Marlies @ Albany Devils (November 13)

Nazem Kadri scored the game winner in over-time to secure a 4-3 win for the Marlies. The goal was the first of the season for Kadri - who also added two assists on the night. 

I haven't been able to watch the Marlies as closely as I would have liked over the past couple weeks, but today I had a chance to finally sit down and take in enough of a game to do a blog on it! Marlies are a bit banged up right now, but have a good amount of depth that have come through in recent games.

Tonight, the story was Nazem Kadri. Many fans are screaming for him to be re-called to the big club for an offensive spark and they may get their wish if tonight was any indication. He came away with 1g (the game winner in OT) and also added two assists. He probably could have had a few more goals as he seemed to be buzzing all night. He also seems to have a unique ability to draw penalties..maybe he goes down a bit too easy, but he hides it well. With the Marlies heading back home, it wouldn't shock me to see him back with the parent club at some point this week - especially if the Maple Leafs continue their offensive woes.

It was not only great to see him score, but have the goal count as the game winner in OT! This will hopefully be something he builds on now that he's finally busted the goose-egg.

As for the rest of the team, here's a few players that stood out (in one way or another):

[Greg Scott - Marcel Mueller] ... the other portion of Kadri's line, these two were very good tonight - Scott specifically. He showed great speed on the PK, and also was able to create a few scoring chances with his speed at even strength. While he didn't record any points, he did tally three shots on net. Mueller was a bull, and showed some really nice puck control all game. His goal was the first he's tallied since his injury, and like Kadri, hopefully it's something he builds on. He really played the cycle game well, and was able to control the tempo of  the game. 

[Mike Zigomanis - Ryan Hamilton] ... Sort of unsung heroes who get lost in the shuffle, I wouldn't be opposed to Zigomanis getting a shot with the parent club either. He's been an all-situation player with the Marlies and is just outside the top 10 in league scoring with 16 points in 15 games. Hamilton showed great power-forward ability today also. He drove to the net and created opportunities. His two goals spoke of his game. He actually scored on goal on his back! Which was pretty impressive to witness after a scramble in-front of Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid (who was awesome).

[Jussi Rynnas]... He made a few 'key' saves, including a beauty on Urbom point blank, but he wasn't tested all that much..which is unfortunate because his stats took another hit due to the Marlies dominance throughout the game. I thought he was much more composed in net then he usually is - he didn't do a ton of flopping around. The first two goals against were more a result of the poor defense in-front of him rather then his play. The first was a brutal turnover by Mikus that sent two Devil forwards in, and Bernier banged in the rebound after the Marlies defense (I believe it was Mikus) didn't tie him up in front. The second goal was off a redirection/scramble in-front and both Marlie defenders lost their man - allowing the Devils to bang home another rebound. The third goal was a shot from the point that appeared to be redirected infront, but Rynnas was also out of position on the far side...I thought he overplayed it a bit too much for a shot like that from the point where you know they are looking to get some traffic in-front of him. Had he been a bit more squared, he likely would have stopped it. But, at the end of the day he got the win, so that should count for something.

Marlies sit atop o the Western Division right now with 17 points...Keith Aulie returned from a rib injury and was a -2...Korbinian Holzer was sporting the 'A' on his jersey with Jeff Finger out of the lineup..Kenny Ryan got in his first AHL fight against former OHL'er Dan Kelly...Darryl Boyce, Luca Caputi, Joe Colborne, and Matt Lashoff are the key players who are still out with varrying degrees of injury (Lashoff being the worst of the bunch).

The Marlies are off until next Friday, when they take on the Rochester Americans. They'll have three games in three nights and may have some of their injured bodies back in the lineup.

Marlies vs. Devils game sheet HERE

Marlies vs. Lake Erie Monsters (October 16)

The Marlies wrapped up their three games in three nights weekend with an impressive 4-0 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters. Jerry D'Amigo (above) had a three point night. 

The Marlies now improve to 3-1 on the season.

The Marlies came away with two key wins this weekend after beating a injury plagued Lake Erie team in back-to-back nights. After a frustrating game against Grand Rapids, the Marlies bounced back very well in the physiciality department and it helped them secure four points.

The importance of winning against their division cannot be overlooked - and when it comes to a team like Lake Erie it's even more important to jump on those points early. The big difference seemed to be goaltending - Lake Erie just didn't have it.  Their starting net-minder Credrik Desjardins is injured for at least a few more weeks, but when he's healthy he could be a difference maker. So again, it's important to jump on these teams while they can. Would have been nice to see a clean sweep of three wins, but I'll take the points.

The Marlies next game is this coming Saturday, so there's a long break in between, but another key match-up vs. the Rochester Americans. The American's are 2-2 right now, and always seem to bring a good amount of physicality and veteran skill. Marlie will need to be equally as physical if they want to compete. The Marlies could have Jake Gardiner and Nazem Kadri in the lineup this coming weekend, which will add more speed and skill to the lineup.

As for Sunday's game..

[Joey Crabb - Joe Colborne - Jerry D'Amigo]...This line played very well!.....Crabb looks a real step above the rest of the competition out there. He's showing that he belongs in the NHL with his play over the weekend (and even vs. Binghampton). He's shown great puck skills, physicality, and a strong work-ethic. I wouldn't be shocked to see him called up before someone like Darrly Boyce or Mike Zigomanis if injuries arise - he's just played that well.....Colborne has been lighting it up so far this season, and although he slowed down a bit last night (lots of games in limited nights) he still picked up an assist and played well - just wasn't as much of a force as he has been in previous games.....D'Amigo had a great game last night and is starting to get back into the groove. He's keeping up fine with his line and his hard work is starting to pay off. He's not a gifted player, but has speed and smarts to get in the right spots. Picked up three-points, which hopefully will give him added confidence to score more. He also saw PK time, which was a nice bonus for him - he certainly has the speed to compete. People sort of toss him to the side after he didn't blow the doors off the AHL like fellow NCAA turned pro players Brandon Pirri and Kyle Palmieri, but let's not forget this guy is still only 20 years old - one of the youngest on the team. He deserves a fair shake, and still has potential to be a player (even if it's not for another 2-3 years from now).

[Marcel Mueller - Luca Caputi]...Two players of similar ilk, are starting to come around a bit. Mueller, after last season where he only had five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in his first 20 games, has almost already matched that with four points in his first four games. He's looking much more confident handling the puck and is really a threat in every game so far. The big thing for him will be sustaining his offensive/physical presence as it faded at points last year. At 23-years-old, and 6'4 .. he may take a little seasoning to flourish into an NHL player, but he's certainly displayed the necessary tools. Caputi is a player who's seen limited minutes in the first few games, but he also missed almost all of last season with injury. Eakins wants him at the level he was with Wilkes-Barre, but at this point he just needs to play. Scored a big goal the other night, and has looked better in every game. Thought he played very well on Sunday in a grinding/power-forward role even though he was with two ECHL players in Will Acton/Kyle Neuber. Created a few scoring chances by powering his way down low. Speed is an issue with him, but hopefully something that can be corrected over the year with more game conditioning. Again, he's another player who may need some seasoning because his style of play may not translate smoothly right away. The big difference in my eyes between these two players seems to be skating though..which at the end of the day may be the deal breaker in terms of getting a spot on an NHL club..

[Jeff Finger]...He scored a goal, which was nice to see and he seems like a really good guy, but his speed isn't even great for an AHL level. He gets burned in the defensive zone a lot off the rush, and it's going to lead to penalties against us. I wouldn't be benching players like Jesse Blacker in favour of him, that's for sure. At the same time, he did miss a ton of last season, so I'll cut him a break.

[Jussi Rynnas]...For a guy who hasn't had a ton of games due to injury, he looked really good. You certainly notice him in net due to his size, but what stands out vs. the other goalies is how atheltic he is. He's able to move so quickly in the net and made a terrific post-to-post pad save at one point last night. He didn't get tested a whole lot, and maybe was a bit too jumpy at certain points - but he did a good job challenging shooters and is aggressive. He really owns his crease, and is willing to push back if he needs to - has that 'bite' you see out of some of the more aggressive NHL goalies. Can't really complain about a shut-out - he stopped what he had to. He was extremely hot/cold last year (including a mind-blowing November), so it'll be interesting to see if he can sustain any momentum.

That's about it. I thought everyone played a rather solid two-games against Lake Erie. It's good to get off to a strong start and the Marlies have done that. Seems to be a good amount of competition right now for spots, but that can easily change when injuries/call-ups start coming through.

As per AM640 Marlie's reporter Kyle Cicerella, second-year forward Dale Mitchell is still a few weeks away as he recovers from off-season surgery (torn ACL). Once he's back, he should add more depth in the bottom-six.

Marlies vs. Monsters game sheet HERE

AM640's Kyle the Reporter's Recap HERE also!

Marlies vs. Grand Rapids Griffins (October 14th)

The Marlies made no roster changes after their victory over Binghampton

I didn't get to sit down and watch this game as closely as I would have liked, but I was still able to take down a few notes in what was a fairly boring game from the Marlies side. Boring meaning the Marlies really didn't get much going in the game. They had a hard time creating much on the breakout and the Griffins were jumping on every loose puck and closing gaps quickly. The Griffins this year are going to be an interesting team to watch as they have a lot of youth and are very, very fast. The Marlies didn't use their physical game well enough to counter the Griffins speed. They also have veteran net-minding with former Marlie Joey MacDonald which should keep them in most games. 

MacDonald did exactly that last night. While the Marlies didn't have their best game, they did have their fair share of quality chances. MacDonald was just there at every turn! The turning point in the game for me was when the Marlies couldn't cash in on a 5-on-3 for about half a minute. They had about 3-4 really strong scoring chances, but there MacDonald was with the save. Really frustrating to watch as a fan. 

The Marlies played a little too cute at the start of the game, but when they couldn't solve MacDonald they started to move the puck a little quicker on the net. The PP showed some really nice movement and solid passes, I don't predict this to be an area of concern this season. And the PK was again solid as the Marlies played very aggressive on the defenders and when the puck was shot down the ice. 

The Marlies ended up losing the game 3-2. They had some great pressure in the last two minutes of the game (sounded to me like they hit 2 posts during the final minutes of play), but the Griffins goaltending was just too strong. Colborne had scored late, but it was a little 'too' late. 

I'm not going to go line by line this game because each line played 'OK' at even strength (in my view) aside from the line of Kelsey Wilson - Kenny Ryan - Tyler Brennar. I'll talk about individual lines if they really stand out (for better or worse) to me, or if there are major shakeups in the lineup that require some attention. Never did anything like this in terms of game re-caps so it's a feeling out process for myself in terms of how I want to format these blogs.

Here's some stats from last night:

Goals (Assists):

Matt Lashoff (Jesse Blacker, Joe Colborne)

Joe Colborne (Mike Zigomanis, Korbinian Holzer)

Power Play went 0/4, but the Penalty Kill remained solid again going 4/4

[Kelsey Wilson - Kenny Ryan - Tyler Brennar]...The reason why this line stood out for me is because they were doing their job excellent last night. For me, Brennar has been a surprising physical presence. As free-agent college signing not playing at one of those 'name' schools I didn't have any expectations for him - but he's been a nice surprise even though he hasn't had a ton of minutes. Ryan has played his solid two-way game on the farm also. One of the youngest on the team, he hasn't recieved a ton of ice-time, but he's made the most of his shifts. Last night there were a lot of special teams action which limited his overall minutes (as well as being on the 4th line). Wilson has played a strong physical role and has even move up the lineup at points in the game because his ability to have that physical edge and actually contribute offensively is an interesting blend of skill set.

[Forward Youngsters: Joe Colborne, Jerry D'Amigo]...I really like his game so far, and if he can be consistent throughout the season he should be able to float around a PPG. He's a treat to watch on the PP as he seems to always make things happen. Looks very comfortable at this level and that's a good thing. D'Amigo isn't showing too much in the way of puck skills, but has good jump in his game and even saw a little bit of time on the PK last night. He's not in a scoring role, so I wouldn't expect big numbers from him early on. He may grow into a bigger role however as the season goes on.

[Forward Veterans: Mike Zigomanis, Joey Crabb]...Both of these players get a ton of ice-time and if they stay all season with the Marlies they'll be crucial to the teams success. Zigomanis is just a wizard on the draw and I can't explain how important he is to the club and his skill on the dot. Really allows the Marlies to control the flow of the game. Joey Crabb's skill level is evident and should be able to contribute offensively in a top-six role as well as playing a physical brand of hockey. Maybe playing a bit 'too cute' right now, but once he starts shooting he should be one of the team top producers. 

[Defensive Youngsters: Keith Aulie, Jesse Blacker, Korbinian Holzer, Juraj Mikus]...Aulie was quietly solid. Played physical, and jumped in offensively. He's starting to get his AHL mind frame back and may start contributing offensively if he continues to play this way. Like the Maple Leafs, the Marlies are encouraging their defense to jump into the rush and it's certainly been that way in the first two games. Jesse Blacker is still a bit green to the pro game, but fun to watch. Makes some lapses when handling the puck, but shows great promise with his size and speed. Holzer has been quietly solid, similar fashion to that of Aulie and shows maturity when he's on the ice. Juraj Mikus, to me, looks like he could have a breakout year. I've really liked his game so far and the guy can dangle! He has some nice hands and is showing increasing poise from the point. I hope he's able to stick in the top-six all year.

[Defensive Veterans: Jeff Finger]...Just didn't impress me this game. The second goal was hard to watch as he was out-hustled and then out-muscled to the puck in the final seconds of the period. Credit to him for the fight he had later in the game though - Mitch Callahan was doing a bit of running around (throwing big checks) and Finger's fight seemed to quiet him down.

[Goaltending: Ben Scrivens]...Scrivens actually played solid, he just wasn't on the same level of outstanding as MacDonald was - but that's OK. The first goal he didn't have much of a chance on as it was tipped in. The second goal was the result of a turnover by his defenseman and likely caught Scrivens off guard a bit. The third goal I actually missed, but my guess (based on how quickly it was scored) was a quick break off the puck drop. But he also came up big on a few odd-man rushes and scrambles infront of the net. That Gustav Nyquist kid did a good job running the show in the Marlies defensive end at points in the game.

***For those I haven't mentioned - make note that it doesn't mean they played poorly! I just didn't either see enough of them, or they didn't stand out enough for me to write anything worthwhile about them! The AHL Live feed from Grand Rapids was jumping around to weird angles at times which made it hard to follow the flow sometimes***

Marlies vs. Griffins game sheet HERE

Marlies vs. Binghampton Senators (October 8th)

This year I'm giong to try and give game recaps of as many Marlie games as I can. These are just a collection of thoughts based on my viewings.

 
First off, this game was pretty big. The Marlies facing off against the defending Calder Cup champions is a good test to start the year. Here was the Marlies line-up:

Caputi - Colborne - Crabb
Mueller - Zigomanis - Hamilton
D'Amigo - Boyce - Scott
Brenner - Ryan - Wilson

Aulie - Finger
Mikus - Holzer
Lashoff - Blacker

Scrivens

Rynnas

The Marlies went down 2-0 in the first period, but I felt they controlled most of the game. They hit a few posts in the first that could have easily swung the game in their favour sooner. Kaspar Daugavins opened the scoring by dancing through Jesse Blacker and going top cheese on Ben Scrivens. Blacker was walked through, but if you take a look at the play Luca Caputi plays it horribly. He does the effort to back check, but then just watches the play when he was right there to stick check or do SOMETHING to prevent Daugavins from going through Blacker. I guess he figured a rookie defender in his first shift could stop a seasoned AHL vet...

After the second goal, Scrivens shut the door. He was a wall coming up with some big saves when they needed it. He stopped at least three breakaways. Was very squared to the puck and didn't allow many rebounds. Great bounce back by him after going down 2-0. He stopped 23 of 25 shots. 

The team in general looked very strong. The cycle game was on display most of the night. The Marlies have a sizable forward group and it showed. It was great to see them come back from being down 2-0 (won the game 3-2). Good confidence builder!

[Joey Crabb - Joe Colborne - Luca Caputi]...Crabb looked like a seasoned AHL player in this game. Had good control of the puck, scored a nice goal. Should be a key veteran scorer if he sticks around long enough. Colborne looked great too. Offensively, he looked very confident. His goal was in classic power-forward fashion. He powered his way down the side boards from the blueline carrying the puck. Cowick (I believe it was) bounced off him with an attempted hit and then followed it up with an attempted stick check that Colborne powered through. He then cut to the hash marks to rip it past McKenna upstairs. Great first game for him..good to build on and hit the crossbar later in the game. Caputi wasn't anything special, but he was injured most of last season so he'll need some time to get back into things here.

[Marcel Mueller - Mike Zigomanis - Ryan Hamilton]...Mueller was one of the Marlies best forwards in my eyes, if not the best. He was throwing his weight around and really controlling the flow of the game. Took hits and threw a few himself. His massive size allowed him to sheild the puck and he had a few opportunities to score. He finished with 1 assist and it was off a nice pass to Crabb. If he can bring that game consistently, he'll float around a PPG in my opinion. Zigomanis was his regular self, and like Crabb will play tough minutes for the Marlies. Hamilton is in the same boat. Strong on the boards, created offense. Probably the teams best line this game. 

[Jerry D'Amigo - Darryl Boyce - Greg Scott]...This line played OK too. Boyce was the best player, he jumped on a lot of pucks and was relied heavily on the PK. D'Amigo showed good speed and a willingness to play physically. Didn't see any special teams action, which limited his overall minutes. He drew a penalty by using his quick feet. Scott took a few hard hits, didn't look too great, but I expect him to get better as the season gets going.

[Kelsey Wilson - Kenny Ryan - Tyler Brennar]...Played their role perfectly. They created some good problems down low in the offensive zone and generated a few quality scoring chances. Brennar specifically was really playing well. Kept his feet moving all night and was throwing his body around. He's not without skill either. Kenny Ryan had a good showing in his first game too. Kept up with the pace and played a safe chip/chase game. Had some opportunities to pot his first goal too. Wilson showed some good offensive ability and saw a little power-play time in the second-half of the game. Will provide the Marlies with a power-forward game.

[Keith Aulie - Jeff Finger]...Thought they played quiet, which is good news. Both were smart in their physical play. Finger looked a step behind, although he missed a good chunk of the year. Aulie played physical and had a few nice hits. Good transition game also.

[Juraj Mikus - Korbinian Holzer]...Mikus was the best defender in my opinion - at least offensively. He showed some nifty offensive ability with pulling a few poised dekes. Saw a lot of ice-time in all situations. His assist on Boyce's goal was a nice heads up play to get it over to him. A number of players would have just shot it on net in a scramble like that - but he showed offensive smarts in deep. Holzer had a quiet game - which is good for him. Had a few turnovers, but nothing serious. 

[Matt Lashoff - Jesse Blacker]...Lashoff saw a lot of ice-time in a variety of different situations. Nothing to much in the way of standing out, he was good overall. Blacker showed off his great skating ability and was used in a quarter-back role at points on the secondary power-play unit. Fell hard in the end-boards and looked seriously injured, but came back later in the game. His speed allowed him to recover quickly, but he was burned a few times on the defensive side of things - strong debut though, he bounced back really well after getting dangled on the first goal. 

[Special Teams]...Here's what I had written down for lines on the PK and PP units:

PK 1: Ryan Hamilton - Mike Zigomanis - Korbinian Holzer - Juraj Mikus

PK 2: Darryl Boyce - Greg Scott - Jeff Finger - Matt Lashoff

Joey Crabb also rotated into the PK taking Greg Scott's spot.

PP 1: Marcel Mueller - Mike Zigomanis - Joey Crabb - Joe Colborne - Matt Lashoff

PP 2: Greg Scott - Darryl Boyce - Ryan Hamilton - Juraj Mikus - Jesse Blacker

Kelsey Wilson also rotated in for Ryan Hamilton and played infront of the net most of the PP.

They had Mike Zigomanis also rotate to the point at times during the power play. Colborne took the spot of a right-defender and did a lot of end-to-end rushing with the pucks. Played the role of the quarter-back at times. The Marlies would push four players deep and have one defender hang back on their PP.

[Notes]...Eakins seemed to roll four lines most of the game...Seemed like Blacker, D’Amigo, Ryan, and Brennar were the ones with the least amount of ice time.... Which isn’t a big surprise given there among the youngest players on the team...There were also 22 minutes devoted to special teams which kept the youngsters out of the loop for the most part...Marlies went 2/7 on the PP (28%) and went 4/4 on the PK (kept everything to the outside and let Scrivens see a lot of shots)...

The Marlies have a huge weekend with three games in three nights. If they can steal two wins against the Lake Erie Monsters, it would be a really good start to the season.

Nazem Kadri may see action with the Marlies this weekend as he progresses from injury, but nothing is set in stone yet. Jamie Devane was sent back to Plymouth for his over-age season. It seems he fell victim to a numbers game with the Marlies forward depth.

Marlies vs. Senators game sheet HERE!

Check out the Marlies Weekly Release HERE!

Marlies potential depth chart

Now that some of the final cuts have been made, here is a look at the potential depth chart for the Marlies.. it will likely always be in flux:

Ryan Hamilton (V) - Mike Zigomanis (V) - Joey Crabb (V)

Luca Caputi - Joe Colborne - Marcel Mueller

Jerry D'Amigo - Darryl Boyce - Greg Scott

Jamie Devane - Kenny Ryan - Tyler Brennar

Extra: Kelsey Wilson (V), Kyle Neuber, Brayden Irwin, Dale Mitchell, Will Acton, Matt Caruana

Matt Lashoff (V) - Keith Aulie

Jesse Blacker - Korbinian Holzer

Juraj Mikus - Simon Gysbers

Extra: Jeff Finger (V), Josh Engel

Ben Scrivens

Jussi Rynnas

Extra: Mark Owuya

My guess is Will Acton, and Matt Caruana start the season in the ECHL and are re-called as injuries arise. Potentially the same could happen with Brayden Irwin. I think Kyle Neuber sticks around for the enforcer role - just signed with the Marlies. Mark Owuya is likely destined for the ECHL at some point also.

Players with a (V) next to their name, by my calculations, are players who qualify for the veteran rule. In the AHL, since it's a developmental league, you are restricted to the amount of veterans you can ice in one game. I believe to qualify as a veteran it's 260 pro games (AHL, NHL, European leagues .. etc) and can only play 4 or 5 a game.

Reading Royals (ECHL) who were at camp with the Marlies:

D - Dennis Urban

D - Ray Macias

D - Dave Cowan

F - Chad Painchaud

Boyce, Aulie among final Maple Leaf cuts

Some were surprised, but for this Maple Leaf fan these moves were expected.

Today, the Maple Leafs made their final cuts to their roster. They sent down Keith Aulie, Darryl Boyce, Joey Crabb, Matt Lashoff and Mike Zigomanis. Boyce, Crabb and Lashoff will have to pass through waivers first in order to play with the Marlies.

In the summer I had made mention in one of my Hockey's Future articles (Maple Leafs Top 20) that Aulie wasn't a safe bet because of the added depth to the Maple Leafs line-up and the fact that Komisarek has a NMC which prevents him from being waived unless he gives it the thumbs up:

"With the additions of John-Michael Liles, Cody Franson, and big ticket defenseman Mike Komisarek still in the fold; Aulie will be in tough to win a position with the club out of camp. He's still exempt from waivers, which could play a factor at the start of the season."

Some thought I was crazy to suggest it, but now it's come to fruition and it was pretty obvious from the start. There were just too many factors playing against him.

For one, the added depth. Aulie wasn't going to beat out Luke Schenn or Dion Phaneuf for a spot on the team. Komisarek's NMC all but assured he would be on the 23 man roster, unless some team wanted him in trade - and at this point, not likely. So there's three spots wrapped up.

Then, the Maple Leafs added John-Michael Liles to be their 'puck-mover' and Cody Franson who was expected to anchor the secondary power-play unit. The fact the Maple Leafs had so little scoring from their defense last year gives these players the edge in my view. They need to improve special teams, and Liles/Franson can do that. Aulie could potentially improve the PK, but I think the thought process might have been that adding Lombardi, Dupuis and a full season of Reimer will work itself out - or at least make the PK respectable.

Jake Gardiner's lights out performance didn't help Aulie either. The original plan had seemed that they were going to let Gardiner grow on the farm while Liles sort of played placeholder for the season. They really couldn't justfiy cutting Gardiner and keeping Aulie based on how both players performed. Gardiner just wasn't the best Maple Leaf defender, some games he was the best defender on the ice. Both players being waiver exempt made Aulie the obvious target for demotion without threat.

So, with all these factors playing against him, Aulie was the odd man out...but I wouldn't count him out for long. You get the feeling the Maple Leafs are going to shake up their defense one way or another. Not only do they have 7 NHL defenders on the roster (arguably), but the depth on the farm is there to play a variety of bottom-four defensive roles. Who they'll acquire? I don't know...I'll save that for another blog.

The best thing would be to move Komisarek to someone...anyone! But like I've stated in my previous blog here it's not so simple. For now, Aulie will have to bide his time on the Marlies and hopes another players hiccup will open the door for another shot at cementing himself in the top-six.

As for the other players, the only one I'm mildly surprised with is Darryl Boyce just because I got the vibe that Ron Wilson really liked him. I did feel Philippe Dupuis had outplayed him though for that 4th line spot. Dupuis impressed me in a 4th line role from day one. I would have liked to keep both, but I knew when Rosehill signed that one-year deal in the summer he was likely to stick around. Seems rather silly to keep both Colton Orr and Jay Rosehill in the lineup, but I imagine they want Rosehill around for insurance purposes in-case Orr gets dropped again. I actually think Rosehill can be useful in a 12/13th forward role.

Maybe it's a stretch with the names on the waiver wire, but I wouldn't be shocked if some team saw value in Boyce. I think if someone like Tim Brent could find a contract, Boyce may prove useful to some team - similar to Nick Johnson being picked up by Minnesota off the wire last week. But at the same time, everyone is trying to cut rosters down so maybe he sneaks through.

My next blog will focus on the Marlies depth now that the cuts have been made.

Preseason Game #6 @ Ottawa

The Maple Leafs are back at it after a bit of a break. They will travel to Ottawa to play the Senators in their final preseason match up.

It's crunch time as the roster has been reduced to 29 players. With the Maple Leafs still needing to trim the roster by six, the interesting choices will be what happens with Jake Gardiner, Matt Frattin and Nazem Kadri who have all had varying degrees of success this preseason.

Kadri and Frattin bring very different games and are competing for the same spot on LW. Judging by the lines in practice over the weeks, it seems the coaches are giving Kadri every opportunity to show what he can do. Tonight he'll be on a line with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul so there should be plenty of opportunity to contribute offensively. 

There's also questions swirling around the play of Keith Aulie, who had a strong showing last season, but has failed to make a big enough impact in preseason. With the ability to send him down to the AHL without passing through waivers, it won't be a surprise to see him start there.

These next three preseason games will be more telling then any about these rookies. They'll see more NHL ready lineups and how they handle those match-ups may determine their fate to start the season. The next likely cuts are Joey Crabb, Matt Lashoff and Ben Scrivens... after that it seems like it's between Aulie, Gardiner, Frattin and Kadri - and that's where things get difficult.

Here are the projected lineups for tonight:

Ottawa

Colin Greening - Jason Spezza - Nikita Filatov

Nick Foligno - Peter Regin -  Eric Condra

Mike Hoffman - Mika Zibanejad - Bobby Butler

Kaspar Daugavins - Zack Smith - Chris Neil

Sergei Gonchar - Mark Borowiecki

Jared Cowen - Erik Karlsson

David Rundblad - Brian Lee

Robin Lehner

Mike McKenna

Toronto

Joffrey Lupul - Nazem Kadri - Phil Kessel

Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Clarke MacArthur

Matt Frattin - Daryl Boyce - Colby Armstrong

Jay Rosehill - Philippe Dupuis - Colton Orr

Joey Crabb

Carl Gunnarsson - Dion Phaneuf

John Michael Liles - Luke Schenn

Keith Aulie - Cody Franson

James Reimer

Ben Scrivens

Notes:

...Reimer is expected to play the entire game....as is Robin Lehner....Tim Connolly and Tyler Bozak remain out of the lineup due to minor injuries...Mike Brown and Matt Lombardi have had full practices with the team, both are likely to start on the 4th line when the return with Lombardi likely moving up as he adjusts....Scratches include Mike Komisarek, Jake Gardiner, Matt Lashoff and one of Colton Orr/Joey Crabb....Puck drops at 7:30pm on Leafs TV. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....

Maple Leafs Training Camp Cuts (Round 2)

 

The following are the roster cuts made to the Maple Leafs...(W = has to pass through waivers)

 

Heading to junior:

 

Greg McKegg (OHL - Erie)

 

Heading to the Toronto Marlies...

 

(W) Luca Caputi

Joe Colborne

Jerry D'Amigo

 Richard Greenop (Injured)

(W) Ryan Hamilton

Dale Mitchell

Marcel Mueller

Kenny Ryan

Greg Scott

(W) Mike Zigomanis

-

Jesse Blacker

 (W) Jeff Finger

Simon Gysbers

Korbinian Holzer

Juraj Mikus

 -

Mark Owuya

Jussi Rynnas

 

 

 The Toronto Marlies also signed forward Brayden Irwin to an AHL contract. He played for the Marlies last season on an NHL deal, and had 15 points in 45 games (was injured most of the season).

 

Enforcer Richard Greenop is still battling concussion issues from last season, and could be on the shelf this season. If he does play, he's likely destined for ECHL duty. 

Maple Leafs need to make 6 more cuts before opening night.

 

There are 29 players left at camp with the Maple Leafs 

Preseason Game #5 @ Buffalo

The Maple Leafs wrap-up their back-to-back meetings against Buffalo tonight, and will be happy to know they don't face them again until December.

Ryan Miller was a wall in net, and Reimer did his best to match the effort at the other end of the rink. Even though Reimer is winless in the preseason, he's played very well.

Gustavsson looks like he'll have the opportunity to show what he can do over the full 60-minutes tonight in Buffalo. It will be a big test for him as he looks to solidify a position with the Maple Leafs.

'The Gardiner Express' (Jake Gardiner) was in full tilt last night in one of Gardiners best games this preseason. Keith Aulie, on the other hand, needs to raise his level of play. He's been a bit slow out of the gate and being waiver exempt could see him start the year with the Marlies. It's not that he's been bad, it's just the competition is making him look worse.

Nazem Kadri was also on his game, and continues to establish himself in the 3rd line LW spot. Frattin had some chances, and while his game play has been safe, he needs to turn it up a gear to establish himself more on the ice.

Buffalo is icing a competitive lineup once again as they are expected to be the team to beat in the North East Division. Luckily for the Maple Leafs they won't be shooting against Miller again, as Enroth takes his spot between the pipes.

Excited to watch former Windsor Spitfire Zack Kassian tonight. As I understand it, he hasn't had the best camp, but this kid is a treat to watch when he's on his game.

Buffalo 

Tyler Ennis - Ville Leino - Drew Stafford
Thomas Vanek- Brad Boyes- Cody McCormick
Nathan Gerbe - Paul Gaustad - Patrick Kaleta
Markus Foligno - Luke Adam - Zack Kassian

Robyn Regehr - Tyler Myers
Jordan Leopold - Christian Ehrhoff
 Andrej Sekera - Brayden McNabb

Jonas Enroth

Drew MacIntyre
 

Toronto

Joffrey Lupul - Joe Colborne - Phil Kessel

Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Matt Frattin

Nazem Kadri - Daryl Boyce - Colby Armstrong

Jay Rosehill - Phillipe Dupuis - Kenny Ryan

Keith Aulie - Luke Schenn

Jake Gardiner - Matt Lashoff

Juraj Mikus - Mike Komisarek

Jonas Gustavsson

Mark Owuya

Notes:

...Gustavsson is expected to play the entire game.....Tim Connolly is sitting for the game in Buffalo.....Tyler Bozak is still a little banged up, but should be good to go in the next exhibition....Kenny Ryan gets another shot...Mike Brown skated today with the team after suffering a groin injury earlier in camp, but he left practice early....Round 2 of cuts are expected this weekend....Puck drops at 7:00pm on CBC. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....

Preseason Game #4 vs. Buffalo

The Maple Leafs bounced back from a 4-0 loss to win 4-2 in Philly. They'll be in tough tonight as both squads ice lineups that will feature many veterans.

 

What I'll be watching for tonight is Matt Frattin and Nazem Kadri lining up together. It'll give the coaching staff, and fans a good chance to see what each one can contribute to the line. And I think it's important for both to come out flying, it could be one of those games that puts one ahead of the other in an effort to win the open third-line left-wing spot.

Frattin has started to come on stronger as of last game, but as of now the edge has to go to Kadri. Even though Frattin's scored twice, it's hard to argue that Kadri hasn't been the more impressive forward in creating chances and physical play. There are still a number of games left and it may come down to the wire for that position.

Buffalo 

Thomas Vanek - Derek Roy - Jason Pominville
Nathan Gerbe - Paul Gaustad - Patrick Kaleta
Colin Stuart - Cody McCormick - Brad Boyes
Michael Ryan - Matt Ellis - Corey Tropp

Jordan Leopold - Christian Ehrhoff
Brayden McNabb - Mike Weber
Marc-Andre Gragnani - T.J. Brennan

Ryan Miller
Drew MacIntyre
 

Toronto

Joffrey Lupul - Tim Connolly - Phil Kessel

Nikolai Kulemin - Mikhail Grabovski - Clarke MacArthur

Nazem Kadri - Daryl Boyce - Matt Frattin

Joey Crabb - Mike Zigomanis - Colton Orr

Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie

Carl Gunnarsson - John Micheal Liles

Jake Gardiner - Cody Franson

James Reimer

Ben Scrivens

Notes:

...Reimer is expected to play the entire game.....Bozak was initially slotted into the line-up, but was taken out due to some minor training camp type injuries, Mike Zigomanis takes his place, and Boyce moves up to line 3....Coach Wilson stated that he's icing a 'younger' lineup tomorrow night in Buffalo...Jay Rosehill, Luke Schenn, and Mike Komisarek are the scratches tonight....Puck drops at 7:00pm on Leafs TV, and I'm sure you'll be able to catch a live-stream somewhere. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....

Maple Leaf Training Camp Cuts (Round 1)

The following are the roster cuts made to the Maple Leafs (** = those without AHL/NHL contracts)

Heading to junior:

David Broll (OHL - Sault. Ste. Marie)

Sam Carrick (OHL - Brampton)

Andrew Crescenzi (OHL - Kitchener)

**Mitchell Heard (OHL - Plymouth)

Joshua Levio (OHL - Sudbury)

Josh Nicholls (WHL - Saskatoon)

Sondre Olden (OHL - Erie)

Brad Ross (WHL - Portland)

 -

Stuart Percy (OHL - Missisauga)

**Garrett Clarke (QMJHL - Halifax)

**Mike Schwindt (OHL - Niagara)

**Matt Stanisz (OHL - Owen Sound)

-

Garrett Sparks (OHL - Guelph)

Heading to the Toronto Marlies...

Will Acton

Tyler Brennar

Matt Caruana

Jamie Devane

**Brayden Iwin

Kelsey Wilson

**Kyle Neuber

-

Dave Cowan

Josh Engel

Dennis Urban

There are 47 players left at camp with the Maple Leafs

Preseason Game #3 @ Philadelphia

Maple Leaf fans were planning the parade after game 1, but quickly came back to earth after a sloppy second game. The Maple Leafs travel to Philly for round 2.

There weren't many 'good' things last night, but one player who stood out for me was Nazem Kadri. He played strong, and tried to make a few things happen. Also showed some physical play, which is nice to see.

I actually thought Komisarek didn't play that bad. But to determine if he fits in the lineup won't be known until later in the preseason after a few sets of cuts. 

Tonight, I'm excited to see how Frattin bounces back from a 'meh' first game. He should be given a better opportunity to produce on a 'projected' line with Bozak and Armstrong. 

It'll be nice to see Greg McKegg and Jerry D'Amigo hit the ice also. Both players need to prove themselves after going through peaks and valleys at points last season. McKegg is returning to junior unless something drastic happens, and D'Amgio is poised to take a spot in the top-nine with the Toronto Marlies.

On the defense, I'm intrigued to see what Korbinain Holzer can bring. I think he's at least another year away, but he's primed to take a bottom-pairing position in the near future - if he continues to develop. Juraj Mikus has fallen a bit on the depth chart, and may be another two-years away if anything but he has some intriguing offensive ability.

Confirmed names, unconfirmed line-up combination's...

Philadelphia

Andreas Nodl - Danny Briere -Jakub Voracek

Matt Read - Brayden Schenn - Max Talbot

Tomas Hyka - Claude Giroux - Scott Hartnell

Ben Holmstrom - Blair Betts - Jody Shelly

Kimmo Timonen - Erik Gustafsson

Brayden Coburn - Oscar Bartulis

Kevin Marshall - Andrej Meszaros

Ilya Bryzgalov

Jason Bacashihua

Toronto

Matt Frattin - Tyler Bozak - Colby Armstrong

Nikolai Kulemin - Joe Colborne - Greg McKegg

Luca Caputi - Daryl Boyce - Jerry D'Amigo

Ryan Hamilton - Philippe Dupuis - Jay Rosehill

Luke Schenn - Jake Gardiner

Carl Gunnarsson - Mike Komisarek

Juraj Mikus - Korbinian Holzer

Ben Scrivens

Jonas Gustavsson

Notes:

... Gustavsson and Scrivens expected to split the game.....Colborne playing his third game in three nights.....Colton Orr, Cody Franson, Keith Aulie are the healthy scratches.....Puck drops at 7:00pm on Rogers Sportsnet, and I'm sure you'll be able to catch a live-stream somewhere. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....

Preseason Game #2 vs. Philadelphia

It's a battle of brothers tonight against Philadelphia. Brayden Schenn and newly signed Blake Kessel will square off against their older brothers Luke and Phil.

I'm really interested in seeing this lineup tonight, probably more so then yesterday's because they are icing a few more question marks tonight. My darkhorses to make a push for the LW spot in Luca Caputi and Marcel Mueller will get their chance and I'm hoping both have strong games. Greg Scott is another player who has put in his time with the Marlies the last few seasons and could be in the mix for a 4th line position. He's likely Marlie bound, but could see a call-up this season. Joe Colborne should be a bit more engaged this time as his timing comes back. I thought he looked a step behind last night in terms of timing, so I expect that to fix itself as the preseason continues on.

On the defensive side of things, there are tons of players looking to compete for spots. I'm specifially interested in Simon Gysbers and Jesse Blacker. Gysbers had a very productive season with the Marlies, but I want to see how he handles NHL competition. He has darkhorse potential to push for a roster spot in the coming year. I expect Blacker to have a similar 'wow' factor that Gardiner did - although Blacker will have the less experienced/talented defensive group to work with.

There are a handful of Flyers I'm interested in seeing also, so it should be a really fun game! Lots of youth on both sides.

Confirmed names, unconfirmed line-up combination's...

Philadelphia

James Van Reimsdyk - Brayden Schenn - Wayne Simmonds

Harry Zolnierczyk - Sean Couturier - Mark Testwuide

Matt Read - Michael Nylander - Eric Wellwood

Tom Sestito - Ben Holmstrom - Zac Rinaldo

Matt Carle - Oscar Bartulis

Erik Gustafsson- Matt Walker

Oliver Lauridesen - Blake Kessel

Michael Leighton

Sergei Bobrovski

Toronto

Joffrey Lupul - Tim Connolly - Phil Kessel

Clarke MacArthur - Joe Colborne - Marcel Mueller

Nazem Kadri - Daryl Boyce - Luca Caputi

Greg Scott - Mike Zigomanis - Colton Orr

Cody Franson - Mike Komisarek

Jeff Finger - Luke Schenn

Simon Gysbers - Jesse Blacker

James Reimer

 Mark Owuya

Notes:

... Reimer is expected to play the entire game.....MacArthur, Colborne and Kadri draw back into the lineup for their second game in two nights.....Dion Phaneuf and Jay Rosehill are healthy scratches Finger will look to rebound after an injury filled season last year..Ditto for Caputi.... Puck drops at 7:00pm on Leafs TV, and I'm sure you'll be able to catch a live-stream somewhere. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....the roster will be trimmed to 40 on Wednesday expect all junior players and tryouts to be returned to their teams....

Preseason Game #1 vs. Ottawa

Here we go! I love exhibition games! I like to see the mixing and the matching of players to see where the fit. I love giving the youngsters a chance to prove themselves and see how the react in certain situations. Tonight, the Maple Leafs take on the provincial rival Ottawa Senators. I'm really starting to respect the talent in the Senators system and I'm interested in seeing how they fair tonight.

I'm going to update this as the line combination's come in, but from what I'm hearing Ottawa is dressing their 'tough guys'. So I'm excited to see how the Maple Leafs react to that.

I'm expecting the line of Nazem Kadri - Tyler Bozak - Colby Armstrong to be one of the line combination's tonight. Kadri needs a good camp as he's fighting for that left-wing spot. I'm actually in the minority that believe Luca Caputi and Marcel Mueller could give a good run for that LW spot. They may not make it at the end of the day, but I believe there to be more competition then just Frattin, Colborne and Kadri for that spot.

Confirmed names, unconfirmed line-up combination's...

Ottawa Senators:

Nikita Filatov - Peter Regin - Bobby Butler

Milan Michalek - Mika Zibanejad - Mark Stone

 Colin Greening - Zach Smith - Chris Neil

Mike Hoffman - Zenon Kenopka - Francis Lessard
(Mark Parrish, Stephane Da Costa, Nick Foligno)

Erik Karlsson - Filip Kuba

Patrick Weincroch - Tim Conboy

David Rundblad - Jared Cowen

(Mark Borowiecki, Eric Gryba)

Alex Auld (1/2)

Robin Lehner (1/2)
(Craig Andersson)

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin

Nazem Kadri - Tyler Bozak - Colby Armstrong

Joey Crabb - Joe Colbone - Matt Frattin

Kenny Ryan - Philippe Dupuis - Jay Rosehill
(Colton Orr)

Dion Phaneuf - Keith Aulie

Jean Michael Liles - Jake Gardiner
Carl Gunnarsson - Matt Lashoff
(Cody Franson, Mike Komisarek)

Jonas Gustavsson (1/2)

Ben Scrivens (1/2)

Notes:

... goalies Jonas Gustavsson and Ben Scrivens will split duties tonight. I'm not a fan of 'splitting' games, and I hope it doesn't continue in pre-season. I'd like to see them get full games in. Having them ease into game action isn't a bad idea either .. lots of pre-season games to be had....Expect the Grabovski and Bozak line to be in tact for the game. Those have been rumoured combos for a little while. Colborne's line seems like a likely one potentially for the Marlies, could be together tonight.....Cody Franson and Mike Komisarek aren't skating this morning, so assumptions are they will be scratched also....21 players listed on the Maple Leafs game-sheet, which means 3 will be scratched by game-time....Kenny Ryan makes his debut tonight on the 4th line. Ryan had a very strong rookie-tournament. He's pushing for a position with the Marlies....Puck drops at 7:00pm on Leafs TV, and I'm sure you'll be able to catch a live-stream somewhere. Check out the game thread at Hockey's Future - Toronto Maple Leafs Forum to find live-streams of the game....Here's the list of those at Maple Leafs Training Camp List....Lineup for both squads:  Leafs vs. Sens

On a bit of a side note, just want to touch on the Luke Schenn deal. He signed for 5 years and at a cap hit of $3.5 million. How can you not like this deal? It takes him to free-agency, sure, but I'm not worried about that. The hope is Schenn can keep rounding into a stronger two-way defender, but he'll always be defensive minded. I'm very happy to be watching him the next 5 seasons at that price.. extremely manageable.

Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament - Game 1

I think it's sort of unfair to judge kids based on the first game of the rookie tournament, but I'm going to do it anyways.

This review is based off my television viewing of the game. I find live viewings to give you more insight on the developing play, but I was unable to attend the tournament this season so I'm stuck watching it on t.v.

For the most part I felt the game was pretty choppy. Tons of passes were in the feet or missing players entirely. Shots were being fanned on and so were the passes - not things you would usally see in regular season games.

It's expected though. Many of these players are shaking the rust from a long off-season, and the players who had the opportunity to compete in the Memorial Cup (i.e. Jesse Blacker) had a bit more jump in their games due to a shorter off-season.

As for the first game, there were a few standouts. Below are just a few thoughts from last nights 4-2 Maple Leafs victory over the Chicago Blackhawks:

Kenny Ryan: One player I think needs to have a good tournmanet, had a great start. Great speed, good hustle, smart two-way play. A nice goal, although a bit weak on the goalies end.

Jake Gardiner: As expected, his speed really showed. He had a bit of a rough game, but as the game wore on he started to round into form. Great finish with 2 goals.

Jesse Blacker: Punishing players all night, Blacker was arguably the best player on the ice. A few 'too cute' moments where he could have burried the puck, but overall a very strong game at both ends of the ice.

Matt Frattin: Wasn't all that impressive away from the puck, but when he had it. he owned it. I expect his game to get better as the tournament moves along.

Sondre Olden: He's got great natural ability and was making things happen. Singing the same tune as last seaosn, he needs to add bulk. Should be an interesting season for him in Erie.

Mark Owuya: Strong first game. Not tested too much from what I remember, but he stopped what he had to.

Jamie Devane: Great use of size and a nice muckers goal. I don't think this kid is going back to the OHL, he just seems better suited for a pro game.

Stuart Percy: Looked a bit rusty, and his low-key style of game isn't suited for the crazy, disorganized style of the rookie-tournament. Should get better as the games go on. 

A few players started out well, but seemed to fade a bit were Garrett Clarke, Matt Stanisz, and Brad Ross. The other players I don't have much to comment on as they didn't catch me eye enough. I think Greg McKegg in particular needs to up his game a bit.

As it was the first game, I wasn't really looking at anyone in particular. In games like this, I like to see the players make their own impression on me, then me having to look out for a Jake Gardiner or a Jesse Blacker and expect results.

Game goes again tonight against the veteran Pittsburgh Penguin rookies at 7:00pm. The Maple Leafs had many of their veteran players sitting out last night (Cowan, Brennar, Urban, Neuber) so expect them to rotate in for some of the free-agent invites.

Catch the 30 minute tape delay at MapleLeafs.com and http://ourleafs.blogspot.com/ had a live stream going last night which, I'm guessing, will be up again tonight.

Maple Leafs Rookie Tournament!

The Maple Leafs rookie tournament kicks off on Saturday. The Maple Leaf rookies will be battling Pittsburgh’s, Ottawa’s and Chicago’s rookie teams.

Here’s how the competition breaks down (bolded are player who played 10+ games in the ECHL/):

Ottawa:

Lehner, Robin

Machovsky, Matej

Borowiecki, Mark

Cowen, Jared
Fransoo, Jordan
Godfrey, Josh
Gryba, Eric
Rundblad, David
Wiercioch, Patrick

Caporusso, Louie
Cowick, Corey
Culek, Jakub
Da Costa, Stephane
Grant, Derek

Hamilton, Wacey
Kramer, Darren
Noesen, Stefan
Pageau, Jean-Gabriel
Petersson, Andre
Prince, Shane
Puempel, Matt
Stone, Mark
Zibanejad, Mika

Looking at the list, you can’t help, but be impressed by Ottawa’s list of prospects. They have a strong mix of veterans who were apart of the Calder Cup Champion Binghamton Senators, and a great influx of youth that they just added this past summer.

Pittsburgh:

Killeen, Patrick
Lagace, Maxime

Bortuzzo, Robert
Despres, Simon
Grant, Alex
Harrington, Scott
McNeill, Reid
Morrow, Joseph
Rogalski, Joe
Samuelsson, Philip
Sneep, Carl
Strait, Brian

Astles, Jessey
DeFazio, Brandon
Fournier, Stefan
Gibbons, Brian
Kuhnhackl, Tom
Petersen, Nick

Sill, Zach

Street, Ben
Tangradi, Eric
Tarasov, Daniil
Thompson, Paul
Uher, Dominik
Veilleux, Keven
Watters, Ian

Pittsburgh always seems to bring a veteran team with a lot of players who have played many AHL games and some NHL games. So the competition should be tough against them as they tend to bring a more relaxed and composed game.

Chicago:

Carruth, Mac
Matisson, Jonah

Panis-Pepin, Simon
Lalonde, Shawn

Lavin, Joe
Manning, Neil
Olsen, Dylan

Stanton, Ryan
Youds, Ben

Danault, Phillip
Didomenico, Christopher
Flick, Rob
Froese, Byron
Gilbert, David
Hayes, Jimmy
LeBlanc, Peter

McNeill, Mark
Morin, Jeremy

Paradis, Philippe
Rensfeldt, Ludvig
Saad, Brandon
Shaw, Andrew
Zanette, Paul

Another team with its fair share of veterans, the Blackhawks may prove to be one of the temas that stack up best against the Maple Leafs roster. They have no stars in net, although their strength on the back-end may make up for it.

There is no doubt the Maple Leafs will have their work cut out for them this weekend. The competition is stiff, but it’s also a good chance to see the cream rise to the top. It’s also important for a few players looking for contracts to make a good first impression on their season. The likes of Sam Carrick, Brad Ross, and Josh Nicholls from the 2010 draft will look to earn their entry-level deals and it all starts here.

Players to keep an eye on should be those looking for contracts, but also the likes of:

Jerry D’Amigo:  needs a good start after a shaky season last year.

Mark Owuya: looking to challenge for a spot with the Marlies.

Greg McKegg: one of the more talented forwards in the Maple Leafs system will look to be the go-to player this tournament.

Kenny Ryan: like Owuya, looking to make a strong impression on Maple Leafs brass for a position with the Marlies.

There are the obvious names Matt Frattin and Sondre Olden, aswell as a number of UFA invites.

It all gets underway tonight at 7:00pm on Rogers. The games are also being streamed on a 30 minute delay on mapleleafs.com.

Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Q/A with Dave Morrison, Rick Dudley and Dave Poulin

Getting back into the swing of hockey after a bit of a vacation period, I wanted to pump the tires of the website Maple Leafs Hot Stove.

This website has been a great resource for independent articles on all things Maple Leaf related! A little while back they had done interviews with Director of Amateur Scouting for the Toronto Maple Leafs Dave Morrison , Assistant General Manager Dave Poulin, and newly hired (former General Manager) Rick Dudley.

Here are a few excerpts from these interviews:

Dave Morrison Interview: 

James Reimer really burst onto the NHL scene with a fantastic stretch of games as a rookie, but seemed to struggle a little bit toward the end there. Is conditioning one of those things James needs to work on in order to solidify himself as a true number one goaltender?

Morrison – You’re right Alex, this was his first real extended stretch of games at the NHL level and that was a big challenge. He certainly proved himself at the AHL level, but the workload he shouldered there at the end… any goalie would start to feel the effects of that. That part of James’ game and the process of him learning how to be THE guy are going to come with experience and maturity. He understands what he needs to do. The management staff as well… they’re going to work with James as well to know when he’s okay to play and when he may need a night off here and there.

Dave Poulin interview:

Looking at the goaltending as constructed at this time last year, James Reimer wasn’t a player who many thought of as a long-term solution. I suppose he’s proof that any player can be looked at as a long-term piece of the puzzle, regardless of their place on the depth chart.

Poulin -- You have to look at every player long-term. If we look at last year, through the course of the year, the pieces we were able to add through through the draft, through trades, through free agent signings, we ‘re a much deeper, much better organization.  Now, that has to translate into success on the ice short term as well, but I think from a positional standpoint the depth we’ve created and the prospect list we’ve created, and the team we’ve created are all better than they were a year ago at this time.

Rick Dudley interview:

We often hear players comment on having to adjust to the level of attention and scrutiny that comes with a market such as Toronto. Does the same hold true for management also?

Dudley -- Certainly there’s a little more scrutiny in a city like Toronto, more media coverage. Fortunately for me, I’m a little ways down the totem pole so I’m not as subject to it. That’s really Brian [Burke]‘s baby. But it is a different market, obviously the fans are incredibly passionate. Even the Director of Player Personnel will be relatively well known in Toronto. It’s a fact of life, and you have to get used to that. I was fortunate enough to have been the General Manager of the Ottawa Senators so I have a bit of experience with Canadian hockey markets and staunch, steadfast hockey fans.

All three of these interviews can be found at the following links:

Dave Morrison Q/A 
Dave Poulin Q/A 
Rick Dudley Q/A 

Keep an eye out for the Maple Leafs Hot Stove's magazine - The Maple Leafs Annual 2011-12 coming this September. It will have the full-length articles as well as tons of other Maple Leafs information!

Biggs falls short in effort to make USA U-20

The former captain of the USA U-18 team Tyler Biggs, was cut this morning from Team USA's National Junior Evaluation Camp Roster along with the following players listed below:

G - Stephen Michalek
D - Brian Cooper
D - Kevin Gravel
D - Justin Holl
D - Scott Mayfield
D - Robbie Russo
F - Chase Balisy
F - Tyler Biggs
F - Reid Boucher
F - Kevin Hayes
F - Phil Lane
F - Shane McColgan
F - Mike Mersch
F - Matt Nieto
F - Bryan Rust

It's upsetting being a Maple Leaf fan because you want to see your players compete on a large International stage like the World Juniors. Biggs will have the opportunity to win a spot with the team next season.

For more details on who made the team, visit the following link: 2011 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp Final Roster

For more information on all things USA Hockey related, follow Chris Peter's Twitter Account and his website The United States of Hockey

The Case of Komisarek

If you are a Maple Leaf fan and you watched Mike Komisarek last season, and have watched the moves made this off-season .. you start to wonder where he fits in.

Now, if you look at the moves made from last seasons team to this years, in terms of pure numbers on defense there isn't much change. Francois Beauchemin being moved out allowed Keith Aulie a spot, Tomas Kaberle was exchanged (in a way) with John-Michael Liles, and Brett Lebda was turned into Cody Franson.

So while there isn't a change in the number of defenders brought in, there is arguably an increase in talent which, if you're Mike Komisarek, can't be good for your chances of hanging onto a top-six spot. At least, not based on the way he finished last season.

The only reason Komisarek was able to keep his 5-6 spot on the team was based on the fact Lebda was so bad. Komisarek sort of won the spot by default. But now with Franson in the mix, for a team that needs that big point-shot on the PP and offensive awareness in general, one assumes he'll have a spot secured in the top-six.

How about the other defenders? Well, Luke Schenn is an RFA and I guess there's a chance he could be dealt - but that's an extreme long-shot at best right now. He's a critical piece to the defensive puzzle. Dion Phaneuf is the captain and had a resurgence in the second-half of the season. John-Michael Liles is here for at least the short-term, and will bring a transition game that is much needed on this defense. And then you have someone like Carl Gunnarsson who managed big-minutes in the second-half of the season after a slow start. He's signed to a new deal and will be counted on to provide that strong two-way game.

So who's left? If the top-six is going to feature these names: Schenn, Phaneuf, Gunnarsson, Liles, and Franson that leaves only one spot available.

But wait, there's Aulie! The big defender made his stamp last year on the team and will surely take a spot in the top-six... right? Not necessarily.

Aulie could very much start the season in the AHL. Because of his contract situation, Aulie has the freedom to pass to the AHL and NHL without being exposed on waivers. This will certainly play a factor (in my opinion) when it comes to the top-six. It allows Komisarek a spot in the bottom-six role to keep some of his value. We've seen waiver exempt players fall victim to this in the past.

Now, is it fair? Not really. Is there potential for Aulie to be in the top-six at the start of the year? Certainly. But there's also the possibility that Aulie stumbles a bit out of the gate as most second-year players do. That would open up a spot for Komisarek. But what if he doesn't stumble? What if he plays better than last year and the Maple Leafs keep him? What does that do for Mike Komisarek's value?

Think about it. He's a $4.5m cap hit and has only hurt his value over his tenure with the Maple Leafs, he also has three-years left on his contract. For him to not be in the top-six would only continue to lessen whatever value he currently has. My opinion, and it's shared with many Maple Leaf fans is that it would be nice if they could deal him, although he doesn't have to be moved..

But Burke has his work cut out for him based on that contract. Not only is it a heavy cap hit for his production, but it comes with a NMC (no-movement clause). Granted, there's a clause in the contract that requires him to submit a list of teams every June that he can be dealt to, but it's still a binding contract when everything is taken into consideration. Is there a team that would be interested? I'm sure there is. But is the interest mutual on Komisarek's part?

Burke would be wise to find a home for Komisarek in this fans eyes. He's not going to be a top-four here (unless he totally flips the switch on his play), and his contract is just going to burn cap-space if he doesn't find a top-six spot. His value, as far as I can tell, isn't going to get much better with the new additions made.

Not only that, but there may be some Toronto Marlies ready to take at least a depth role with the club. I think it's safe to say someone like Matt Lashoff can at least handle the type of low-minutes/depth role  Komisarek filled last year. And what of some other defenders like Koribian Holzer, who have shown there just about ready to knock on an NHL position? He plays a similar defensive style to Komisarek and could likely handle low-minutes at the NHL level.

Even if a Marlie can't take Komisarek's spot right now, the Maple Leafs could sign a depth UFA to play a bottom-pairing/spare role. There are plenty of them out there that are certain to come cheaper than Komisarek's current price-tag and term. That way you give yourself a bit of a safety net if there are injuries and you aren't confident in a youngster stepping up.

Would it be nice as a fan to see him moved to give the Maple Leafs a bit more flexibility? Yes. Is there a desperate need to move him? No. Komisarek's contract isn't hurting the Maple Leafs right now - they have plenty of cap-space. But that's not the point.

The point is, as far as I can tell, he's not getting a starting spot unless someone really falls of the wagon in the top-six or is hurt early in the season. His value in this sense won't get any better. You can make the argument also that it can't get much worse, but I'm not sure which teams are willing to trade for a $4.5m, seventh defender on a non-playoff team with three-years left on his contract.

It'll be interesting to see how Burke handles the situation going forward. It seems this off-season he's been a little weary of handing out long-term, big dollar contracts so it may make sense to dump Komisarek if he can; if he's worried about the potential set-up of the new CBA.

Maple Leafs depth chart (at a glance) UPDATED

Since there were a few minor signings, I've decided to update the depth chart. Christian Hanson signed with Washington, I've moved Matthew Lombardi to an IR spot as I don't believe he'll be NHL ready by October - Nazem Kadri penciled in as his replacement. Mike Zigomanis and Matt Lashoff both re-signed with the Maple Leafs over the last week.

Toronto Maple Leafs -

Joffrey Lupul - Tim Connolly - Phil Kessel

Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin

Nazem Kadri - Tyler Bozak - Colby Armstrong

Colton Orr - Philippe Dupuis - Mike Brown 

Extra: Jay Rosehill

Injured Reserve: Matthew Lombardi

Dion Phaneuf - *Keith Aulie

John-Michael Liles - **Luke Schenn

Carl Gunnarsson - Cody Franson

Extra: Mike Komisarek

James Reimer

Jonas Gustavsson

(** = RFA, * = waiver exempt)

[It's unclear of Lombardi's status to start the year, it's likely Nazem Kadri or Matt Frattin take his spot on the 3rd line]

Toronto Marlies - 

Ryan Hamilton - Joe Colborne - Matt Frattin

Marcel Mueller - Mike Zigomanis - Greg Scott

Luca Caputi - Kenny Ryan - Jerry D'Amigo  

Tyler Brennar - Jamie Devane - Dale Mitchell

Extra: Richard Greenop

Jake Gardiner - Korbinian Holzer

Matt Lashoff - Jesse Blacker

Simon Gysbers - Jeff Finger

Extra: Juraj Mikus

Ben Scrivens

Jussi Rynnas

Extra: Mark Owuya

Former Maple Leafs now free agents and status:

Tim Brent, (signed with Carolina)
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, (signed with Colorado)
Christian Hanson, (signed with Washington)
Alex Foster, (signed overseas)
Fredrik Sjostrom, (rumoured to be signing in Sweden, currently UFA)
Fabian Brunnstrom, (currently UFA)
Aaron Voros, (currently UFA)
Joey Crabb, (currently UFA)
Brayden Irwin, (not tendendered qualifying, currently UFA)
Darryl Boyce, (currently UFA, rumoured to be in discussions with Maple Leafs)
Luke Schenn, (tendered qualifying offer, negotiating long-term deal, currently RFA)