ULF_55
Moderator
Minten, Cowan, 1st. round picks are not scrap.
Grebenkin is a wild card, but I think there are teams who'd like him.
Prospect Info: Marlies, Cyclones, and Prospect Discussion
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Grebenkin is a wild card, but I think there are teams who'd like him.
Namikaze Minato
Registered User
Looks like you got your wish! Both in the lineup, enjoy the game!
ULF_55
Moderator
Thank you! Yes both are in the line up. Koko men definitely deserves a call up. He looks pretty good. Jacob Q also has stood out early. Hildebeast looks good early too!
Hahaha probably one or two future GM’s in here. I’ll look to see if there’s any scouts/GM’s but if they are, they are up high because it’s mainly only TDSB schools here today.
1specter
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KingsHockey24
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Kyle Clifford two points today.
He also knocked someone out a few days ago as well.
That's my man.
He also knocked someone out a few days ago as well.
That's my man.
I didn’t know that! That’s cool man, I’m sure you love that 3rd period of the Marlies. Hirovinens line got hemmed in lmao
ULF_55
Moderator
He's just pulling your leg.
I'm too old for hard work like that!
Overtime win after giving up a 4-1 lead.
Last edited:
Fogelhund
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Leaf Fans
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We only have to worry about the 26 draft picks as free agency is after the draft.
Offer Sheet Calculator | CapWages
CapWages provides the latest NHL salary cap data and player contracts.capwages.com
This site has a tool to help out. Long story short though, we don't have our First, second, third or fourth this year or our second and fourth next year so we can't make any offers that need compensation of any sort.
TootooTrain
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Anyone with an update, even from casual observation, on Niemela this season?
I like him and his style of play, and he's also right handed which always props a prospect dman up for me.
Production wise he might be a little bit slower this year relative to last. But don't know if that's more of a team wide/pairings thing. Thanks in advance.
I like him and his style of play, and he's also right handed which always props a prospect dman up for me.
Production wise he might be a little bit slower this year relative to last. But don't know if that's more of a team wide/pairings thing. Thanks in advance.
Fogelhund
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Once the high-water mark of the Leafs prospect pool, why isn’t Niemela in the NHL four years out from his stellar World Juniors?
“The very straightforward answer is strength and speed,” Maple Leafs assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser said.
Watching Niemela this season, too often he gets pushed off the puck while trying to execute creative hockey in the offensive zone. He has the smarts, and at 6 feet, Niemela isn’t tiny. But he hasn’t added enough requisite power in his frame and stride to help him drive play. And defensively, a lack of power has prevented him from making decisive defensive plays.
Now, adding size during the season is an uphill climb. But it’s hard not to sense the organization is starting to wonder whether Niemela can get his body NHL-ready. His on-ice responsibilities with the Marlies this season appear to have not taken a step, either.
“He’s really got to commit to getting his body to a place where he’s not going to get pushed off,” Wickenheiser said.
Niemela has the brain to play NHL games, but a change in managerial philosophy makes his long-term future in Toronto seem more in doubt than ever.
“The challenge is to try and rise up and make a very good hockey team,” Wickenheiser said. “It stacks the deck against some of the players, but I also think it’s a great opportunity: If you can continue to improve within the Marlies, there’s 31 other teams that are looking for players, too. If it doesn’t work out here, there may be an opportunity somewhere else.”
Fogelhund
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Other Prospect comments.
www.nytimes.com
This season, the elite skater is making a difference in ways he didn’t over his first two Marlies campaigns. There’s an eagerness to make plays with the puck and get active in offensive plays. And finally, after years of fine-tuning, Rifai is using his penchant for physicality for good. His needless penalties are down but he’s still bothering opposition forwards in smart, timely ways.
Should he get into NHL action, he might be less of a defender who tries not to make mistakes and one more eager to change a game. The Marlies are focused on improving Rifai’s decision-making and getting him to dial it back a bit off the ice: they’ve found he’s so eager in the gym that he’s losing weight at a time he shouldn’t.
His energy is still turning heads in the organization. He is a safe bet to play a handful of NHL games in the second half of the season.
I’m starting to see the 26-year-old undrafted Rifai more and more as the defence equivalent of Bobby McMann.
“Marshall is just willing to do anything. And you can’t say that about every player you work with,” Wickenheiser said. “His physical tools are probably as good as anyone in the organization in terms of the way he skates, his fitness level. His ability to play at the pace of the NHL is not in doubt.”
Right now, his career trajectory with the Marlies is reminiscent of 2018 fifth-round pick Filip Kral. During Kral’s two-year run from 2021 to 2023, the Marlies believed he had tools but he lacked the innate physicality needed for a net-front defender. Kral was not given a qualifying offer when his entry-level deal was up.
Behind the scenes, those same traits are what the Marlies are trying to inject into the 6-foot, 200-pound Kokkonen’s game.
“Because we have a defence core that is like quite tall, quite big and he is a relatively undersized guy, that’s always going to be his challenge,” Wickenheiser said. “But I still see him as a legitimate NHL option over time.”
In terms of young Marlies defenders who could be called up in case of injury, I’d slot Kokkonen at second behind Rifai. As proven this season, Kokkonen can eat minutes in long shifts and maintain a level of discipline. That could lead to a sense of trust from Craig Berube, should Kokkonen ever get a call-up.
But Kokkonen is 23, and the clock is ticking.
There’s a consistency in his play. He’s engaged physically and bringing the puck to the centre of the ice more.
Hirvonen is in the last year of his entry-level contract. At 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds, the forward has shown this AHL season that his shot and work ethic could make him a bottom-six NHL fit.
Will those tools find a home in Toronto under this management group, or elsewhere?
“He will will himself to the NHL in some way, shape or form,” Wickenheiser said. “Whether it’s here or somewhere else, I don’t know. But he has an internal drive and desire to do all the things you should do, on and off the ice.”
After being drafted as a 6-foot-1, 174-pound centre in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Malinoski punched in at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. His added size and strength have given him confidence in faceoffs and when attacking the middle of the ice. Malinoski’s ice time is up and he’s enjoying more responsibility on the power play in his second college season.
Providence wants Malinoski to improve how he reads unfolding opposition plays. Getting beat in the neutral zone has been a problem. There’s also been a focus on his defensive play down low and being more physical in battles.
But Providence believes that will now come.
“(Malinoski) needed to put an emphasis on winning a higher percentage of those battles for the puck, those races for loose pucks. In junior hockey, he won a lot of battles with his stick and now he is winning a lot of those battles with his body,” Providence associate coach Joel Beal said. “So you see a theme here with what he’s been able to do with added strength.”
There’s been plenty of video work to get Voit to understand that the organization appreciates his creativity, but there’s a time and a place for his oft-risky plays.
“(Voit) thinks the game a little too fast for certain other players on his line and that can be a fault sometimes,” Cyclones head coach Jason Payne said.
The Cyclones know he can think his way out of problems. But they also want Voit to move his feet more instead of slowing down and creating perfect plays.
“When you stand still, you’re looking for your next option. But the problem is, so is everyone else,” Payne said.
Instead, by attacking defenders more, the Cyclones hope Voit will see more efficient plays open up. That could lead to more offence and eventually a return to the AHL.
The organization wants the goalie to improve how he tracks pucks, controls rebounds and makes saves under duress. But big picture, they want Peksa to understand that even though he might not be playing at his preferred level, such as the AHL, there’s an opportunity in front of him.
“We’d all like to be in the NHL, but we’re not. Let’s identify why and let’s clean it up,” Payne said.
Peksa deserves credit for moving from Russia to a completely new culture — St. John’s, Newfoundland — last season as one of the few players to follow the franchise in its move to Cincinnati for this season. But his game needs to turn and he needs to accept where he’s currently playing.
“It’s just about getting the full buy-in from players, and so they get the message we’re sending is to benefit them,” Payne said.
It’s a promising step from a high-risk, high-reward defenceman who is carving out his role. In his draft season, Johansson wanted to focus on the defensive side of the game to ensure he played regularly. But what he didn’t show last season was his strength in transition and how well he can skate and move the puck. That’s when his high-end hockey sense emerges.
With his draft year behind him, Johansson is looking more like a mobile player who can influence plays at both ends of the ice. Leksands wants him to show off more edge in his offensive game and take more calculated risks with the puck.
“This year, you’re seeing more of the whole package,” Leksands general manager and Victor’s father Thomas Johansson said.
Johansson is in the final season of a junior contract. He can sign with the Leafs next season and possibly move to the Marlies, or he can return to Leksands either on loan or with an SHL contract to fight for a top-six spot, which is expected.
“If he wasn’t generating chances, that would be a concern. But for a player of that talent level, if he’s getting chances, they’re going to go in,” University of Michigan associate coach Rob Rassey said of the wiry and energetic 2022 third-round pick.
The Michigan coaching staff sees increased confidence and maturity in Moldenhauer compared to his up-and-down freshman season. The transition from the USHL to college hockey wasn’t easy for the right winger. But Rassey is seeing more understanding from Moldenhauer of what success at the next level of his career might look like.
“He enjoys the grind and the work,” Rassey said. “In fact, he has fun with it. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”
Miller added explosiveness in his stride this offseason. There’s more consistent offence in his game (eight points in 10 games) as their new first-line right winger. He’s holding onto the puck for longer stretches to make more calculated plays. Even though he stands 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Miller is engaging more in plays in ugly areas of the ice, too.
“You’re seeing (strong offensive play) for longer spurts as opposed to last year, it was a little bit sporadic,” Harvard assistant coach James Marcou said.
There will always be concerns about Miller’s size, but that he’s adding more to his game is encouraging for his long-term development. Keep an eye on him to possibly sign an NHL contract after next season.
Maple Leafs prospect report: What’s next for Topi Niemela, Marshall Rifai and others
Marlies looking to take the next step, NCAA-based prospects in the middle of long development paths and players shining at World Juniors.
www.nytimes.com
Rifai is getting closer to the NHL
Marshall Rifai was called up on Dec. 2 but never made it into game action. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound defenceman received another call up on Dec. 31 and seems close to becoming a full-time NHL defender.This season, the elite skater is making a difference in ways he didn’t over his first two Marlies campaigns. There’s an eagerness to make plays with the puck and get active in offensive plays. And finally, after years of fine-tuning, Rifai is using his penchant for physicality for good. His needless penalties are down but he’s still bothering opposition forwards in smart, timely ways.
Should he get into NHL action, he might be less of a defender who tries not to make mistakes and one more eager to change a game. The Marlies are focused on improving Rifai’s decision-making and getting him to dial it back a bit off the ice: they’ve found he’s so eager in the gym that he’s losing weight at a time he shouldn’t.
His energy is still turning heads in the organization. He is a safe bet to play a handful of NHL games in the second half of the season.
I’m starting to see the 26-year-old undrafted Rifai more and more as the defence equivalent of Bobby McMann.
“Marshall is just willing to do anything. And you can’t say that about every player you work with,” Wickenheiser said. “His physical tools are probably as good as anyone in the organization in terms of the way he skates, his fitness level. His ability to play at the pace of the NHL is not in doubt.”
Kokkonen needs more snarl
After drawing praise from Sheldon Keefe to start training camp last year, Mikko Kokkonen is quietly putting together another stellar AHL season. The steady, consistent left-shot defenceman looks more comfortable with the puck. His two-goal performance on Dec. 10 was his first in his AHL career.Right now, his career trajectory with the Marlies is reminiscent of 2018 fifth-round pick Filip Kral. During Kral’s two-year run from 2021 to 2023, the Marlies believed he had tools but he lacked the innate physicality needed for a net-front defender. Kral was not given a qualifying offer when his entry-level deal was up.
Behind the scenes, those same traits are what the Marlies are trying to inject into the 6-foot, 200-pound Kokkonen’s game.
“Because we have a defence core that is like quite tall, quite big and he is a relatively undersized guy, that’s always going to be his challenge,” Wickenheiser said. “But I still see him as a legitimate NHL option over time.”
In terms of young Marlies defenders who could be called up in case of injury, I’d slot Kokkonen at second behind Rifai. As proven this season, Kokkonen can eat minutes in long shifts and maintain a level of discipline. That could lead to a sense of trust from Craig Berube, should Kokkonen ever get a call-up.
But Kokkonen is 23, and the clock is ticking.
Hirvonen can ‘will himself to the NHL’
The Marlies want to see more production from Roni Hirvonen this season, and the 2020 second-round pick is trending in the right direction with 11 points in 26 games. This comes after he put up 13 points in 37 games last year when a freak eye injury essentially derailed his season. The puck skills are there. Can they show up where it matters, on the score sheet?There’s a consistency in his play. He’s engaged physically and bringing the puck to the centre of the ice more.
Hirvonen is in the last year of his entry-level contract. At 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds, the forward has shown this AHL season that his shot and work ethic could make him a bottom-six NHL fit.
Will those tools find a home in Toronto under this management group, or elsewhere?
“He will will himself to the NHL in some way, shape or form,” Wickenheiser said. “Whether it’s here or somewhere else, I don’t know. But he has an internal drive and desire to do all the things you should do, on and off the ice.”
Added size and strength benefiting Malinoski
Hudson Malinoski showed up to Providence College this season looking like a different player.After being drafted as a 6-foot-1, 174-pound centre in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Malinoski punched in at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. His added size and strength have given him confidence in faceoffs and when attacking the middle of the ice. Malinoski’s ice time is up and he’s enjoying more responsibility on the power play in his second college season.
Providence wants Malinoski to improve how he reads unfolding opposition plays. Getting beat in the neutral zone has been a problem. There’s also been a focus on his defensive play down low and being more physical in battles.
But Providence believes that will now come.
“(Malinoski) needed to put an emphasis on winning a higher percentage of those battles for the puck, those races for loose pucks. In junior hockey, he won a lot of battles with his stick and now he is winning a lot of those battles with his body,” Providence associate coach Joel Beal said. “So you see a theme here with what he’s been able to do with added strength.”
Voit has to start taking the game to defenders
Ty Voit’s 2023-24 season was supposed to be an exciting professional debut for the playmaking winger. But injuries and season-ending shoulder surgery in January robbed him of a full campaign. That makes this season with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones the 2021 fifth-round pick’s first professional season in many ways.There’s been plenty of video work to get Voit to understand that the organization appreciates his creativity, but there’s a time and a place for his oft-risky plays.
“(Voit) thinks the game a little too fast for certain other players on his line and that can be a fault sometimes,” Cyclones head coach Jason Payne said.
The Cyclones know he can think his way out of problems. But they also want Voit to move his feet more instead of slowing down and creating perfect plays.
“When you stand still, you’re looking for your next option. But the problem is, so is everyone else,” Payne said.
Instead, by attacking defenders more, the Cyclones hope Voit will see more efficient plays open up. That could lead to more offence and eventually a return to the AHL.
Peksa has to ‘buy in’ to the ECHL
It’s been another disappointing season for 2021 sixth-round pick Vyacheslav Peksa. After putting up an .890 save percentage through 27 ECHL games last season, the 2021 sixth-round pick’s numbers have dipped even further. Among goalies with at least 10 games played, Peksa’s .861 save percentage is last in the ECHL.The organization wants the goalie to improve how he tracks pucks, controls rebounds and makes saves under duress. But big picture, they want Peksa to understand that even though he might not be playing at his preferred level, such as the AHL, there’s an opportunity in front of him.
“We’d all like to be in the NHL, but we’re not. Let’s identify why and let’s clean it up,” Payne said.
Peksa deserves credit for moving from Russia to a completely new culture — St. John’s, Newfoundland — last season as one of the few players to follow the franchise in its move to Cincinnati for this season. But his game needs to turn and he needs to accept where he’s currently playing.
“It’s just about getting the full buy-in from players, and so they get the message we’re sending is to benefit them,” Payne said.
Johansson prepping for the men’s game
After being selected out of Leksands’ Under-20 team in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, Victor Johansson made his SHL debut this season. He’s been practicing frequently with the senior team. Whenever the injury bug strikes Leksands’ top six, Johansson has been in line for a call-up.It’s a promising step from a high-risk, high-reward defenceman who is carving out his role. In his draft season, Johansson wanted to focus on the defensive side of the game to ensure he played regularly. But what he didn’t show last season was his strength in transition and how well he can skate and move the puck. That’s when his high-end hockey sense emerges.
With his draft year behind him, Johansson is looking more like a mobile player who can influence plays at both ends of the ice. Leksands wants him to show off more edge in his offensive game and take more calculated risks with the puck.
“This year, you’re seeing more of the whole package,” Leksands general manager and Victor’s father Thomas Johansson said.
Johansson is in the final season of a junior contract. He can sign with the Leafs next season and possibly move to the Marlies, or he can return to Leksands either on loan or with an SHL contract to fight for a top-six spot, which is expected.
Moldenhauer waiting for his breakout
With just one goal and six points in 15 games, Nick Moldenhauer has been snake-bitten in his second NCAA season.“If he wasn’t generating chances, that would be a concern. But for a player of that talent level, if he’s getting chances, they’re going to go in,” University of Michigan associate coach Rob Rassey said of the wiry and energetic 2022 third-round pick.
The Michigan coaching staff sees increased confidence and maturity in Moldenhauer compared to his up-and-down freshman season. The transition from the USHL to college hockey wasn’t easy for the right winger. But Rassey is seeing more understanding from Moldenhauer of what success at the next level of his career might look like.
“He enjoys the grind and the work,” Rassey said. “In fact, he has fun with it. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”
Miller adds a step to his stride and his offensive game
The Harvard University coaching staff is as thrilled with 2020 sixth-round pick Joe Miller as any other player this season.Miller added explosiveness in his stride this offseason. There’s more consistent offence in his game (eight points in 10 games) as their new first-line right winger. He’s holding onto the puck for longer stretches to make more calculated plays. Even though he stands 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Miller is engaging more in plays in ugly areas of the ice, too.
“You’re seeing (strong offensive play) for longer spurts as opposed to last year, it was a little bit sporadic,” Harvard assistant coach James Marcou said.
There will always be concerns about Miller’s size, but that he’s adding more to his game is encouraging for his long-term development. Keep an eye on him to possibly sign an NHL contract after next season.
Stringer Bell
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ULF_55
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