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Ranking Prospects Post-Matthews

Nik the Trik said:
Folding Kapanen and Leipsic(and Nielsen) into this group is going to be fun.
Click to expand...

If JvR is moved, one of Kapanen/Leipsic is up...

But yeah, youth movement should still be fun, we may have no Marners, Matthews or Nylanders in the system, but they are also good prospect, and outside the AHL, Leafs Draftees are winning players of the month, week. It's really nice to see it.
 
Coco-puffs said:
I think Nielsen is much farther from the NHL than many think.  He might be putting up great offensive numbers (mostly on the PP), but most reports of him include a "lost in the defensive zone" statement.  We will probably see Dermott or Valiev before Nielsen.  Mirtle even calls Dermott our top defense prospect:
Click to expand...

We might see some guys get call ups before him as safe fill-ins but producing at that level, at his age, is something that can't be ignored regardless of how he looks in the defensive zone.

I think we see him sooner rather than later.
 
Scott Wheeler, from PPP, pointed out over the off season that Kapanen is a bit underrated by most because his box stats generally don't look that compelling. They're suppressed a bit because he was often shuttled off to the next league up before he had time to dominate.

Letting him marinate this year with the Marlies is a good move. He's hungry to play up, and now has a better rounded game to prepare for the NHL. This year, he is up to over 1.0 PPG from last year's 0.56. That's a very healthy jump, especially considering how much less firepower is on the roster this season.

Compared to the 20 year old seasons of other high-end Marlies:
Connor Brown: 0.80
Brendan Leipsic: 0.73 (combined Marlies and Admirals)
Kerby Rychel: 0.65
 
Ya Kappi is an exciting prospect for sure.  Dermott will hopefully see some games as well as Valiev.  Hopefully the Marlies will give Neilson time to develop and who seems to have the size and offense to be a #3-4 down the road.
 
Nielsen and Dermott directly responsible for a goal each in a 2-1 loss last night.

Dermott with a suicide from his knees into the open slot and Nielsen tried an open ice hip check that caused a 3-0 the other way for the GWG.

Rough night.
 
Leafs have all these exciting forward prospects that look like they can be legitimate stars in the league, would be nice if at least one of the defensive prospects can do the same.  They really need an injection on the blueline.
 
http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-prospects/2017/1/29/14421338/adam-brooks-the-leafs-junior-hockey-superstar

This handsome creature is currently tuning up the WHL at >2 ppg. He is on his final year of eligibility in the CHL, so it's not unusual for overagers to exhibit some dominance.

Brooks is still exciting for Leafs fans, nonetheless, as he is a shifty, cerebral, and skilled center that would have been on the Marlies this season if not for the glut of contract cast offs from the Leafs. We saved a contract slot by letting him stay down and captain the Regina Pats (who are wrecking their division and conference and league).
 
Jeremy Bracco's hit a bit of a wall since being traded to Windsor. He had 51 points in 27 games with Kitchener before the trade, but just 13 points in 14 game after it. Similar thing happened to Timashov last year when he was traded in the Q.
 
You know who hasn't hit a wall though?
Nicolas Mattinen: http://streamable.com/l8qrt
First goal of a season is his impression of a Giant Jeremy Bracco.

Such a weird release, totally fooled the goalie.
 
This guy actually picked up the pace after getting traded.
https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/830107034058096640
www.twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/830107034058096640

I also long for the day we have an entire line and pairing of Nikitas on the ice at the same time.
 
The dueling Nikita's ;D.

its actually scary the amount of talent in this organization, we have some guys in the pipeline who definitely will challenge in two to four years time.
 
Zee said:
Any updates on Kapanen?  Haven't heard much since his leg injury in January?
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Don't often get updates on injured players from the AHL unfortunately. Someone reported it was suspected he'd be out 8 weeks originally. That would put a return date at about the middle of March.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Zee said:
Any updates on Kapanen?  Haven't heard much since his leg injury in January?
Click to expand...

Don't often get updates on injured players from the AHL unfortunately. Someone reported it was suspected he'd be out 8 weeks originally. That would put a return date at about the middle of March.
Click to expand...

Tough break, was hoping to see him up after the deadline.
 
Zee said:
CarltonTheBear said:
Zee said:
Any updates on Kapanen?  Haven't heard much since his leg injury in January?
Click to expand...

Don't often get updates on injured players from the AHL unfortunately. Someone reported it was suspected he'd be out 8 weeks originally. That would put a return date at about the middle of March.
Click to expand...

Tough break, was hoping to see him up after the deadline.
Click to expand...

Yeah, me too.  I am wondering if Griffith (16 games) or Froese (12 games) will get a chance to play on the big club.  Froese has been playing quite well.
 
https://twitter.com/FutureOfThe6/status/832956235943116800
www.twitter.com/FutureOfThe6/status/832956235943116800
 
LOL Craig Button.

Top 5 Leafs Prospects not in the NHL according to Button (in order):

Nielsen
Kapanen
Brooks
Grundstrom
Bracco

Link:  http://www.tsn.ca/who-are-the-best-players-not-skating-in-the-nhl-1.677389
It should be noted that Button tends to ignore most guys over 21, leaving the likes of Liepsic and Rychel out.

My take:  I don't see how anyone could put Nielsen ahead of Kapanen.  And, while its my own opinion, I'd have Dermott ahead of Nielsen too.   
 
Coco-puffs said:
LOL Craig Button.

Top 5 Leafs Prospects not in the NHL according to Button (in order):

Nielsen
Kapanen
Brooks
Grundstrom
Bracco

Link:  http://www.tsn.ca/who-are-the-best-players-not-skating-in-the-nhl-1.677389
It should be noted that Button tends to ignore most guys over 21, leaving the likes of Liepsic and Rychel out.

My take:  I don't see how anyone could put Nielsen ahead of Kapanen.  And, while its my own opinion, I'd have Dermott ahead of Nielsen too. 
Click to expand...

For what's it worth, Bob McKenzie said Nielson is an intriguing prospect who might have a future as an offensive d-man, but it's his play without the puck that's concerning.  He also mentioned that Dermott might be the better of the two as a prospect though.
 
Coco-puffs said:
It should be noted that Button tends to ignore most guys over 21, leaving the likes of Liepsic and Rychel out.
Click to expand...

At first I thought that this meant he had an age-cutoff in his criteria. But I noticed a couple of 22-23 year old guys on those lists. So not including Brendan Leipsic in the Leafs top-5 is pretty inexcusable.
 
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