Prospect Info: Marlies/Prospects- Early Off Season time

[LeafParade]

If Hollowell can't get his D together, would he be a candidate to turn into a forward?

Leafs seem to like undersized D, but if they can't get their defensive games sorted out and they are really good skaters etc. ... would't it make sense to try them out upfront?

 

[LeafParade]

I'd add Kizimov, Stotts, and Rasanen as guys who are looking pretty marginal. I'm sure I'll catch some flak on Stotts but there really just isn't any one thing he excels at.

I'm just dreadfully disappointed in the path Rasanen chose after his draft year. I can't help but feel he may have been cultivated into a decent player if he stayed in NA.

I see stotts potentially making the Marlies just because he could play C.

 

[LeafChief]

Thanks!

I could not say about his physicality, but typically a guy does not suddenly become less physical unless he suffers an injury (Greenway has not had any notable injuries yet) or he was overly aggressive and needed to dial it back a bit. Considering he has 61 PIM's, I would imagine he does. He does not seem like the type of guy who would take a ton of hooking or tripping penalties because his skating ability is great, so he is likely getting more aggressive penalties like slashing or roughing (and since he has an odd number of PIM's, he has at least one fight). But in terms of the Maine highlight clips, physicality does not really show all that often (it's mostly just goals or amazing saves). He is definitely a massive guy who can move though, and he certainly is not soft based on what I have seen. However at times, and this is when he gets beat for a goal against, it looks like he can get caught between covering two guys, or is trying to aim for stick over body and the guy gets on the inside of him. However, with the rules in the NCAA and most other junior leagues, they can often be a lot more strict when it comes to a big guy bodying up guys in tight areas, so he would probably like to be a lot more aggressive than he is permitted.

All of our prospects still have a chance. Unlike other teams, we only have a few prospects who look like total write-offs at this point (Chebykin, Bobylev and maybe O'Connell). With his pending rights expiry though, Greenway will certainly be one I am watching next year.

Very interesting. I loved him at the USNTDP and was thrilled when the Leafs picked him. He has obviously hit a bump and seemed to have lost traction as a promising player after/during his sophomore season.

Exciting to hear that he still may be able to put it together. His mixture of size and skating ability (while having the ability to be a prick) is exactly what this team needs on D.

In a perfect world, does he have a strong year at Maine next year and then join the Marlies the year after or do you think it would be best for his development to go pro now and be with the Marlies/Growlers next season?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I'd add Kizimov, Stotts, and Rasanen as guys who are looking pretty marginal. I'm sure I'll catch some flak on Stotts but there really just isn't any one thing he excels at.

I'm just dreadfully disappointed in the path Rasanen chose after his draft year. I can't help but feel he may have been cultivated into a decent player if he stayed in NA.

Kizimov is still pretty young and did do much better in the second half of the season while the other two are still pretty good prospects. Stotts especially. I think worst case his offense does not take off and he essentially becomes another Tyler Gaudet for the next three years, and I would rather have Stotts take up that roster spot as a younger player with more upside and better skating ability anyways.

Rasanen should have chosen the Liiga rather than the KHL when he wanted to go back to Europe. The Liiga has worked well for Lindgren and Kokkonen, and hopefully will work out for Loponen once his time in the OHL is done.

 

[Kiwi]

If Hollowell can't get his D together, would he be a candidate to turn into a forward?

Leafs seem to like undersized D, but if they can't get their defensive games sorted out and they are really good skaters etc. ... would't it make sense to try them out upfront?

When I watched Hollowell I thought there was a noticeable improvement in his defensive game from not only last season but earlier in this season

He isn't perfect but he is progressing so trying to turn him into a forward in the near future seems counterproductive

 

[Fogelhund]

If Hollowell can't get his D together, would he be a candidate to turn into a forward?

Leafs seem to like undersized D, but if they can't get their defensive games sorted out and they are really good skaters etc. ... would't it make sense to try them out upfront?

If you'd attempt to convert anyone, it might be Duszak.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Very interesting. I loved him at the USNTDP and was thrilled when the Leafs picked him. He has obviously hit a bump and seemed to have lost traction as a promising player after/during his sophomore season.

Exciting to hear that he still may be able to put it together. His mixture of size and skating ability (while having the ability to be a prick) is exactly what this team needs on D.

In a perfect world, does he have a strong year at Maine next year and then join the Marlies the year after or do you think it would be best for his development to go pro now and be with the Marlies/Growlers next season?

Maine and then hopefully doing well enough to warrant joining the rotation with Rubins and Kral in 2021-2022. It would be interesting to see how things play out if both Greenway and Hoefenmayer perform well next year, but that is a good problem to have. We'd have some defensemen prospects available to use as trade chips. Plus Kral can play RD, so that helps too.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

If Hollowell can't get his D together, would he be a candidate to turn into a forward?

Leafs seem to like undersized D, but if they can't get their defensive games sorted out and they are really good skaters etc. ... would't it make sense to try them out upfront?

No. Duszak, maybe. But even then it would be a waste of time. He's not making the NHL as a forward any more than he would make it as a defender I would say, because I doubt he can learn enough to become an effective bottom 6 type guy, and I doubt he has the offensive skill to become a top 6 forward.

 

[93LEAFS]

It's been 4 years since we drafted Greenway out of the USHL. Pretty sure we lose his rights if he isn't signed by July 1st or August 15th.

 

[Cor]

It's been 4 years since we drafted Greenway out of the USHL. Pretty sure we lose his rights if he isn't signed by July 1st or August 15th.

August 15 2021

 

[93LEAFS]

August 15 2021

I guess that transfer year extended his clock. Either way, if he somehow rebounds and becomes an asset, I'd be bit surprised to not see him test the market. Either way, I think the long-shot of that even happening is quite small.

 

[stickty111]

If Hollowell can't get his D together, would he be a candidate to turn into a forward?

Leafs seem to like undersized D, but if they can't get their defensive games sorted out and they are really good skaters etc. ... would't it make sense to try them out upfront?

Hollowell is actually not that bad on D. He has a strong IQ so he should improve. I'm not in favor of moving any of them to forward, but if there is a candidate, it's Duszak.

 

[Menzinger]

I think it's pretty much a given now that he'll be moved before next season starts.

Safe to say at this point that Robertson is the top forward prospect with Sandin being the top defensive prospect.
Seems to be a grab bag of forwards after Robertson, Lilligrin after Sandin.

Make or break it year for Lilligrin? Seems he's been around for a while.

I think D men should get a bit more rope since they seem to take a bit longer to develop.

But we should still be looking at Liljegren to taking his next few steps in development. Dermott is the one who should be looked at the most - hes proven hes an NHLer but still has to shownhes a clear cut top 4 guy.

Id wager Bracco is on another team by September at the latest

 

[Canada4Gold]

It's been 4 years since we drafted Greenway out of the USHL. Pretty sure we lose his rights if he isn't signed by July 1st or August 15th.

I believe NCAA guys go 4 years or until the leave the NCAA whichever is later. So guys who don't go 4 straight years after being drafted could get 5 or 6 years. Might see the same from Koster who isn't going to the NCAA until his draft+2.

 

[aingefan]

No. Duszak, maybe. But even then it would be a waste of time. He's not making the NHL as a forward any more than he would make it as a defender I would say, because I doubt he can learn enough to become an effective bottom 6 type guy, and I doubt he has the offensive skill to become a top 6 forward.

You’re coming around, abit, I see?
He does seem most likely to get squeezed out of a D job and it’s not as if there’s tons on prospects on the wings.
Who knows if he could do it, but I see it worth a shot.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

You’re coming around, abit, I see?
He does seem most likely to get squeezed out of a D job and it’s not as if there’s tons on prospects on the wings.
Who knows if he could do it, but I see it worth a shot.

I still say it really is not worth a shot. Spend the time trying to make Duszak a respectable defender.

We are not exactly thin on the wings either.

LW/RW Korshkov (96'), LW/RW Engvall (96'), RW Malgin (97'), RW Bracco (97'), RW/LW Kara (98'), C/LW/RW Holmberg (99'), LW Abruzzese (99'), C/LW Stotts (00'), C/RW Abramov (01'), LW Robertson (01')...

And that excludes Brooks and SDA who could move over to the wing to make it to the NHL, draft picks, UFA's and guys like Petan/Aberg, and guys like Brazeau, McKenna, Green and other AHL contract prospects we are going to add who could possibly make it to the NHL... All of them are more likely to make the NHL as a winger than Duszak.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Kiwi]

Hopefully Moore has learned some lessons from last season and he's going to be able to get the team where it needs to be whilst we develop the kids

The back half of last season was completely unacceptable and reflected badly on everybody involved

As an aside they really do seem to like Rubins and I still don't know why Agostino didn't play for the Leafs last season, with a nice Kivihalme shout out for @SeaOfBlue

 

[deletethis]

I've been saying since late last season that the organization people like Rubins and Brooks.

 

[biotk]

I've been saying since late last season that the organization people like Rubins and Brooks.

Yup and that should have become obvious to everyone this season, but it hasn't. Brooks is a better prospect than Bracco. Rubins is a better prospect than Lindgren, Duszak or Hollowell and the only one of those four D who has a decent chance to become a regular with the Leafs at some point.

 

[The Iceman]

Rubins is 6'4" and mobile. He is still learning the game and is a legit D prospect.

Unfortunately more in the mould of Marty Marincin...or should I say mold

 

[Kiwi]

Yup and that should have become obvious to everyone this season, but it hasn't. Brooks is a better prospect than Bracco. Rubins is a better prospect than Lindgren, Duszak or Hollowell and the only one of those four D who has a decent chance to become a regular with the Leafs at some point.

Brooks and Bracco are depth players getting up there in age, who cares which one is better than the other? There just dudes

None of those 4 players is a decent chance of being a regular for the Leafs, if even one works out your a winner and Rubins is a LD which is going to work against him so I wouldn't be comfortable saying any of them are ever going to be an NHL regular

 

[deletethis]

Brooks and Bracco are depth players getting up there in age, who cares which one is better than the other? There just dudes

None of those 4 players is a decent chance of being a regular for the Leafs, if even one works out your a winner and Rubins is a LD which is going to work against him so I wouldn't be comfortable saying any of them are ever going to be an NHL regular

That's a lot of defeatism for a prospect thread.

 

[Kiwi]

That's a lot of defeatism for a prospect thread.

That's realism and an objective look at historical norms, or don't those count since "prospect thread"?

 

[deletethis]

That's realism and an objective look at historical norms, or don't those count since "prospect thread"?

I wonder whether you would have dismissed Engvall and Holl in a similar way last May.