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Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemelä to ELCs

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Mickey Marner said:
Niemela I get. Hirvonen didn't really impress, but we also didn't get to see him against his peers at the world juniors.
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Hirvonen was PPG+ in the Liiga playoffs, has been one of the top U20 goal scorers in the Liiga for the past 3 years, and after a very slow start at the beginning of the year, was red hot to end it (he was pretty much PPG).

This is on top of being defensively responsible and having elite possession numbers. The only thing that was somewhat lacking was his faceoff ability and he is not big (effectively Kerfoot-size).

He deserves that ELC more than Kokkonen did, and Hirvonen can make a legitimate claim to be our 5th best prospect behind Robertson, Amirov, Niemela, and Knies.
 
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These were easy ELCs to hand out. Niemela in particular has a lot of upside. I'm not as high on Hirvonen but he's been very productive in a mens league.

I hope they both join the Marlies if they don't make the Leafs.
 
th
kerk said:
the guy with 26 points in 46 games and ppg in playoffs as a 19/20 year old in a men's league didn't impress? huh?
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That draft was stellar. Looks like we have numerous solid prospects, even with Amirov's unfortunate health issue. Niemela, Hirvonen, Tverberg, Villeneuve, Ovchinnikov, Miettenen, possibly Miller and Achtymov.
 
SprDaVE said:
These were easy ELCs to hand out. Niemela in particular has a lot of upside. I'm not as high on Hirvonen but he's been very productive in a mens league.

I hope they both join the Marlies if they don't make the Leafs.
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There is room for Niemela right now. We need high end RD and I think he is good enough to be a top 4 RD on day 1. Maybe not as much room for Hirvonen, especially when we could use some veterans in our top 9.

I am not confident about any of the Finns (outside of Rindell, although he should not have been given an ELC) coming over next year. They all had one more year on their Liiga deals and we may let them honour it.

At the same time, we would be talking about a lot of guys who take up contract spots but are not on our NA roster, and we may not have enough contract spots to comfortably have the depth chart we want in the AHL next year. If we also include Ovchinnikov in that mix, because he could struggle to find ice time with the Marlies next year and may head back to Europe himself, that is 4 guys. We were already close to the limit before signing these two guys and we still have various holes at both the NHL and AHL level that need to be filled next year. We absolutely should have signed Niemela/Hirvonen, but I do still question signing guys like Rindell and McMann when contract spots are at a premium right now.
 
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Wheeler: Niemelä holds a higher overall status as a prospect than Hirvonen (though they are both top players in their age group in Finland), and his path and proximity to the NHL are and will be different as a result.



Niemelä's the kind of player who will stick around in training camp and play at the top of the Marlies' roster immediately (including likely on PP1), placing him in an early call-up scenario if he continues to progress in line with how he has since the draft.



Hirvonen's going to start lower with the Marlies and likely have to prove it for longer. And if/when he gets called up, he's the kind of prospect that will likely have to start playing 10-or-so minutes a night and earn everything he's given. Hirvonen's not a scoring-role-or-bust guy, so that'll help.

Some thoughts from Wheeler
 
SeaOfBlue said:
There is room for Niemela right now. We need high end RD and I think he is good enough to be a top 4 RD on day 1. Maybe not as much room for Hirvonen, especially when we could use some veterans in our top 9.

I am not confident about any of the Finns (outside of Rindell, although he should not have been given an ELC) coming over next year. They all had one more year on their Liiga deals and we may let them honour it.

At the same time, we would be talking about a lot of guys who take up contract spots but are not on our NA roster, and we may not have enough contract spots to comfortably have the depth chart we want in the AHL next year. If we also include Ovchinnikov in that mix, because he could struggle to find ice time with the Marlies next year and may head back to Europe himself, that is 4 guys. We were already close to the limit before signing these two guys and we still have various holes at both the NHL and AHL level that need to be filled next year. We absolutely should have signed Niemela/Hirvonen, but I do still question signing guys like Rindell and McMann when contract spots are at a premium right now.
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A Niemela/Liljegren right side is going to be awesome eventually.

Rielly-Liljegren
Sandin-Brodie
Muzzin/Gio-Niemela
Kral-Boosh type 7th
 
LeafsOHLRangers98 said:
A Niemela/Liljegren right side is going to be awesome eventually.

Rielly-Liljegren
Sandin-Brodie
Muzzin/Gio-Niemela
Kral-Boosh type 7th
Click to expand...

Fairly confident that Muzzin/Gio won't be here by the time Niemela makes it. Brodie may not be here either, although I can see him re-signing.

It is not a top priority for this year, given our lack of picks and a greater need for a center, but we should probably find our next wave of LD and RD prospects.

Sandin (00') - Liljegren (99')
Kral (99') - Hollowell (98')
Kokkonen (01') - Niemela (02')
Koster (01') - Villeneuve (02')

A UFA upgrade on the depth chart for Hollowell would be nice right about now. Hollowell, like Rubins and Krys, likely doesn't crack the NHL but may be a solid AHL depth guy for another year or two with the hope that he can at least become another Duszak.
 
I believe Niemela could be the sort of defense prospect who comes to his first camp and forces the team to think long and hard about keeping him with the NHL club.
 
Two tiers of players on the Marlies, who are shaping up nicely.

The five forwards who are likely competition for FT roles with the big team, and then Rubins/Dahlstrom/Hollowell, Kallgren who are capable to step in.

Then the rest are prospects who can slow cook.

I like the shape.
 
Dekes For Days said:
Glad we got these guys signed.

Does anybody know if we expect them to be on the Marlies next year?
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No, any European prospect drafted out of the 1st round has to be loaned back to his team if he doesn't make the NHL roster. I think this rule applies for 2 years.
 
Put them in the weight room and let them play and develop in the AHL fo a couple yrs.
 
kerk said:
the guy with 26 points in 46 games and ppg in playoffs as a 19/20 year old in a men's league didn't impress? huh?
Click to expand...

For Liiga, those regular season numbers (0.56 PPG) are really not that good if you compare them to other Finnish prospects at the same age. I like Hirvonen's game but the numbers this year were disappointing until the playoffs.
 
SprDaVE said:
These were easy ELCs to hand out. Niemela in particular has a lot of upside. I'm not as high on Hirvonen but he's been very productive in a mens league.

I hope they both join the Marlies if they don't make the Leafs.
Click to expand...


I dont know why but i get the feeling Hirvonen will be a better player than Niemala
 
If the Leafs trade Holl in the off-season I wonder if it's because they think Niemela has a chance at stepping right into the Leafs' line up.
 
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