Previewing the Leafs Prospects at the World Junior Championships

By Alex Hobson

Hey everyone. I apologize for the lack of articles as of late, my schedule has been insanely busy. However, what better way to kick off my articles again than a preview of our prospects playing at the World Junior Championships? This year, the Leafs have five prospects playing at the tournament, and all of them will be a treat to watch. They have two representing Canada, two representing Sweden, and one representing Finland. Without further ado, let's take a look at these young guns and what they bring to their respective teams.



Mitch Marner, C/RW - Team Canada

Last year, Canada was the team to watch at the tournament. They had scoring from almost every player, and duo of Arizona Coyotes forwards Max Domi and Anthony Duclair were something special to watch. Marner will likely slot into a second line right wing role on Canada this year, playing alongside of Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome and Devils prospect John Quenneville. Marner and Strome have potential to be the Domi and Duclair of last year. Though Canada isn't looking as stacked as last year, they still have a good chance at winning gold.



Travis Dermott, D - Team Canada

Dermott wasn't as much of a shoo-in to make Team Canada as Marner was, but when playing he still has the potential to be an effective defenseman. He plays a solid two way game, isn't afraid to throw the body despite his size, so he'll likely be battling with Roland McKeown and Joe Hicketts for a spot on the bottom pairing during the tournament.

 

William Nylander, C/RW - Team Sweden

Heading into this tournament, William Nylander was projected to be one of the tournament's top players. He's leading the AHL in scoring at age 19 with 33 points in 26 games and is an all around extremely skilled offensive forward. He was projected to play on the team's top line with his brother, Alex, who is a projected top ten pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, and Minnesota Wild prospect Joel Eriksson-Ek. Unfortunately, Nylander took a head shot from a Swiss forward in Sweden's first game of the tournament and he left the game. His current status is unknown.



Dmytro Timashov, LW - Team Sweden

This guy was arguably one of the biggest steals of the draft in 2015. Timashov was a fifth round pick, and he currently has 35 assists and 53 points in 29 games for the Quebec Remparts. The Ukranian-born Swede has the potential to surprise people at this tournament under a very stacked Swedish offense. He'll likely play in the middle six on the team and get powerplay time as well.



Kasperi Kapanen, RW - Team Finland

The Leafs' only prospect representing Finland, Kapanen will likely sport a veteran role in the top six and play alongside somebody by the likes of Jesse Puljujarvi or Patrik Laine, two projected top 5 picks in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has potential to be an impact player for Finland, who like Sweden have a stacked offense.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Merry Christmas.

12/19/15 Blue Jackets Game Preview vs Philadelphia

By William Espy

(All Time Home Record vs Philadelphia 6-2-2)
Following a high scoring affair in Arizona which resulted in a 7-5 victory for the Blue Jackets, they return home tonight to play a divisional rival, Philadelphia Flyers. These teams have met once already this season, which resulted in a 4-1 Columbus victory. The Flyers are currently sitting in eleventh in the East four points out of a wild card position with a game in hand.
Very similarly to the Dallas Stars with John Klingberg, the Flyers have Shayne Gostisbehere who appears to be this season’s breakout defenseman. In 16 games this season, “Ghost” as he is affectionately known in the City of Brotherly Love has posted 11 points which includes 6 goals (3 of which are game winning goals).
The scoring from the Flyers’ stars has been lackluster, with former Blue Jackets Jakub Voracek posting only 20 points which consists of only two, yes TWO goals. Captain “G” Claude Giroux has not struggled at all however and he currently has 28 points in 32 games.
Unexpectedly, the Flyers goaltending especially from Michal Neuvirth has been phenomenal. Neuvirth has started 16 games this season and appeared in a total of 18 and has a .937 save percentage and a 2.06 goals against average. Former Blue Jacket Steve Mason has not been as good, but has posted respectable numbers which are a .912 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA.
Blue Jackets coach John Tortarella announced this morning that not only David Savard will miss roughly four weeks with an ankle injury, but Jack Johnson is questionable for tonight’s game. On a positive note, Cody Goloubef and Sergei Bobrovsky were skating with the team and Rene Bourque has been activated from the IR.
Andrew Bodnarchuk has seemingly earned a long term spot on the Blue Jackets blue line, creating an issue when the entire defensive corps is healthy again.
Projected Lineups:
Flyers:
Michael Raffl - Claude Giroux - Brayden Schenn
Jakub Voracek - Sean Couturier - Wayne Simmonds
Chris VandeVelde - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Ryan White
Matt Read - Scott Laughton - R.J. Umberger

Michael Del Zotto - Radko Gudas
Nick Schultz - Evgeny Medvedev
Shayne Gostisbehere - Luke Schenn

Steve Mason
Michal Neuvirth

Blue Jackets:
Boone Jenner- Ryan Johansen - Nick Foligno
Scott Hartnell - Alexander Wennberg - Brandon Saad
Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Gregory Campbell - William Karlsson - David Clarkson

Ryan Murray - Fedor Tyutin
Kevin Connauton - Dalton Prout
Justin Falk - Andrew Bodnarchuk

Joonas Korpisalo
Curtis McElhinney

Blue Jackets Game Preview vs. Dallas Stars

By William Espy

 

The Blue Jackets look to rebound following a tough 2-1 loss against Tampa Bay on Monday tonight against the Dallas Stars. Dallas is a very tough team to play against and has broken out as one of the top teams in the league this year. Led by superstar forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, the question is not whether the Stars will score however it is how much they will score.

Since entering the league in 2000, the Blue Jackets have struggled against the Stars posting an all-time record of 19-26-6 against them. Their record in the American Airlines Center is a lackluster 10-13-2. However the last ten games in Dallas have been kind to the Jackets who have a 6-3-1 record during this time. On top of that, since joining the Eastern conference the Jackets have not lost in Dallas at all posting a 3-0-0 record.

Last season, both games ended with a score of 4-2 with the visiting team leaving with two points, however this was when the Jackets had Sergei Bobrovsky available to play, a luxury they unfortunately do not have tonight. While on the topic of goaltenders, last night in Tampa Bay Joonas Korpisalo made his NHL debut and impressed pretty much everybody watching him. He posted a 2.07 GAA and a .931 save percentage. It can also be said that neither goal was his fault to begin with as they came off of inopportune turnovers from Alexander Wennberg.

Dallas is currently first in the NHL with 101 goals for to this point in the season while the Blue Jackets are in the middle of the pack with 75. Goals against is another beast entirely however, Dallas is 17th with 78 while the Jackets are a bottom feeder in 28th with 94.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

DALLAS

Benn-Seguin-Nichushkin

Janmark-Spezza-Eaves

Roussel-Eakin-Sharp

Sceviour/Moen-Fiddler-Hemsky

Goligoski-Klingberg

Oduya-Demers

Nemeth-Benn

Lehtonen

Niemi

COLUMBUS

Jenner-Johansen-Saad

Hartnell-Wennberg-Atkinson

Calvert-Dubinsky-Foligno

Campbell-Karlsson-Clarkson

Johnson-Savard

Murray-Bodnarchuk

Tyutin-Prout

Korpisalo

What’s Next for the Blue Jackets?

By William Espy

It is no surprise that the Blue Jackets have been disappointing this year to say the least. All is not lost though, while the chances of them making the playoffs are rapidly decreasing it is not impossible if they quickly turn it around. Regardless of how they finish off this season however, changes are going to be necessary in order to keep many of the young players currently on the roster. Players who will need to be resigned by July 1 include the likes of Boone Jenner, Ryan Murray, William Karlsson, Kevin Connauton and Dalton Prout.

Rene Bourque’s expiring $3.33M cap hit will be a major point of cap relief for the Blue Jackets, however this will likely only be enough to resign a single player or possibly two. It is very likely that one of the pending RFA defensemen will be dealt, however it comes down to whether the team is going to keep Prout or Connauton if they keep either one. Another possible solution if neither are kept would be recalling Michael Paliotta or another prospect defenseman which would probably be Oleg Yevenko, Zachary Werenski or Dean Kukan and play them beside Cody Goloubef who has been arguably one of the Jackets’ best blue liners this year. Ryan Murray is likely to receive a low money, short term bridge contract around $2.5M for 3 years.

The next issue revolves around forwards. Extending Boone Jenner is a top priority for Jarmo Kekalainen as he continues a greatly impressive breakout season which creates another salary cap issue. The maximum increase for the salary cap is projected to be roughly $3 million, however it is much more likely to be around $1 million and possibly up to 2 which will provide some relief for the Blue Jackets but not much. This will likely cause a player like Matt Calvert or Cam Atkinson to be dealt either at the deadline or the draft with Calvert being the easiest for the Jackets to move. However if both are dealt, it will open up a gap for blooming prospects Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sonny Milano to possibly break into the NHL lineup.

Nothing is for certain and the Blue Jackets future definitely fits this cliche. Fans need to get ready to fasten their seatbelts for the long road ahead this year.

Maple Leafs December Prospect Update: Volume 4 - AHL Edition

By Alex Hobson

Welcome to the final part of my four part monthly prospect updates. We've already covered the CHL, NCAA, and Europe, so today we'll look at the AHL's Toronto Marlies, where tons of prospects are showcasing their skill. Without further ado, let's get going.

Casey Bailey, C (Undrafted, signed as free agent in 2015)

When the Leafs brought in Bailey as a free agent standout from Penn State University, he was known as a big centre with a powerful shot and a hard worker. He's working hard, and has a decent amount of points with 8 in 15 appearences for the Marlies.

Antoine Bibeau, G (6th round, 172nd overall in 2013)

Bibeau has an attractive looking record in the AHL, going 6-3-0 in nine starts, but unfortunately his individual stats aren't looking great. He currently has a 3.64 GAA and a .869 save percentage. That being said, he's been solid for the Marlies.

Connor Brown, LW (6th round, 156th overall in 2012)

No update on Connor Brown to this date. He remains out indefinitely with a broken foot, but before the injury he had put up 4 points in 8 games.

Sam Carrick, C (5th round, 144th overall in 2010)

One of the most strictly defensive forwards on the Marlies this season. Taking on a defensive bottom six role, Carrick currently has 8 points in 21 appearences.

Frederik Gauthier, C (1st round, 21st overall in 2013)

The Leafs knew what they were getting when they snagged up Freddy the Goat in the first round of the 2013 draft. He has the potential to be one of the best defensive players in the NHL in the future. He currently has 10 points in 22 games for the AHL squad.

Zach Hyman, C/RW (5th round, 123rd overall in 2010 by Florida, acquired via trade)

Hyman has suited up nicely for the Marlies this season. He's currently producing at an average 0.5 PPG with 11 points in 22 games.

Kasperi Kapanen, RW (1st round, 22nd overall in 2014 by Pittsburgh, acquired via trade)

Kapanen made himself known among Leafs fans when he was the main piece coming back from Pittsburgh when they traded their beloved scorer in Phil Kessel. Kapanen currently has 9 points in 15 games for the Marlies.

Brendan Leipsic, LW (3rd round, 89th overall in 2013 by Nashville, acquired via trade)

Leipsic reminds Leafs fans very much of pests Brendan Gallagher and Brad Marchand, as well as former fan favourite Darcy Tucker, but he has a good offensive edge as well. He currently has a respectable 14 points in 23 games.

Josh Leivo, LW (3rd round, 86th overall in 2011)

Leivo continues to prove that he should be a full time NHLer at this point, supported by the fact that he has 21 points in 21 games, but he's being waited out in the minors to make sure he develops correctly due to the new process preached by Leafs management.

Viktor Loov, D (7th round, 209th overall in 2012)

The Sodertalje, Sweden native only has 6 points in 21 games for the Marlies, but don't let that distract you from the rest of his play. I had the opportunity to watch him live in a preseason game this year against Ottawa, and the one thing I noticed is his size doesnt interfere with his speed and skill. He has all the tools to become a solid NHL defenseman one day.

William Nylander, C/RW (1st round, 8th overall in 2014)

Generally when a prospect like Nylander goes on a hot streak, they cool down eventually. That's not the case for this guy. Free Willy has an AHL leading 29 points in 22 games, and he's doing all this as a 19 year old. He's NHL ready, but much like Leivo was left to develop for one more year. He is an insane player and without a doubt will be a Leaf this time next year.

Stuart Percy, D (1st round, 25th overall in 2011)

There is no part to Stuart Percy's game that will wow you, but he's consistent everywhere. He can play strong defensively while contributing offensively as well. He currently has a respectable 10 points in 21 games as a defenseman.

Ryan Rupert, LW (6th round, 157th overall in 2012)

Rupert had a solid campaign for the Marlies while he was here with 4 points in 8 games, but he has since been demoted to the ECHL's Orlando Solar Bears.

Nikita Soshnikov, RW (Undrafted, signed as free agent in 2015)

Soshnikov compares his game to fan favourite Leo Komarov, said in an interview the other day, but even though his assists haven't been there, his goals have. He's put up 7 goals and 10 points in 21 games for the Marlies.

Garret Sparks, G (7th round, 190th overall in 2011)

Yeah, I know, the All Spark is currently on the Leafs, but he's still considered a prospect and he spent most of this year with the Marlies so he gets an update anyway. He's put up an 8-2-0 record with a 1.90 GAA and a .938 save percentage with the Marlies, and currently has a 2-1-0 record with a shutout with the Leafs this season.

Thanks for reading. The next update for this series will come at the beginning of January.

Maple Leafs December Prospect Update: Volume 3 - Europe Edition

By Alex Hobson

Welcome back to part three of my monthly prospest updates. We've already went over our CHL and NCAA prospects and discussed the likes of Mitch Marner, Dmytro Timashov, and Jeremy Bracco among others, so today we'll go over our prospects currently playing in Europe. Without further ado, let's get started.

Pierre Engvall, Mora IK, LW (7th round, 188th overall in 2014)

The big forward taken in the last round of the 2014 draft, the Ljungby, Sweden native is currently having a solid campaign with Mora IK of the SHL. He currently has 11 points in 26 games for the squad. He could potentially join the Toronto Marlies next season, but expect him to remain in Sweden for another year.

Fabrice Herzog, ZSC Lions, LW (5th round, 132nd overall in 2013)

Herzog is making himself known as a member of the Lions. Playing alongside of projected 2016 first overall pick Auston Matthews, he's currently performing at near a point per game pace, recording 14 points in 18 games. Like Engvall, expect Herzog to play out an extra year in Europe rather than come to Toronto next season.

Andreas Johnson, Frolunda HC, LW (7th round, 202nd overall in 2013)
The Leafs may have found one of the hidden gems of the 2013 NHL Draft with this pick. Johnson is really stepping up for Frolunda this season. He currently has 21 points in 24 games playing in a men's league in Sweden, and has elite vision and nifty hands. Expect him to join the Toronto Marlies next season.

Jesper Lindgren, MODO Hockey, D (4th round, 95th overall in 2015)
Lindgren has shuffled between MODO Hockey and MODO Hockey J20 while playing there, and he's proved to be a decent defenseman for them. Putting up an outstanding 9 points in 6 games with MODO J20, but having his game drop while playing for MODO with only 3 points in 20 games. It's entirely possible that he picks up his game very soon.

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the Toronto Marlies.

Maple Leafs December Prospect Update: Volume 2 - NCAA Edition

By Alex Hobson

Welcome back to part two of my monthly prospect updates. This edition, we'll be covering the Leafs prospects currently playing in the NCAA. Without further ado, let's get started.

Tony Cameranesi, University of Minnesota-Duluth, C (5th round, 130th overall in 2011)

Cameranesi isn't one of the more heard of prospects in the Leafs' farm system, but he's been flying under the radar and has been having a great season for UMD. He currently has 13 points in 11 games playing alongside of teammate and fellow prospect Dominic Toninato.

Dakota Joshua, Ohio State University, C (5th round, 128th overall in 2014)

Dakota Joshua, the man with two first names, and the man who destroyed playing for the Sioux City Falls Stampede of the USHL last season. He isn't currently performing at the pace he did last year, but keep in mind he's still doing pretty good given the fact that he's now playing for a university team rather than a junior team. He currently has 3 points in 8 games for OSU.

Dominic Toninato, University of Minnesota-Duluth, C (5th round, 126th overall in 2012)

Toninato is playing alongside of teammate Tony Cameranesi on UMD's team this year, and while he's not performing at the pace of Cameranesi, registering only 6 points in 13 games, those are still pretty decent numbers for a University player. Both have been playing key roles on a well rounded UMD team.

Nolan Vesey, University of Maine, LW (6th round, 158th overall in 2014)

Vesey had a great season with U of Maine last season, with 23 points in 36 games, but he's somewhat slowed down and is in a bit of a slump this year with only 2 goals in 14 games. Expect him to pick up his pace however. Rumour has it that the Leafs are the front runners to sign his brother Jimmy Vesey, a Nashville Predators draft pick,however nothing is confirmed.

Thanks for reading.

Maple Leafs December Prospect Update: Volume 1 – CHL Edition

By Alex Hobson

It's that time again. Here is the second edition of my monthly prospect updates. Today, we kick things off with our update on prospects in the CHL.

WHL

Andrew Nielsen, D, Lethbridge Hurricanes (3rd round, 65th overall in 2015)

When the Leafs drafted Nielsen last year, it was mainly for his defensive game. Nobody knew that Nielsen had some big offensive capability as well. He is currently the top scoring defenseman on the Hurricanes with 25 points in 26 games.

OHL

Jeremy Bracco, RW, Kitchener Rangers (2nd round, 61st overall in 2015)

The young American phenom made the transition from Boston College to the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL mid season. He's currently performing at his expected pace, with 16 points in 14 games.

Travis Dermott, D, Erie Otters (2nd round, 34th overall in 2015)   
The puck moving, smooth skating defenseman was taken for his solid two way game and ability to contribute in every area of the game, including hitting and blocking shots. He's currently having another solid offensive season, leading all defensemen in scoring on the Otters with 24 points in 26 games.

Stephen Desrocher, D, Oshawa Generals (6th round, 155th overall in 2015)

Desrocher, much like Nielsen was drafted by the Leafs for his defensive game. Yet, he's also having a solid offensive campgain for his new home, the Kingston Frontenacs, after being dealt there in November. He has 18 points in 26 game.

Nikita Korostelev, RW, Sarnia Sting (7th round, 185th overall in 2015)

Korostelev isn't quite producing at the rate he was last season, but still putting up solid numbers. the Moscow, Russia native currently has 16 points in 25 games for the Sting.

Mitch Marner, C, London Knights (1st round, 4th overall in 2015)
Marner is currently tearing it up in Knight's territory. Sporting different linemates ranging between fellow prospect J.J. Piccinich to projected 2016 top five pick Matthew Tkachuk, Marner has 47 points in 22 games, at over a 2 point per game pace. Expect him to be sporting a Leafs uniform this time next year.

J.J. Piccinich, RW, London Knights (4th round, 103rd overall in 2014)

The only Leafs OHL prospect taken in the 2014 draft, Piccinich is exceeding expectations in the Green and Gold, with 30 points in 22 games. Expect him to join the Toronto Marlies next season.

QMJHL

Cody Donaghey, D, Halifax Mooseheads (Undrafted, signed by Leafs in 2014)

When we first checked in with Cody Donaghey, he was off to a very slow start. He has since picked up his game, registering 9 points in 15 games for the Mooseheads with a +1.

Martins Dzierkals, LW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (3rd round, 68th overall in 2015)

When Mark Hunter announced this kid's name at the 2015 NHL Draft, nobody knew who he was. Hunter called the young Latvian the potential sleeper of the draft, and now we know it's for good reason. Since transitioning from Russia to the QMJHL, Dzierkals has put up 30 points in 24 games for the Huskies.

Dmytro Timashov, LW, Quebec Remparts (5th round, 125th overall in 2015)

Wow. That's all that needs to be said about this kid. He was a projected third round pick, the Leafs took him in the fifth round. He currently has over an assist per game, with 30 assists and 45 points in 26 games. He is an unbelievable playmaker and has serious potential to be a top six forward in the NHL someday.

Thanks for reading.