Marlies / Prospects Thread Spring 2014

[agropop]

If Gauthier puts in the work, he may never be a Toews or a Kopitar, but he has the potential to be a Kesler. Kesler made his mark in this league by working hard for every point.

Really don't think we'll get a 40 goal Selke calibre season out of Freddie, but I'd love to be wrong on this.

 

[namttebih]

Abbott 26 --- Smith 29 --- Leivo 21 / Nylander 18
Brown 20 --- McKegg 22 --- Kozun 24
Ross 22 ---- Carrick 21 --- Broll 21
Herzog 20 --- Rupert 20 --- Biggs 21
(Devane 23)

Percy 21 --- Granberg 22
Finn 20 --- Loov 22
MacWil 24 --- Nilsson 21
(Knodel 24)

Sparks 21
Gibson 22

I have a feeling that Biggs will be given the opportunity to play a greater role on the team this year. I doubt that he will start the year on the fourth line. Whether or not he ends up there by the end is an entirely different question. I think that people around here forget that he's only 21 and has played on 4 teams in 4 seasons. With a full year under his belt now, I think that he will put it together this year at the AHL level.

 

[showtime8]

Herzog is taking off to Zug next season?

Was there anything worth noting with him and Quebec last season?

 

[StuckOutHere]

Herzog is taking off to Zug next season?

Was there anything worth noting with him and Quebec last season?

Likely just a product of the import rules in the CHL.

 

[gabeliscious]

I have a feeling that Biggs will be given the opportunity to play a greater role on the team this year. I doubt that he will start the year on the fourth line. Whether or not he ends up there by the end is an entirely different question. I think that people around here forget that he's only 21 and has played on 4 teams in 4 seasons. With a full year under his belt now, I think that he will put it together this year at the AHL level.

i hope so. i agree that he is young and has time to put it together. considering how high we drafted him and what we gave up to move up to get him i would hope the leafs would try and put him in a position to succeed. i can understand how it will be difficult for him to get time on the top 6 but he should at least be on the 3rd line. hopefully after this year we let abbott go to make space or leivo is ready to make the jump to make space for biggs in the top 6.

 

[Pholus]

Likely just a product of the import rules in the CHL.

Yeah, since he's a late '94, if he had gone back to Quebec he would have counted as an overager and an import.

 

[namttebih]

i hope so. i agree that he is young and has time to put it together. considering how high we drafted him and what we gave up to move up to get him i would hope the leafs would try and put him in a position to succeed. i can understand how it will be difficult for him to get time on the top 6 but he should at least be on the 3rd line. hopefully after this year we let abbott go to make space or leivo is ready to make the jump to make space for biggs in the top 6.

TBH I thought that our top 6 wing depth was pretty week this year. The first line is pretty much a guarantee that Abbott and Leivo will be there. The second is up for grabs though I would think. Brown will most likely get more sheltered minutes as a rookie. Kozun plays a high energy game that looks good on a third line. I loved the Kozun Smith D'Amigo line in the playoffs. At 24 we have seen what he is at the AHL level offensively. It all depends on the direction that they want to go this year.

 

[StuckOutHere]

Yeah, since he's a late '94, if he had gone back to Quebec he would have counted as an overager and an import.

The big question is why Zug over the AHL? This is starting to smell like Sondre Olden.

 

[gabeliscious]

TBH I thought that our top 6 wing depth was pretty week this year. The first line is pretty much a guarantee that Abbott and Leivo will be there. The second is up for grabs though I would think. Brown will most likely get more sheltered minutes as a rookie. Kozun plays a high energy game that looks good on a third line. I loved the Kozun Smith D'Amigo line in the playoffs. At 24 we have seen what he is at the AHL level offensively. It all depends on the direction that they want to go this year.

maybe biggs would compliment mckegg-brown nicely? brown and kozun are pretty similar i though? both smaller, speedy, skilled guys. biggs is more of the clarkson mold.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

maybe biggs would compliment mckegg-brown nicely? brown and kozun are pretty similar i though? both smaller, speedy, skilled guys. biggs is more of the clarkson mold.

Tyler Biggs is a big, strong skater with a powerful stride. Not quick, but moves very well for his size. Not a thing like Clarkson.

 

[namttebih]

maybe biggs would compliment mckegg-brown nicely? brown and kozun are pretty similar i though? both smaller, speedy, skilled guys. biggs is more of the clarkson mold.

Sure, stick him with McKegg and Brown. Add some size to a smallish skilled pair and see what he can do in an offensive role. If he can play along the boards, get get the puck out and position himself in front of the net, I think that he should find a role and some success.

 

[Babscocks]

The big question is why Zug over the AHL? This is starting to smell like Sondre Olden.

But Sondre Olden sucked at hockey

 

[StuckOutHere]

But Sondre Olden sucked at hockey

I vouched for him hard after we drafted him and still follow him. He is going back to the SHL (Brynas) this year after pretty much dominating in Norway (58 points in 43 games). It's a shame we brought him to that black hole in Erie because he had some decent showings in our camps and could have benefited from sitting in the crock pot in Sweden for a few years. Likely has no NHL future, but he is still improving year over year in Europe and has filled out (6'4" 194 lbs) nicely. This year will be very telling.

As for Herzog, I really don't like him going back to Europe. Should be in the AHL or even ECHL I think. I don't think he's a bust or anything, but going from Euro ice/play style to NA and back to Euro is not favourable to development in my opinion.

 

[Stephen23]

Nylander impressing Maple Leafs with early showing

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=725904&navid=DL|NHL|home

TORONTO -- When the Toronto Maple Leafs selected forward William Nylander with the eighth pick of the 2014 NHL Draft, they felt they were getting a great player. What has surprised the organization is how well Nylander handled being thrust into the spotlight during the team's prospect camp in Toronto.

Nylander joined 28 other prospects at MasterCard Centre this week, and the impression he left was overwhelmingly positive.

"He's been very impressive. And not to put pressure on a young player like that, I think the first step was just getting him here," Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan said. "What really impresses me about William, aside from the skill level he has, is just his character that he's shown since he's been here."

Nylander ended last season playing for Modo in the Swedish Hockey League. As a 17-year-old playing against much older players, he had one goal and six assists in 22 games and showed the kind of ability that made him a top-10 draft pick.

"Playing against men might've helped me a bit," Nylander said. "I haven't been at the NHL level yet, so maybe it'll probably give me a little bit of an advantage against guys that have been playing junior. Otherwise it'll be a tough step."

His abilities on the ice don't seem to be an issue with the Maple Leafs.

"Willy is obviously a great hockey player and you can see his skating and you can see his skill sets; they're elite," Maple Leafs director of player development Jim Hughes said.

 

[zeke]

But Sondre Olden sucked at hockey

I wouldn't expect much more from herzog, tbh.

 

[LeafsTop6]

holland signed 2 years 755,000 each, ashton signed 1 year 850,000 - good deals, we still have 11 million and change in capspace

 

[Leafidelity]

I was with everything in that article until they said his height. Come on NHL.com, they measured him 5'11 at the NHL combine. This is how the 5'9 thing spreads.

 

[showtime8]

Yeah, since he's a late '94, if he had gone back to Quebec he would have counted as an overager and an import.

Alright thanks. Yea, I knew he was an import player. I didn't take into account that he was an overager.

I wonder if there is a team in the CHL that he can go to, so that he can stay in North America.

I'm sure if the Leafs had high praise for him and wanted him to continue the development, they could orchestrate a deal to make it so. I'm sure there is some sort of deal that they make with teams (behind closed doors) so that one prospect stays on their team.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

I was with everything in that article until they said his height. Come on NHL.com, they measured him 5'11 at the NHL combine. This is how the 5'9 thing spreads.

Yeah, I saw a picture of him standing next to Andreas Johnson who`s listed at 5`10 pretty much everywhere, and Nylander was at least an inch taller. I kind of like it though, because if other teams fans (or bitter Leaf fans) use him being 5`9 as an excuse to bash him, it makes it easy to call them on knowing nothing but hockeydb.

 

[member 139985]

then,where do you think bibeau will play next year,echl or ahl?

 

[ScJeff]

then,where do you think bibeau will play next year,echl or ahl?

Start for the solar bears.... is he not eligible for junior again? Maybe 1 more year in QMJHL...

 

[Cor]

Bibeau will probably be back in the Q for an overage year

 

[LeafsTop6]

Yeah, I saw a picture of him standing next to Andreas Johnson who`s listed at 5`10 pretty much everywhere, and Nylander was at least an inch taller. I kind of like it though, because if other teams fans (or bitter Leaf fans) use him being 5`9 as an excuse to bash him, it makes it easy to call them on knowing nothing but hockeydb.

Didn't Nonis also say after the draft that he was about 5'9?

He does look really small.

 

[Future]

Didn't Nonis also say after the draft that he was about 5'9?

He does look really small.

No he did not. He is 5'11.5". The only place that had him at 5'9" is hockeydb, and now it is spreading.

 

[snizzbone*]

Bibeau will probably be back in the Q for an overage year

You think? I'd think he would be splitting time in the ECHL/AHL, like Sparks/Gibson did last year. If we didn't bring Bibeau up to pro hockey, we'd only have 2 goalies signed for the Marlies.