Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Pierre Engvall, Jesper Lindgren, Par Lindholm and Igor Ozhiganov to ELCs

[Buds17]

Lindholm and Ozhiganov help bring more quantity to the battle for the positions of need in C and (R)D. Competition never hurts and hopefully quality emerges somewhere. Always good to increase depth for a variety of reasons.

 

[nobody]

Ozhiganov went from being the #2 Dman on the team last year to being a #8 guy this year. I'm not sure if he was injured or not but from what I have read before, there was some serious conspiracy work on him getting absolutely shunned by the team because he decided to leave for the NHL. Can anyone confirm? It seems awfully fishy for a guy to just drop off the map after having a few solid years of great forward progress.

 

[taurine330]

Ozhiganov went from being the #2 Dman on the team last year to being a #8 guy this year. I'm not sure if he was injured or not but from what I have read before, there was some serious conspiracy work on him getting absolutely shunned by the team because he decided to leave for the NHL. Can anyone confirm? It seems awfully fishy for a guy to just drop off the map after having a few solid years of great forward progress.

Which is interesting because that the time I saw him we was double shifting the last 10 mins of a game while chasing a lead.

 

[Dog]

Good signings and congrats to them!

 

[nobody]

Which is interesting because that the time I saw him we was double shifting the last 10 mins of a game while chasing a lead.

That's a good sign. Perhaps the rumors are just rumors. When was the last time you saw him?

 

[Advanced stats]

Ozhiganov went from being the #2 Dman on the team last year to being a #8 guy this year. I'm not sure if he was injured or not but from what I have read before, there was some serious conspiracy work on him getting absolutely shunned by the team because he decided to leave for the NHL. Can anyone confirm? It seems awfully fishy for a guy to just drop off the map after having a few solid years of great forward progress.

Looking at his ice time stats, it's crazy how his ice time dropped almost 50% from the regular season last year too the playoffs this year.

 

[mike dad bab clock]

Pär for the course

 

[Fogelhund]

I guess it’s ok but I’d rather they fill the Marlies with junior players ready to step up and play.

Say what now? Two of these are exactly that... players we've drafted and are now ready to play for the Marlies.

Engvall was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the seventh round (188th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Lindgren was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Then there are these two free agents.

Lindholm represented Sweden at the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, and scored a goal in four games. He's a C. In case you didn't notice, our prospect pool for C's is thin, and he just might end up being our starting #4C next year for the Leafs.

In 315 career KHL games split between Sibir Novosibirsk, Amur Khabarovsk and CSKA Moscow, Ozhiganov has registered 92 points (29 goals, 63 assists). He was named a KHL All-Star in 2016-17. RHD...

 

[Silver91]

Kinda surprised Lindgren got a contract after leaving the Marlies a couple weeks ago. Hopefully this means he gets consistent minutes at the Ricoh next season.

 

[MyBudJT]

Ozhiganov could very well be better than Connor Carrick...

I agree with the poster talking about competition... There is no room to take the offseason 'off', as there are several players knocking on the NHL door:

Especially on D:

LHD: Rielly, Gardiner, Dermott, Hainsey, Borgman, Rosen, Nielsen, Gordeev, Middleton, Greenway, O'Connell
RHD: Zaitsev, Ozhiganov, Holl, Liljegren, Carrick, Lindgren, Rasanen, Mattinen

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Interesting to see Lindgren already get a deal as well. Thought we would exercise his last year of eligibility before making a decision but I guess playing 30 minutes a night sometimes in the Liiga is enough to earn it.

Good work by the Leafs today.

 

[taurine330]

That's a good sign. Perhaps the rumors are just rumors. When was the last time you saw him?

It was a game before Christmas.

 

[Budsfan]

Dubas First Signings?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

We can’t go wrong with more AHL depth.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We can’t go wrong with more AHL depth.

2 of those guys probably will be in the NHL you know right? If the Leafs don't decide to trade Gardiner and Carrick, and don't want 8 defensemen, then Ozhiganov is probably at least a 6/7.

Lindholm should be the 4C for sure, or at least challenge for it with Gauthier and Aaltonen. Doubt the Leafs get a legit 4C option from FA, given Lindholm wouldn't have come here otherwise.

 

[VictorLustig]

Watched Nylander, Grundström, Lindgren and Timashov on the same team win the Swedish U18 league title few years ago. All signed by the leafs now.

 

[Battle Lin]

been liking all our overseas signings lately

 

[Duke Silver]

Still no news about Middleton, Mattinen and Vesey.

Pass, Hmmm, Pass.

 

[QJo]

It was a game before Christmas.

And all through the house?

 

[IBeL34f]

And all through the house?

Not a player was stirring - Not even Lawson Crouse!

 

[showtime8]

I don't know what to expect from Lindgren. I really can't get a full read on him. Originally, I thought that he would be similar to Ryan Ellis. Good skater. Good hockey sense and seems like more of a distributor of the puck and the pp general. Can anyone shed light on Lindgren?

Good depth signings though for the Leafs.

 

[AppsSyl]

Hope we sign Middleton as well. I would like to see him with the Marlies.

 

[egd27]

Doesn't Dubas know his focus isn't the Marlies anymore?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

2 of those guys probably will be in the NHL you know right? If the Leafs don't decide to trade Gardiner and Carrick, and don't want 8 defensemen, then Ozhiganov is probably at least a 6/7.

Lindholm should be the 4C for sure, or at least challenge for it with Gauthier and Aaltonen. Doubt the Leafs get a legit 4C option from FA, given Lindholm wouldn't have come here otherwise.

Let’s see how the look in camp first, we’ve gone down this road before. Wasn’t it Konitola or something like that who wasn’t supposed to be a sure fire thing and ended up being nothing.

 

[I Believe]

Good stuff!
Engvall is progressing very nicely.