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Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Nick Abruzzese to a two-year ELC

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stickty111 said:
There is a good article on the Athletic by Kloke on Abruzzese. Abruzzese and Kerfoot skate together in the off season, and are probably familiar to Blackwell too.
Apparently Leafs tried to sign him during the stoppage when Harvard closed down sports in the pandemic, but Abruzzese wanted to come on his own terms and wanted to get bigger.
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I'll echo this, it's a great read. It also goes into detail about how committed Nick is to improving his game. He is a complete nut job apparently when it comes to film and analyzing ways to improve. To the point where his coaching staff have told him he should lighten up a bit.

This kid is very impressive. Every time I've watched him I have come away impressed at his ability to read the game. At least at the college level, he is reading plays 2 steps ahead of everyone else. You could even see flashes of it at the Olympics, and I really thought he was actually one of the brightest spots for that American squad. He was completely snake bitten, and realistically should have had a handful more goals.

The knock has always been his size, but he really didn't look out of place at the Olympics at all. Like a lot of other undersized players, he's been forced to adapt so you see his anticipation is really good. It may be be a bit of a hot take, but I have a weird feeling he is not going to struggle with the pace of the NHL. His biggest strength is his ability to read plays before they even develop fully. Often times you will see him make a pass when the passing lane appears to be completely closed off, and then magically as the puck comes off his blade there is a split second opening. He's also really good at understanding his surroundings and knows when to receive a puck or to chip the puck into space. So what he lacks in size and in stature he more than makes up for it with those intelligent plays. It will be interesting to see how he fairs at the NHL level. I really hope they give him an honest look. I know playing his first game in Boston against a very good team is about as hard of a spot to make your professional debut, but if we are looking at him as a potential option in playoffs it really is shit or get off the potty time IMO. There really wont be many games that match a playoff intensity down the line, tonight is just one of those games. Time for a baptism of fire
 
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I thought Marner would give up 16 to Abruzzese. :DD

Looks like Nick will have to settle for 26, instead. And, man is it good to have another Nick back on the team.


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diehardleafsfan9878 said:
26 is an awful number. Just doesn't look good. Giving me vesey flash backs.
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Yuskevich was one I thought of, but yes...not much to like. Here are former #26's: (Mahovolich old number shouldn't count.. but there it is.)

Gary Aldcorn, Bob Baun, Dave Burrows, Jack Capuano, Russ Courtnall, Chris Evans, Paul Healey, Jamie Heward, Bill Kitchen, Chris Kotsopoulos, Mike Krushelnyski, Rick Ley, Bob Liddington, Frank Mahovlich, Wally Maxwell, Bob McGill, Basil McRae, Gerry Meehan, Barry Melrose, Lyle Moffat, Craig Muni, Nathan Perrott, Allan Stanley, Mike Stevens, Darren Veitch, Kurt Walker, Craig Wolanin, Dmitry Yushkevich
 
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I hate this number nonsense. A number on a jersey is nothing more than a way to help fans (at the rink and at home) tell one player from the other. Nothing more. Nothing less.
 
Really don't see him as an NHLer as of now.

His ceiling will be a utility player like Kerfoot.
Watching his highlights, he reminds me a lot of Kerfoot.

I don't see him making any impact right now, 2 years in the Marlies, than he'll probably be a 3rd liner for us.


Knies on the other hand, he can slot in to the top 6 right now and make a big impact.
It's really quite spectacle because Knies is just the player the leafs need.
 
2legit2quit said:
Really don't see him as an NHLer as of now.

His ceiling will be a utility player like Kerfoot.
Watching his highlights, he reminds me a lot of Kerfoot.

I don't see him making any impact right now, 2 years in the Marlies, than he'll probably be a 3rd liner for us.


Knies on the other hand, he can slot in to the top 6 right now and make a big impact.
It's really quite spectacle because Knies is just the player the leafs need.
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peter forsberg
 
2legit2quit said:
Really don't see him as an NHLer as of now.

His ceiling will be a utility player like Kerfoot.
Watching his highlights, he reminds me a lot of Kerfoot.

I don't see him making any impact right now, 2 years in the Marlies, than he'll probably be a 3rd liner for us.


Knies on the other hand, he can slot in to the top 6 right now and make a big impact.
It's really quite spectacle because Knies is just the player the leafs need.
Click to expand...

I think Kerfoots a good ceiling for him. Kerfoot also went from college to NHL without any AHL experience, so I see the parallels.

He's a very smart playmaker with a lot of good tools both offensively and defensively. He didn't look out of place at the Olympics against men and pros, albeit not NHL players.
 
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Deebo said:
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oh good god .......... that fourth line will get eaten alive tonight

also i dont get this abruz facination ....... let him start in the marlies , hes not better than some of the guys we have down there now, right now . i dont understand starting him in the nhl right away.
 
Ashdown2 said:
oh good god .......... that fourth line will get eaten alive tonight

also i dont get this abruz facination ....... let him start in the marlies , hes not better than some of the guys we have down there now, right now . i dont understand starting him in the nhl right away.
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He can't be loaned to the Marlies unless for a "conditioning stint".
 
If anyone, was hoping to see our menacing 6’8 4C for the warm-ups in Boston.
 
crump said:
Yuskevich was one I thought of, but yes...not much to like. Here are former #26's: (Mahovolich old number shouldn't count.. but there it is.)

Gary Aldcorn, Bob Baun, Dave Burrows, Jack Capuano, Russ Courtnall, Chris Evans, Paul Healey, Jamie Heward, Bill Kitchen, Chris Kotsopoulos, Mike Krushelnyski, Rick Ley, Bob Liddington, Frank Mahovlich, Wally Maxwell, Bob McGill, Basil McRae, Gerry Meehan, Barry Melrose, Lyle Moffat, Craig Muni, Nathan Perrott, Allan Stanley, Mike Stevens, Darren Veitch, Kurt Walker, Craig Wolanin, Dmitry Yushkevich
Click to expand...
Yushkevich wore 36
 
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