Confirmed with Link: TOR acquires F Taylor Beck from NSH for F Jamie Devane (UPD: Signed - 1 year/875k)

[I Believe]

He was. Most were very surpriszed that Burke would pick a goon that high and thought it was a wasted pick.

To be fair, his truculence and pugnacity levels were off the charts

 

[Trapper]

He was. Most were very surpriszed that Burke would pick a goon that high and thought it was a wasted pick.

There is no need to draft a player like Devane in the 3rd round ever.
We can easily get one anytime we like.
There is always skill available in some form later, even if it does bomb as well.
They didn't even bother to take a center. In an organization devoid of talent down the middle, at least do that much.
I know hindsight is 20/20 but instead of Devane we could of looked at:
Cody Eakin/Casey Cizikas/Craig Smith/(even Byron Froese was selected in the 4th round at 119)/Marcus Kruger etc. etc.

 

[Bluelines]

I think it really shows just how bad the prospect pool was under the last GMs and why it was considered bottom 5 overall and how much things have improved now since Shanny arrived.

The new management team has really cleaned up the previous inherited prospect pool with Devane, Biggs, Broll, Ross, McKegg, MacWilliam etc etc all sent packing recently leaving very little remaining.

Leafs top 10 prospects are now all mostly acquired in the last 2 years.

You really don't know how good your prospect pool is till the players actually do something in the NHL, I agree the perception is we have a better prospect pool now than we did 3 yeas ago. You can have experts and fans guess or assess the prospect pool and come up with an opinion that they are great prospects but proof is in the pudding.

If you look back 2-3 years ago who was saying Tampa had the best prospect pool? I think with the development of the triplets you can probably say that they did indeed have the best prospect pool 2-3 years ago. Has any team brought up 3 or more players who have had as big of an impact on their big team in the last 2 years?

I seem to remember a few years back many Leaf were saying our prospect pool was never so deep... time has a way of rewriting opinions.

 

[Bluelines]

Do you really think that, I thought that Percy played better than Rielly during his all too brief period with the Leafs last year yet he was returned to the AHL while Rielly, a far from developed player, continued to play for TO.

Players who graduate from the AHL are totally ready to play in the NHL without further development, I disagree I think that development is ongoing and both leagues develop players.

Rielly was kept as a Leaf because of his potential but not because he was the more developed/finished product, TO is in the process of developing him.

I really do think that, players stick in the NHL sometimes not because they deserve to be there but because they are a coaches favorite, sometimes because the agent has leverage, sometimes politics with in the management make it happen, some times GM's say stupid things after the draft that put him in the corner and because of ego he lets the player stay with the big team... make no mistake Toronto is known in the hockey world for having the cumbersome office politics in the NHL where egos and people who are not hockey people are forcing poor decisions. \it would not surprise me one little bit to find out Rielly was kept up because Burke/Nonis were trying to save face with their post draft comments.

Maybe a few years in the AHL would have meant Rielly as a finished product would be better than what he is going to become by playing in the NHL at 18 years old but we will never know.

Not every player who comes up from the AHL is a finished product but he definitely is much better than what he would have been if he started in the NHL at the same age. In the CHL, players who dominate in junior are typically dominate at one aspect of the game, rarely (very rare) are they Ekblads. Kadri comes to mind, great with the puck but useless without, coming out of the CHL he had glaring defensive holes, still has some holes, his time in the AHL was used to build his personal game. In the NHL you are supposed to learn systems not learn how to add tools to your tool box.

I've never heard of a player saying his career at the NHL level was diminished because he spent too much time in the AHL. I have seen with my own eyes many a promising prospect brought up too early only to flame out a few years later.

 

[Mess]

You really don't know how good your prospect pool is till the players actually do something in the NHL, I agree the perception is we have a better prospect pool now than we did 3 yeas ago. You can have experts and fans guess or assess the prospect pool and come up with an opinion that they are great prospects but proof is in the pudding.

If you look back 2-3 years ago who was saying Tampa had the best prospect pool? I think with the development of the triplets you can probably say that they did indeed have the best prospect pool 2-3 years ago. Has any team brought up 3 or more players who have had as big of an impact on their big team in the last 2 years?

I seem to remember a few years back many Leaf were saying our prospect pool was never so deep... time has a way of rewriting opinions.

Good Read on the former pool;

Maple Leafs prospects low in rankings

Friday, March 7, 2014

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/opinion/2014/03/maple-leafs-prospects-low-in-rankings.html

 

[RyanOhReally]

Do people not understand that Rielly didn't play his draft year +1 season?

I've seen like 4 comments state that he played at 18 years old.

On another note, Beck is underrated. 3rd/4th liner who'll compete hard every game, yet Winnik is worthy of playing on the 1st line to some people? Right...

 

[Drew75]

Do people not understand that Rielly didn't play his draft year +1 season?

I've seen like 4 comments state that he played at 18 years old.

On another note, Beck is underrated. 3rd/4th liner who'll compete hard every game, yet Winnik is worthy of playing on the 1st line to some people? Right...

I'm actually quite interested to see what Beck can do - he recently claims to have been misused in Nashville - and while he has developed his defensive game which is always a bonus - he claims to still have the offense that saw him put up > ppg in the CHL.

I think - and this point ties into the Winnik usage - Babcock does not make purely offensive or purely defensive lines where he can help it - Winnik is a guy who can fit in anywhere and play well - from top 6 to bottom 6 - which is what makes him so versatile and valuable (hell - he was even playing D for Pittsburgh last year!)

Beck could very well play himself onto a line with guys that have offensive upside - and it'll be very interesting to see what can do with that opportunity.

Worst case scenario seems to be he gives himself value at the Trade Deadline

 

[burpsalot]

I'm actually quite interested to see what Beck can do - he recently claims to have been misused in Nashville - and while he has developed his defensive game which is always a bonus - he claims to still have the offense that saw him put up > ppg in the CHL.

I think - and this point ties into the Winnik usage - Babcock does not make purely offensive or purely defensive lines where he can help it - Winnik is a guy who can fit in anywhere and play well - from top 6 to bottom 6 - which is what makes him so versatile and valuable (hell - he was even playing D for Pittsburgh last year!)

Beck could very well play himself onto a line with guys that have offensive upside - and it'll be very interesting to see what can do with that opportunity.

Worst case scenario seems to be he gives himself value at the Trade Deadline

Who knows, maybe he's correct. I've seen coaches & management typecast players based on preconceived misconceptions.

That's one thing that makes Toronto attractive to some players, a pretty clean slate & lots of opportunities to prove your value. Good luck to him & us.

 

[Gabriel426]

I think it will be mix and match. After all, Chris Simon was never a top 6 forwards and yet he played with Sakic for a dew seasons.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

There were a lot of wasted picks under the for regime drafting muscle like Devane. If you have to draft a player of that ilk do it in the 7th round if at all.

Taylor Beck actually has hockey skills so this trade is a no brainer decision with no downside. Devane was never going to dress for the Leafs under the new management group that stresses skill.

Taylor Beck was draft 2 spots after Devane in the 3rd round in 2009 draft so its like a draft re-do now correcting previous mistakes.

Beck might actually even be on the roster of the Leafs to start the year as he would need to clear waivers to go to the NHL and some team might but in a waiver claim.

Beck versus (over) Devane is a no brainer = no doubt. Don't see anybody offering a different opinion on that -> certainly I wouldn't.

My only question was are all these one-year contracts that we pick up automatic 2nd rounders (or better) when (or if) we flip them at the deadline?

 

[tml19]

I really do think that, players stick in the NHL sometimes not because they deserve to be there but because they are a coaches favorite, sometimes because the agent has leverage, sometimes politics with in the management make it happen, some times GM's say stupid things after the draft that put him in the corner and because of ego he lets the player stay with the big team... make no mistake Toronto is known in the hockey world for having the cumbersome office politics in the NHL where egos and people who are not hockey people are forcing poor decisions. \it would not surprise me one little bit to find out Rielly was kept up because Burke/Nonis were trying to save face with their post draft comments.

Maybe a few years in the AHL would have meant Rielly as a finished product would be better than what he is going to become by playing in the NHL at 18 years old but we will never know.

Not every player who comes up from the AHL is a finished product but he definitely is much better than what he would have been if he started in the NHL at the same age. In the CHL, players who dominate in junior are typically dominate at one aspect of the game, rarely (very rare) are they Ekblads. Kadri comes to mind, great with the puck but useless without, coming out of the CHL he had glaring defensive holes, still has some holes, his time in the AHL was used to build his personal game. In the NHL you are supposed to learn systems not learn how to add tools to your tool box.

I've never heard of a player saying his career at the NHL level was diminished because he spent too much time in the AHL. I have seen with my own eyes many a promising prospect brought up too early only to flame out a few years later.

If you don't remember for Rielly it was junior or NHL. He proved he was way too good for juniors in camp and never looked back.Hes 21 and a top 4 D already. The leafs made very good decisions on Rielly's development surprisingly. If they sent him to junior instead of the NHL it would have been a wasted year in his development.

 

[Bluelines]

So Nashville we were nice enough to do you a favor with Beck, can we help you again?

http://www.thescore.com/news/796262?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Good Read on the former pool;

"For where we are and what we are doing we think we're on the right course," Poulin said. "That's our perspective."

 

[Budsfan]

So Nashville we were nice enough to do you a favor with Beck, can we help you again?

http://www.thescore.com/news/796262?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

There are a lot of good young players available in similar situations...

http://www.csnwashington.com/hockey-washington-capitals/talk/would-capitals-walk-away-johansson

 

[deletethis]

It looks to me like maybe this trade was about completing the Santorelli-Franson deal indirectly in the off-season. Jamie Devane is effectively a non-asset in the modern world of elite pro hockey (10-15 years ago, maybe not). The trade was essentially a contract slot for a redundant bottom 6 forward. There has to have been some other consideration like that deadline trade.

From what I've read and seen of this guy, he's more offensively skilled than he is being given credit for but his skating can be labored.

 

[Eb]

I had already forgotten about Beck.

 

[PuckMagi]

I had already forgotten about Beck.

lol same... i saw this thread bumped and was like: "cool, we got a player for Devane"... then 5 seconds later I realized this already happened and I completely forgot.

Gonna be so much competition for spots (especially among the forwards).

 

[AcerComputer]

Good Read on the former pool;

I liked this quote:

Poulin was mystified by his team's low ranking by The Hockey News, but won't lose sleep over it.

Likely shows how out to lunch he was, and why he was fired.