Prospect Info: Marlies & Prospect Discussion

[Thornbury]

A true Leaf. Physical but gets injured on his first shift ever.

Not a surprise this cynical post got no likes.

 

[JEI]

What does the Marlies line up look like this year?

Would it finally be considered "stacked" again?

Marlies just re-signed Joseph Blandisi.

I can't speak to how they compare to other teams in their division, but I don't think stacked is the word.

This was pretty much the lineup in the playoffs:

Bellows - Shaw - Abruzzese
Hirvonen - Quillan - Blandisi
Clifford - Gambrell - Steeves
Mastrosimone - Slavin - Solow

Lajoie - Kokkonen
Rifai - Gaunce
Pietroniro - Niemela
Hildeby
Jones

Bolded are the returning players. Tverberg was injured.

On forward they are likely adding Minten, Grebyonkin, Nylander, Pare, Voit for NHL contracts. Does Grebyonkin stick around in the AHL? The likes of Barbolini, Frasca, Sikic Kressler (NHL contract, but I think he's ECHL bound) may push on the AHL deal end, but ultimately they are likely ECHL to start. Full, healthy year for Hirvonen would be nice (ditto for Voit).

On D is interesting. Gaunce and Lajoie are replaced by Philipe Myers and Nicolas Mattinen for veterans. Weber comes in as an interesting NCAA piece. Returning guys should all see a good chunk of games.

Goaltending is Hildeby/Murray/Akhtyamov are likely the trio while Peksa gets prime role in the ECHl.

Lineup could be when healthy (there will be injuries, and rotations on 3 game weekends)?

Grebyonkin - Shaw - Steeves
Nylander - Minten - Abruzzese
Hirvonen- Quillan - Tverberg
Solow - Pare - Blandisi
Extra: Clifford, Mastrosimone, Voit (could see him start in the ECHL to get games in),

Rifai - Myers
Mermis - Mantinen
Weber - Niemela
Extra: Kokkonen Villeneuve, Miller, Pietroniro

Hildeby
Murray
Akhtyamov

 

[Martin Skoula]

I feel like in past eras it would have been more common place for this kind of dog eat dog, prison yard, go after the first rounder to make a name for yourself mentality… not a good result but when you want to create a competitive hot house environment things can get out of hand. Not a good outcome but it is hockey. Hopefully they take good care of Danford and he’s back to full health and can enjoy camp.

Obviously can’t say much without seeing the hit but dog eat dog to me is a busted shoulder on a hit or a broken nose in a fight, back to back headshots isn’t it.

 

[Thornbury]

Marlies just re-signed Joseph Blandisi.

I can't speak to how they compare to other teams in their division, but I don't think stacked is the word.

This was pretty much the lineup in the playoffs:

Bellows - Shaw - Abruzzese
Hirvonen - Quillan - Blandisi
Clifford - Gambrell - Steeves
Mastrosimone - Slavin - Solow

Lajoie - Kokkonen
Rifai - Gaunce
Pietroniro - Niemela
Hildeby
Jones

Bolded are the returning players. Tverberg was injured.

On forward they are likely adding Minten, Grebyonkin, Nylander, Pare, Voit for NHL contracts. Does Grebyonkin stick around in the AHL? The likes of Barbolini, Frasca, Sikic Kressler (NHL contract, but I think he's ECHL bound) may push on the AHL deal end, but ultimately they are likely ECHL to start. Full, healthy year for Hirvonen would be nice (ditto for Voit).

On D is interesting. Gaunce and Lajoie are replaced by Philipe Myers and Nicolas Mattinen for veterans. Weber comes in as an interesting NCAA piece. Returning guys should all see a good chunk of games.

Goaltending is Hildeby/Murray/Akhtyamov are likely the trio while Peksa gets prime role in the ECHl.

Lineup could be when healthy (there will be injuries, and rotations on 3 game weekends)?

Grebyonkin - Shaw - Steeves
Nylander - Minten - Abruzzese
Hirvonen- Quillan - Tverberg
Solow - Pare - Blandisi
Extra: Clifford, Mastrosimone, Voit (could see him start in the ECHL to get games in),

Rifai - Myers
Mermis - Mantinen
Weber - Niemela
Extra: Kokkonen Villeneuve, Miller, Pietroniro

Hildeby
Murray
Akhtyamov

Looks like there are enough viable prospects to make them interesting to watch.

 

[ULF_55]

Obviously can’t say much without seeing the hit but dog eat dog to me is a busted shoulder on a hit or a broken nose in a fight, back to back headshots isn’t it.

Be interested to see it ... which I suppose we never will now.

IIRC the Hitter had about 120 PiMs this year in junior.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Was he re-signed?

I am assuming if he showed a lot at camp last year, they'd extend him, he's young and the potential is there it appears.

Seems weird that he showed so well and he got one game with the Marlies and then played in the ECHL all year...

He got rewarded for his hit.

Yeah, and more

 

[Stephen]

Obviously can’t say much without seeing the hit but dog eat dog to me is a busted shoulder on a hit or a broken nose in a fight, back to back headshots isn’t it.

Well, Scott Stevens era…

 

[ULF_55]

Well, Scott Stevens era…

Stevens wasn't the only one targeting the head, but his hit list was some elite level players.

Justice was he ended with concussion symptoms.

Why Did Scott Stevens Retire? A Look At The Legend'S Farewell - Ankhuong

Why did Scott Stevens retire? Scott Stevens, a legend in the NHL, had a stellar career, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly due to health concerns. Post-concussion syndrome forced him to miss most of the 2003-04 season. After battling the effects of those injuries, he was forced to retire on...

ankhuong.vn

Scott Stevens, a legend in the NHL, had a stellar career, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly due to health concerns. Post-concussion syndrome forced him to miss most of the 2003-04 season. After battling the effects of those injuries, he was forced to retire on September 6, 2005.

 

[Stephen]

Stevens wasn't the only one targeting the head, but his hit list was some elite level players.

Justice was he ended with concussion symptoms.

Why Did Scott Stevens Retire? A Look At The Legend'S Farewell - Ankhuong

Why did Scott Stevens retire? Scott Stevens, a legend in the NHL, had a stellar career, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly due to health concerns. Post-concussion syndrome forced him to miss most of the 2003-04 season. After battling the effects of those injuries, he was forced to retire on...

ankhuong.vn

Scott Stevens, a legend in the NHL, had a stellar career, but unfortunately, it ended abruptly due to health concerns. Post-concussion syndrome forced him to miss most of the 2003-04 season. After battling the effects of those injuries, he was forced to retire on September 6, 2005.

That era was definitely dog eat dog. Live by the sword die by the sword, etc. etc.

 

[ULF_55]

That era was definitely dog eat dog. Live by the sword die by the sword, etc. etc.

There were some real pieces of work, who targetted the head on every check.
Cherry still alive?

 

[IceColdBear]

We only have a 2nd, a 5th, a 6th and a 7th in 2025.

We only have a 1st, a 3rd, and a 5th in 2026.

In the next two drafts, we have less picks than one normal draft class (we have 7 picks, but two fifths rather than a fourth and a fifth). We're more likely to trade more picks than we acquire in the next two years too.

We desperately need the real prospects we have, Cowan, Grebenkin, Minten, Niemela and Danford to hit.

Cowan, Minten and Grebenkin contributing on the cheap in our middle six would be so, so huge to helping this team get over the hump.

I really wish Cowan could play in the AHL this season. Give him forty games there, call him up once an injury occurs, and try to have him ready for the playoffs would be ideal for his development, and our team this year.

 

[rdogg]

Any update on Danford? Was it a serious injury he had?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

We only have a 2nd, a 5th, a 6th and a 7th in 2025.

We only have a 1st, a 3rd, and a 5th in 2026.

In the next two drafts, we have less picks than one normal draft class (we have 7 picks, but two fifths rather than a fourth and a fifth). We're more likely to trade more picks than we acquire in the next two years too.

We desperately need the real prospects we have, Cowan, Grebenkin, Minten, Niemela and Danford to hit.

Cowan, Minten and Grebenkin contributing on the cheap in our middle six would be so, so huge to helping this team get over the hump.

I really wish Cowan could play in the AHL this season. Give him forty games there, call him up once an injury occurs, and try to have him ready for the playoffs would be ideal for his development, and our team this year.

Draft picks are secondary as long as Matthews is a Leaf

 

[SprDaVE]

Any update on Danford? Was it a serious injury he had?

Head injury -- last update was that they were still evaluating and he won't play this week-end out of precaution.

 

[IceColdBear]

Draft picks are secondary as long as Matthews is a Leaf

Would be nice to have some more young cheap talent right now, wouldn't it?

What did trading away half our draft picks the last three or four years get us?

 

[conFABulator]

We only have a 2nd, a 5th, a 6th and a 7th in 2025.

We only have a 1st, a 3rd, and a 5th in 2026.

In the next two drafts, we have less picks than one normal draft class (we have 7 picks, but two fifths rather than a fourth and a fifth). We're more likely to trade more picks than we acquire in the next two years too.

We desperately need the real prospects we have, Cowan, Grebenkin, Minten, Niemela and Danford to hit.

Cowan, Minten and Grebenkin contributing on the cheap in our middle six would be so, so huge to helping this team get over the hump.

I really wish Cowan could play in the AHL this season. Give him forty games there, call him up once an injury occurs, and try to have him ready for the playoffs would be ideal for his development, and our team this year.

I won't even try to do lineups and not even positions but from a depth chart perspective. In a couple of years we should have..

Matthews
Nylander
Marner ($12M)
Tavares ($3M)
Knies
Domi
McMann
Robertson
Holmberg
Dewar
Cowan
Grebenkin
Minten
Quillan
Hirvonen
Tverberg

That's 16 forwards deep and we have moved off the $4.5M we are paying Kampf and Jarnkrok, probably $7M or $8M in savings if we re-sign Tavares. Those bottom nine guys can fill five spots at $1M each, this is how you build balance and it's all about the kids stepping in and stepping up. We have to give them the opportunity to break in.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Would be nice to have some more young cheap talent right now, wouldn't it?

What did trading away half our draft picks the last three or four years get us?

That to me is more of a function of the person making the trades

 

[aingefan]

That to me is more of a function of the person making the trades

To me it’s more a function of being in a dog eat dog division arms race the past few years. Boston, FLA and TB are all in similar spots.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

To me it’s more a function of being in a dog eat dog division arms race the past few years. Boston, FLA and TB are all in similar spots.

That is also part of it.

 

[Magic Man]

Steeves - Minten - Nylander (AHL)
Grebenkin - L. Shaw (AHL) - Blandisi (AHL)
Abruzzese - Lorentz (PTO) - Tverberg
Clifford (AHL) - Quillan - Hirvonen
ex. Mastrosimone (AHL) - Solow (AHL) - Pare
Voit - Kressler

Rifai - Niemela
Webber - Myers
Mermis - Timmins
ex. Kokkonen - Villeneuve
Pietroniro (AHL) - Mattinen
Miller (AHL)

Hildeby
Akhtyamov
ex. Murray
Peksa

 

[Stringer Bell]

Have to imagine Mattinen plays a big role for the Marlies or else we wouldn't have extended an NHL contract.

 

[ULF_55]

Have to imagine Mattinen plays a big role for the Marlies or else we wouldn't have extended an NHL contract.

Some team might take Timmins, unless no team see a NHL future for him.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Some team might take Timmins, unless no team see a NHL future for him.

He's an NHLer, definitely a good #6 for someone depending on how the rest of your roster is structured but secondary offense is there with him, durability is an issue.

 

[ULF_55]

He's an NHLer, definitely a good #6 for someone depending on how the rest of your roster is structured but secondary offense is there with him, durability is an issue.

He will hit waivers, or be a throw in.

 

[WTFMAN99]

He will hit waivers, or be a throw in.

Yeah, I can see them trying to trade them first of course and if he nets them a 6 or 7th round pick, great.

Otherwise I expect to see him on waivers at the end of camp if we're all healthy.