't happen much, at least with us. That Simoneau guy sounds intriguing though.

Personally, I had him going undrafted, but being a priority UDFA invite (like he is now). The skating-size combination is way too much of a question mark with the number of other quality prospects. That being said, he was less "undraftable" worthy than a number of guys who ended up getting drafted so who knows really. All I know is MTL picked a guy who was still in AAA (and not even doing well) over this guy so draft boards be damned.