Josh Leivo

[TheCLAM]

I see Leivo as a player that can potentially make Lupul expendable down the road

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

I haven't heard the greatest things about his character but I can only hope those are wrong.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

I haven't heard the greatest things about his character but I can only hope those are wrong.

Anything besides baseless rumours?

It can't hurt to give Leivo another full season in the AHL. If he impresses, most of his competition (Kontiola, Santorelli, ???) will be gone to make room for him next season anyway.

 

[ponder]

Lots of mentions of Leivo as a potential 2RW in this thread. Worth noting that although he shoots right, he's played LW in all of the games of his I've seen, like a lot of shooters he seems to do well on the off wing. I'm guessing he'll likely stay a LW when he makes it to the NHL full time.

 

[Rielly4]

Love the kid... To me hes like our Lupul replacement.

Reminds me a lot of Reilly smith in Boston, i think he could have that kind of upside.

Hes got great hands infront, hes a smart and skilled player who can play on the rush and cycle... I think early on he will be a good 3rd line winger and then eventually develop into a good top six winger.

 

[AuraSphere]

He's so NHL ready... if he isn't in this time.. then i don't even know

 

[Pyrophorus]

First forward callup, if Santo or Booth goes down.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Leivo I see as having middle 6 potential. Could end up a decent 2nd liner but might end up as a great 3rd liner but no worse then a decent 3rd liner.

Definitely should be slatted to play most of the season in the AHL and get the odd call up in the event of injuries or permanent call up if we deal out pieces near the deadline. He's still only 21 (22 next spring) with only 1 good but not overwhelming AHL season under his belt.

He has a lot of things to still work on that he can get the type of minutes in the AHL to work on those things. At the NHL level he isn't ready to beat out guys for the type of minutes he needs to continue developing.

Better to have him overripe and give him tastes of the NHL before he hopefully eventually forces the team to promote him.

 

[Lebanese Leaf]

First forward callup, if Santo or Booth goes down.

*when Booth goes down.

 

[Trill Kessell]

Consistency has always been the concern with Leivo. He proved himself to be a consistent scorer in the AHL but the NHL is a little bit different. I don't think there is enough roster space to be given a shot to prove that consistency this season. However, if we are not having a competitive season, i do not doubt that he will be given that chance following the trade deadline. If we are having a competitive season and he is lighting up the AHL then he might also give us some cap relief to make a deal to exchange a forward for a D (lupul for D man).

 

[Joey Hoser]

Leivo has actually had a very steady and consistent progression. What makes you think he has issues with consistency?

 

[Trill Kessell]

Leivo has actually had a very steady and consistent progression. What makes you think he has issues with consistency?

He has proven everyone wrong so far. That has always been the knock on him from scouts which has hurt his draft position in the OHL and NHL.

 

[Joey Hoser]

He has proven everyone wrong so far. That has always been the knock on him from scouts which has hurt his draft position in the OHL and NHL.

Consistency didn't hurt his draft position. He wasnt even ranked among NA skaters in the first place and the Leafs took a chance based on him breaking out during a single playoff run.

Perhaps you're thinking of someone else?

 

[Sypher04]

Leivo has actually had a very steady and consistent progression. What makes you think he has issues with consistency?

Gord Dineen himself talked about the fact he needs to work on finding consistency this year. This was in a media scrum within the last week.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I don't see anything about him that would make me question his character.

 

[Johny Drama]

Gord Dineen himself talked about the fact he needs to work on finding consistency this year. This was in a media scrum within the last week.

That's a pretty common theme amongst most young players when they turn pro.
Leivo has the look of a 3rd line forward with ability to play a top 6 role if needed.
His puck handling and shot look good enough already, just needs to add a bit more strength and quickness. Due to a glut of forwards, he starts season on the Marlies but I see him getting called up for some games during the year and given a chance to be a full time Leaf next year.

 

[Erndog]

In terms of top forward prospects it's Nylander and then probably a toss up between Andreas Johnsson and Josh Leivo. Gauthier is probably 4th I'd say.

It's not a great top 4 but it's 4 guys who should almost definitely play in the NHL (albeit, Gauthier is still probably a wild card and a depth C at best).

 

[zeke]

he's close, but i'd like to see legit ppg production from him in the ahl before being sure of his nhl scorong potential.

but there's so much to like in a kid with such a great feel for the game. he's always taking the right angles, using the right body position, and skating to the right areas. i remember doing it way back in his first rookie camp before i even knew who he was. the puck sticks to him.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Finn's ahead of Gauthier by a decent margin as far as I'm concerned.

Edit: whoops. Missed "forward" prospect.

 

[zeke]

In terms of top forward prospects it's Nylander and then probably a toss up between Andreas Johnsson and Josh Leivo. Gauthier is probably 4th I'd say.

It's not a great top 4 but it's 4 guys who should almost definitely play in the NHL (albeit, Gauthier is still probably a wild card and a depth C at best).

choosing between leivo, gauthier, johnson, verhaeghe, and brown is really damn tough, imo. that's five good forward prospects there battling it out to be our #2 forward prospect, imo.

 

[silentbob37*]

Love the kid... To me hes like our Lupul replacement.

Reminds me a lot of Reilly smith in Boston, i think he could have that kind of upside.

Hes got great hands infront, hes a smart and skilled player who can play on the rush and cycle... I think early on he will be a good 3rd line winger and then eventually develop into a good top six winger.

I'd like to Lupul - Kadri - Leivo play together a line rather then the Leafs being in a rush to get rid of Lupul.

 

[WTFMAN99]

choosing between leivo, gauthier, johnson, verhaeghe, and brown is really damn tough, imo. that's five good forward prospects there battling it out to be our #2 forward prospect, imo.

Leivo is gonna be probably a nice 2nd line winger, at worst a 3rd.

Gauthier I believe we all arrived at 3rd line centre...."probably"

Andreas Johnson - Again probably a nice 2nd line winger

Verhaeghe - no idea - He could be anything from a...and dare I say it, 1st line centre (I like all the tools and talent I am seeing, I just need to see him grow, and play with great NHL players) to nothing.

Brown is top 6, maybe top 9 or bust. I like a lot of elements in his game.

 

[TLeafsFan]

He could push Booth out of the roster.

 

[zeke]

Leivo is gonna be probably a nice 2nd line winger, at worst a 3rd.

Gauthier I believe we all arrived at 3rd line centre...."probably"

Andreas Johnson - Again probably a nice 2nd line winger

Verhaeghe - no idea - He could be anything from a...and dare I say it, 1st line centre (I like all the tools and talent I am seeing, I just need to see him grow, and play with great NHL players) to nothing.

Brown is top 6, maybe top 9 or bust. I like a lot of elements in his game.

i think brown, johnson, and verhaeghe have moderately higher offensive ceilings than leivo and gauthier, but leivo and gauthier have higher floors.

 

[Community]

i think brown, johnson, and verhaeghe have moderately higher offensive ceilings than leivo and gauthier, but leivo and gauthier have higher floors.

I like this analysis the best, although I never like to put a cap on players potential because they can always be better than anybody expects, I think its fair to say that the first three have a higher likelihood of being good offensive producers. If everything worked out good, I see these as suitable comparisons:

Brown seems like a hard working 2-way 2nd line winger, decent defense good offense for a 2nd line winger.

Verhaghe seems like a 2-way #2C with good hockey IQ and just knows where to be. Does the little things right and tries to keep his game fairly simple.

Johnson I can't comment on as I've almost never watched anything besides highlights.

Leivo is a north-south type player with decent hands and a nose for the net. Good forechecker, average? defense, good shot, and a good forechecker. I'm thinking 2nd line winger, could be below or above average #2 winger.

Gauthier seems likely to be a #3 C. I'm hoping he can become a Sutter type #3C (value wise, not playing style) with 30ish pts, great defense, great face offs, and hopefully uses his body to his advantage. Looking at his range id say McClement-Hanzal and I'm hoping for a B sutterish type player.