toronto maple leafs prospects at the world juniors

Beyond Matthew Knies, the Leafs only have two other players headed to Edmonton for this summers World Juniors. As I mentioned earlier, Maple Leafs 2020 seventh round pick Ryan Tverberg was among the last cuts for Team Canada, which largely had to do with the emergence of Bedard at selection camp. Hes a 19-year-old playing in one of the top leagues in the world. All "He played exceptionally well for them," Dubas said of Holmberg's brief AHL stint. He also had three assists for the U.S. in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in August. Related: Maple Leafs Draft Picks That Got Away. He competed (in the world juniors) last year. That said, the Maple Leafs do have five picks in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft and have yet to move their first-round pick. At this years tournament, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have four prospects taking part. Lightning. Before the World Juni0rs was shutdown, Bedard was having a great showing for Canada. Team Finland will play Germany in the tournaments first game on December 26th at 2 pm ET. In fact, with Justin Holls deal expiring this coming summer, there is certainly going to be places up for grab on that side of the Toronto Maple Leafs defense. Also like Niemela, it hasnt resulted in much success on the score sheet. The 2023 NHL Draft eligible prospect just turned 17 and is one of the most electrifying prospects in all of hockey reflected in his consensus No. With Seattle Kraken prospect Matthew Beniers and Calgary Flames prospect Matthew Coronato set to lead the charge for the States, Knies has an opportunity to step into a big secondary role for the United States. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit has somehow been overlooked when it comes to the USA World Juniors camp. Or, you could see it from the standpoint that the Maple Leafs lack of representation comes from their lack of draft picks over the past few years at least in the first three rounds. The Maple Leafs' rebuild is off to a good start following the Mike Babcock hiring. Topi Niemela got drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. TLN's 2022-23 Midseason Leafs Prospect Rankings: Prospects 10-6. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 fifth-round (153rd overall) pick has been on fire with the Sarnia Sting this season, with 48 points in 27 games. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger had an impressive freshman season for the University of Minnesota, tallying 15 goals and 33 points in 33 games. Kokkonen has been regular on Finlands national junior teams since he was 15, playing above his age bracket and appearing in the world juniors last year at 18. Toronto Maple Leafs: High Expectations For Prospects at World Juniors EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Joel Mtt #32, Topi Niemel #7 and Roni Hirvonen #22 of Finland celebrate a goal. Absolutely, Ty Voit is undersized and may never be a regular NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a result. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Hes also second among defenseman in scoring, only two points behind the highest-scoring defenseman. EDMONTON, AB - JANUARY 02: Elmer Soderblom #25 of Sweden skates against Topi Niemela #7 of Finland during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship quarterfinals at Rogers Place on January 2, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson will unfortunately have zero impact on the 2022-23 season, as he underwent shoulder surgery, ultimately keeping him out six months. If you care about the players who will one day wear the Maple Leafs jersey, youll be keeping track of Finland and Russia. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few prospects eligible to play in the 2023 World Junior Championships which will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick starting on. Braeden Kressler is an interesting prospect. Perhaps it speaks less to Voits amazing form and more so to an inability to look beyond their borders for players. Whether drafted or undrafted, it is a great opportunity to showcase their talent. His skills have been on full display for the University of Minnesota so far in 2021-22, and his impressive start should be enough to earn him some proper looks in Team USAs top six. With the departures of Lundell and Winnipeg Jets prospect Ville Heinola, who served as captain last year, Hirvonen will have some extra responsibility. All three of the Leafs' prospects at the 2022 world juniors are likely to play impactful roles. Its telling that the Team USA roster has all but completely shunned the CHL (only 2 call-ups play in the CHL). [Maple Leafs 32 in 32: Season preview | 3 Questions | Fantasy breakdown], How acquired: Selected with No. The Kamloops Blazers centre and 2022 Maple Leafs second-round draft pick recently finished a six-hour bus trip . Prior to the season . Of course, were talking about Matthew Knies, wholl likely be starring in the United States top-six when they kick off their campaign versus Germany. Niemela (5-11, 156) was viewed as a defensive defenseman when he was drafted by the Maple Leafs but has developed into a promising offensive force in his subsequent two seasons. Nick Robertson will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Nick Moldenhauer is another long shot to make Team Canada, but he is leading the USHL in goals and is second in points right now with 10 goals and 18 points in 13 games. I also predicted big performances from all three. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 fifth-round (153rd overall) pick has. Some teams fear Russian players will choose to play in the lucrative KHL. Theyve known each other since they were kids. Related: 2022 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster. EDMONTONIt would seem Maple Leafs prospects Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemel are inseparable. Alex Hobson is a writer and a radio producer for 610 CKTB. Knies, who was a second round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2021, is off to a blazing start in his freshman season with the University of Minnesota where he has 16 points in 18 games to start the season. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). Brandon Lisowsky is having a great season so far with 8 goals and 18 points in 16 WHL games, but it doesnt seem good enough to garner much interest for Team Canada. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 . Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. in trade talks for the past few years in Toronto, but given his modified no-trade clause . Said Joshua Roy (MTL) was the other. The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be represented well at the 2022 World Junior Championship. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The Maple Leafs third-round pick in 2020 first made a name for himself at last years tournament, when he finished with eight points in seven games. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. 5 Maple Leafs' Prospects Flying Under the Radar January 5, 2023 by Peter Baracchini Compared to the other teams in the league the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool isn't as strong. The tournament kicked off on August 10 and the Maple Leafs have three prospects playing in the tournament. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ty Voit certainly looks to be another late-round draft steal; to have a fifth-round pick putting up a projected 121 points (per Elite Prospects) in the OHL certainly speaks to a smart pick. Breaking ankles, scoring goals.Typical Saturday night for @Matthew_Knies pic.twitter.com/3jEZtTDXLl. For those players that have not been drafted yet, playing well at a tournament such as this can do wonders for their draft position. If he continues to progress, hell have a better shot at making the team the year. Here is a look at each of those four prospects. Padres sign top catching prospect Salas for $5.6M. This season he is an integral part of the Finland National World Junior U20 team battling for gold in Red Deer, Alberta. But on top of the tenacity and physical play Hyman has, Knies also has a very good shot. He got selected by Toronto with the #59th overall pick. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Somehow though, the Pittsburgh-born youngster hasnt been given the chance to help the United States in their quest for World Juniors gold. The 20-year-old is under contract with HIFK in Finland's top professional league but it's still undetermined whether he'll return this season. For interview requests or any other inquiries, you can follow Alexs social media pages listed at the bottom of his articles like this one. That interested fans were more focused on the 2023 draft eligibles with the hopes of getting an early glimpse at some of the names the Leafs may target this June. 7 Reasons Connor McDavid Is the Worlds Best Hockey Player, Avalanche Must Fix Attitude and Power Play Problems, NHL Rumors: Blackhawks, Kraken, Bruins, Canucks, 3 Devils Who Can Join Jack Hughes at the All-Star Game, Red Wings Jake Walman Is Proving His Worth. Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs saw prospects Matthew Knies suit up for Team USA and Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemela play for Finland. For starters, the 2021-22 campaign saw the Phoenix, Arizona native suit up for Team USA at the 2022 World Junior Hockey . Now he's older and will likely have a more prominent role for the team. Its unclear whether they will venture to Toronto in September for what would be their first training camp with the Leafs. There would have been one more, American Nick Robertson, but the Leafs decided to keep the 19-year-old in Toronto to prepare for the upcoming NHL season, with training camp opening Jan. 3. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 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While we all know the health concerns around Amirov, both Hirvonen and Niemel played for their country at the World Junior tournament on multiple occasions with Niemel even being recognized as the tournaments top defenceman in 2021, earning bronze in 2021 and silver at the 2022 tournament. Noesen played just one game for the Maple Leafs in the regular season and ended up heading to Carolina the following season. Clearly a trade the Maple Leafs brass would like back considering the Blue Jackets used the first-rounder to select Corson Ceulemans with the 25th overall pick. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. World Juniors: Maple Leafs Lack of Prospects a Sign of Sacrifice | Yardbarker The 2023 edition of the World Junior U20 Championship to this point has gone off without a hitch that. "We want him to dominate every time he steps on the ice," said Hayley Wickenheiser, the Maple Leafs assistant general manager of player development. He can make some plays. On the other side of the trade, Rittich played just four games for the Maple Leafs going 1-1-1 with a 2.72 goals against average (GAA) and .888 save percentage (SV%). Four of the six Maple Leafs prospects competing at the 2021 World Junior Championship were in action on Christmas, kicking off the tournament in Edmonton. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Tony Ferrari takes a deep look at what the team's future looks. (Stats from eliteprospects.com). To order copies of He had six points in seven games at last years tournament and helped Finland beat Russia in the Bronze Medal game. Matthew Knies is seemingly the most likely to make the Leafs in the short-term, but that doesnt mean thatNiemel and Hirvonen cant aspire to making the NHL. Hes working on his defence. They can make a good living and not have to learn a new language or new customs. A prospect could go from a projected third-round pick to a second-round selection. Perhaps the stand-out of Roni Hirvonens performances is the fact that, per EliteProspects, in 11 games with the Finnish Under 20s team last season, he scored 12 goals and added a further 3 assists for 15 points; statistically that shows through. Hirvonen currently has four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 25 games. It was awesome to have a good buddy drafted by the same team, and hopefully well get to play there together, said Hirvonen, taken 59th overall in 2020. Fast forward to the 2021 NHL Draft and the Maple Leafs had just three selections with only one of those picks coming in the first three rounds. It was really cool.. He has been writing about sports since 2015 and has been with The Hockey Writers since October of 2020. Of the four Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that did get selected, there will be three countries represented. Again, this could easily change over the coming games and for the Finnish teams fortunes, lets hope it does. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be on hiatus, but some of their prospects are keeping busy at the World Juniors. On July 7, 2022, the Maple Leafs moved Petr Mrazek and his mistake-of-a-contract to the Chicago Blackhawks along with their 2022 first-round pick as a salary dump, in exchange for the second-round pick the Maple Leafs would use to select Minten. Hes also logging big minutes comparatively, playing 14:17 in their first game and 15:17 in their second game. He likes to play and he wants to compete. Surely its not the end of the world for a team to not have a representative at this best-on-best tournament, but it is a compliment to have prospects competing for gold year in and year out. Here are some 2020/21 highlights from the newest #Leafs prospect, Alex Steeves All three players have aged out and are ineligible for this years tournament. The same day the Maple Leafs landed Foligno, they also acquired David Rittich from the Calgary Flames for their 2022 third-round pick. (Hirvonen) can be good on the power player and everything else. Artur Akhtyamov (G) entered this season as arguably the Leafs' top goalie prospect, but his season has been up and down. Oilers Have Made 3 Forwards Available for Trade Who Goes? Jan 2, 2021 But, for the first time since 1982, the Toronto Maple Leafs won't have a single prospect taking part in this year's World Juniors. Maple Leafs Commentary: Will Dubas Target Darcy Kuemper? And hes playing well. It was announced this week that a pair of Leafs prospects, Matthew Knies and Ryan Tverberg, will compete for spots on their respective World Juniors teams. Lets hope he can pick up his offensive production over the next few games and lets hope Finland can finish in the gold medal game. Hirvonen is five-foot-nine, an inch shorter than Granlund, but a terrific playmaker with a high hockey IQ. But they did venture over earlier in the summer, a week before other prospects had their development camp. The 5-10, 177-pounder scored 55 goals in 46 games in his final year with Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20 and will be looked upon to provide offense in the NHL this season. With three players headed to the World Juniors, Toronto Maple Leafs fans arent exactly spoiled for choice in terms of who to focus on, though one name certainly stands out. Topi Niemela - Finland - The Finnish born defenseman was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 64th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. ", How acquired: Selected with No. These were the players we came up with. The club . Topi Niemela (TOR) scores his first goal of the tournament. Still, no first round pick and just two of those picks came in the first three rounds with Fraser Minten going 38th overall in the second round and Nicholas Moldenhauer going 95th at the tail end of the third round. As for the main acquisition, Foligno, he played seven games during the regular season with four assists and four playoff games after suffering an injury. While most NHL clubs have a horse in the race when it comes to this tournament, the Toronto Maple Leafs have no current prospects in the tournament for the first time since 1982 a span of 40 years. Quite frankly, Im happy with our group.. He plays in the pro league as well playing against men. But knock Dubas all you want, his draft classes since he took over GM duties look promising, and should be given a chance to flower before the abilities of him and his scouting team are questioned. Thats it so far, hopefully we get answers about the USA team soon and they can play their next game against Sweden on Wednesday at 9:30pm est. "They finished the season in first place with a record of 32-15-13 for 77 points . Moldenhauer was up against tough competition to even get an invite to the Canadian camp and their fourth-round pick Dennis Hildeby was an overager when the Maple Leafs selected him 122nd overall in 2022. Ty Voit (#96) tallied another 2 assists over the weekend. After winning every game in the preliminary round, USA was upset by Czechia in the quarter finals while Finland won the silver metal after taking Canada to overtime in the gold medal game. And with fans expected to be back in the buildings, this years festivities will be extra fun to keep tabs on.Team CanadaPlayers to WatchRosterTeam USAPlayers to WatchRosterTeam AustriaPlayers to WatchRosterTeam CzechiaPlayers to WatchRosterTeam FinlandPlayers to WatchRosterTeam GermanyPlayers to WatchRosterTeam LatviaRosterTeam SlovakiaRosterTeam SwedenPlayers to WatchRosterTeam SwitzerlandPlayers to WatchRoster, Guide to the 2022 World Junior Championship, 2022 World Juniors Schedule, Groups, Rosters, Predictions & More, Predictions for the 2022 World Junior Championship, 2022 World Juniors: 2023 Draft-Eligible Players to Watch, 6 Predictions for the 2022 World Junior Championship. With the departure of Heinola from the teams defensive corps, Niemela will without a doubt be Finlands rock on the back end, especially considering the unit as a whole is relatively inexperienced. Niemel picked up an assist in Mondays loss to Canada, his fourth of the tournament. Sign up for our regular 'Maple Leafs Newsletter' for all the latest. The Finns are two-thirds of the Leafs prospect contingent at the world juniors. He could make his NHL debut following the end of Minnesota's season. Kressler may be a long shot to join Team Canada, but hes had a hot start with 8 goals and 12 points in 8 OHL games after starting the season hurt. Knies is being viewed as a future top-six power forward, though it still remains to be seen when he eventually leaves college hockey behind whether he can stand-out in the NHL. 2022 World Junior Championship Team Canada Final Roster, 2022 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster, Capitals Ties With Russia Run Deeper Than Ovechkin, Kings Have Several Options to Replace Edler. Its hard to be optimistic about the draft when you sacrifice your picks for assets in hopes of a deep playoff run each year, only to be let down seven games in. Notably though, every defensemen ahead of him on that list was older. The 23-year-old, entering the final year of his entry level contract, was loaned to Vaxjo of Sweden's top professional league last season and responded by averaging almost a point per game. On April 11, 2021, the Maple Leafs moved their 2021 first-round pick, their 2022 fourth-round pick which they eventually got back and their 2021 fourth-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks, respectively. Additionally, he was able to notch roughly a point every second game in the Finnish Liiga also; again despite playing against much older competition. Now, the Americans have only played one game in the tournament so far. EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 30: Topi Niemela #7, Roni Hirvonen #22, Anton Lundell #15 and Kasper Simontaival #29 of Finland celebrate a goal against Slovakia during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 30, 2020 in Edmonton, Canada. Recently named captain of the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, Abramov has matured as both a scorer and a leader. Andrew is in his 8th year reporting for The Hockey Writers covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2022. He also makes weekly appearances on THWs Maple Leafs Lounge Roundtable. . The Leafs, in recent year, have drawn from all over the globe when drafting players, unafraid as some teams are of drafting Russians. 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Hes good defensively. ", How acquired: Selected with No. Tverberg currently has nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 14 games. Niemel was drafted 64th overall. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Topi Niemela has his first point at the 2022 World Junior Championship when he and fellow Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen assisted on Aatu Raty's goal in the third period . Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit has somehow been overlooked when it comes to the USA World Juniors camp. Knies will be representing Team USA at the World Junior Championship. Here is a breakdown of the Maple Leafs prospects at this years tournament: Drafted: 2020 (first round, 15th overall). But theres still time for that to change. Fraser Minten was a late cut from last summers makeup tournament after getting an invite to Canadas camp. The team took Matthew Knies in the second round, 57th overall, before selecting Voit at 153rd overall in the fifth round and Vyacheslav Peksa at 185th overall in the sixth round. He would have missed the start of training camp. Steeves was 2nd in the NCAA in primary even-strength points with 20, including 13 of his 15 goals. But he has had a good start in the KHL with Ufa-based Salavat Yulaev (five goals, three assists). They selected him with the #213th overall pick in that draft. As mentioned, Voit didnt even get the call for the American squad, while Knies hit the age of 20 as well and became unavailable to his country for the U20 tournament. Follow on Twitter. 553 The rearranged World Juniors give everyone a chance to get a dose of hockey this summer, not in the least Toronto Maple Leafs fans wholl have high expectations. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Our expectations for him are to make a little bit of a jump. Among moving other picks in the Mark Giordano trade and the Ilya Lyubushkin trade, maybe the toughest one to swallow came in July 2022.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thehockeywriters_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',828,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thehockeywriters_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_10',828,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thehockeywriters_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-828{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. There would have been another with the. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Hirvonen and Niemel worked out with the likes of John Tavares and Michael Bunting while getting to know the organization and city before returning to Finland to attend their world junior camp. The Leafs didnt draft any Canadians among their six picks in 2019, and only two of their 12 picks from 2020 were Canadian. Niemela is a 19-year-old defenseman from Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga (Finnish Elite League). Hirvonen will be joining Niemela on Team Finland at the 2022 World Junior Championship. ", Video: VAN@TOR: Robertson fires home a Nylander feed on rush, How acquired: Selected with No. The tournament starts on December 26th, 2021, and ends with the Gold Medal game on January 5th, 2022. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today the club's 27-man roster that will participate in the 2022 Traverse City Prospect Tournament at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, MI. Lets hope this doesnt derail USAs tournament as theyre poised to really make some noise and defend their gold medal from last year. The 20-year-old's 2021-22 season was derailed early when he sustained a non-displaced fracture of his right fibula in the second game of the AHL season and was out for four months. Matthew Knies (TOR) ties the game with a wicked snipe with nine seconds left in the third period. All three will be playing pivotal roles for their teams and will look to do the Maple Leafs organization proud. World Juniors 2020: Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects | Sporting News Canada MIN DAL 12:00p -154 ANA WIN 12:00p -256 DET CBJ 3:00p SJ BUF 4:00p CHI NYI 4:30p VGS BOS Mon, 4:00p COL PHI Mon,. Today, the top five prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to NHL.com. Last time round they found themselves eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Czechia and it wouldnt be entirely surprising to see a similar result this time, especially given the insistence on not picking a squad of best possible options. Lilley says: He just doesnt make a lot of mistakes. Credit: Photo by Steven Ellis . Roni Hirvonen puts Finland ahead 3-2 with just 23.3 seconds to go. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. We create the lists without any biases toward country or nationality. Minten was added to Team Canadas summer camp earlier in the year, but was passed on by a team that had more than 10 returnees from the summer when Canada won a gold medal. Finally,Niemel is probably the hardest to predict. He began his broadcasting with CBCs Hockey Night in Canada team as well as being part of their coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Finland will have its sights set on Gold this year. They were drafted five picks apart in 2020. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has extended his home point streak to 19 games - a new franchise record - after assisting in the Auston Matthews goal in the second period of the game . . Its not usual to go at the same time with a good friend.. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; The first major move of the Toronto Maple Leafs . This is a great opportunity to compare him against his peers, the top players in his own age group. Fast forward a year, and Knies easily looks like he could have been a first-round pick. Also as predicted, Hirvonen has been a key player for Finland as well. Auston Matthews, Calle Jarnkrok, Conor Timmins, Zach Aston-Reese and Timothy Liljegren also scored for Toronto, which swept its three-game season series with the Flyers. With 25-man rosters for. This year, there are no Leafs prospects guaranteed a spot in the tournament, but there are a couple with a great chance to represent their countries. It was a lot of fun and good to see everyone, the staff members there and some NHL players and get to train with those guys. There are six Leafs prospects at the world juniors in Edmonton three on the Russian team (forwards Rodion Amirov and Mikhail Abramov, and goalie Artur Akhtyamov) and three on Finland (defencemen Mikko Kokkonen and Topi Niemela and forward Roni Hirvonen). TLN's 2022-23 Midseason Leafs Prospect Rankings: Prospects 20-16 Rounding out the back half of this countdown was difficult, as there isn't necessarily a ton separating most of the players in . As I wrote about the other day, the Toronto Maple Leafs have three prospects at this years World Juniors and all should play a key role for their countries if they are to make it far. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. The game airs on ESPN+ and Hulu.Colorado grabbed a 3-2 victory on the road its last time out on January 7 against the Edmonton Oilers.Florida lost 5-1 on the road against the He needs more strength. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Toronto will have prospects representing Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Finland at this year's World Junior Championship. He needs to continue to work on his skating and mobility. Certainly, in the next one or two seasons, we want to see him make a jump. Hirvonen was one of Finlands more clutch players last year and scored some crucial goals for them, and hes relentless on the puck to the point where it gets under his opponents skin. Firstly, the Maple Leafs were so close to having a prospect in the tournament had Voit been considered for the U.S. team. In his superb oral history, The Toronto Maple Leafs, author Eric Zweig summed up what Bentley meant to the Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of two teams without any representation at the 2023 World Junior Championship, with the Pittsburgh Penguins being the other. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. The ceiling for Hirvonen with the Maple Leafs might very well cap out at the third line, but if he can offer anything close to what Pierre Engvall does, while on a cheaper deal, the Leafs will be laughing. In both games hes logged over 21:30, logging 22:11 against Austria even though he took two minor penalties. Lilley says: Hes playing in three different leagues, but quite frankly hes doing his part in stopping the puck. This is the player with the most assists in the whole of the CHL, not just the OHL. All three should be interesting to watch at this years World Juniors, not least because its individually each their last shot at the gold. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Where were they traded and when for the Maple Leafs not to have any representatives at this years World Junior Championship? Niemela will be defending his title as the top defenseman from last years tournament. "We want to see him elevate his game and really take control from the blue line," Wickenheiser said, "and that's from a defensive standpoint as well in terms of being able to play two ways and be that outstanding defenseman that he was last year. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. He currently has seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 16 games. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Hockey Canada Director of Player Personnel said that Tverberg was among the most improved players at selection camp and was one of the toughest cuts to make. All Rights Reserved. On April 11, 2021, the Maple Leafs moved their 2021 first-round pick, their 2022 fourth-round pick which they eventually got back and their 2021 fourth-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Who do you agree and disagree with? (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). Those two names will both be appearing for Finland, both likely in high-profile roles, with Topi Niemel likely one of their top-pairing defensemen and Roni Hirvonen likely to be on the wing in the top-six as they open against Latvia. Relatively unknown to the Leafs fan base, Amirov was a surprise pick. It will be easier to go there because you have a good friend with you, said Niemel, standing with Hirvonen in the media centre at Rogers Place. And one day, they believe, they will play together for Toronto. He's putting up nearly a point a game in the minors and showed well . "One thing he really elevated was his shot selection and choosing when and where to shoot the puck. TopiNiemel had an impressive year withKrpt in the Finnish Liiga; he ranked eighth among defensemen in points (10 goals and 22 assists). Kind of a good all-around player., Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Hes the captain in Victoriaville this year, which for us is a step in the development department to not only be a good player on your team but then take that next step to be a leader. His OHL lead in scoring had shrunk to 4 points with Pavel Mintyukov on his heels. Fraser Minten drafted 38th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs Prospects Anthony Petrielli - Jul 8, 2022 A day after trading down, the Leafs have made their first selection in the. Regardless of which team he is playing for, just playing in the tournament will be an incredible experience for him. Tverberg is a dual citizen, and many thought he had a better shot of making the Team USA roster than he did the Team Canada one. What do you think of my list? He was invited to USAs camp in the summer and currently leads the OHL in points with 30 points in 16 games. Expect him to slot right back into his role on Finlands top line and improve on last years tournament. But the Leafs havent drafted a Canadian in the first round since taking Marner fourth overall in 2015. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. It speaks volumes to a United States program that seems to insist upon being insular and looking specifically for college hockey players as opposed to exploring those options that play in Canada. With many players aging out from the 2022 tournament, he will have a good shot at making it this year. Roni Hirvonen is a 2020 second-round pick. The 2023 edition of the World Junior U20 Championship to this point has gone off without a hitch that is, aside from the handful of upsets that have seemingly overtaken the group stages early on. You can follow him on Twitter at @AndrewGForbes. Theyre both skilful and they can make plays, Pennanen said. "I thought within his game, he always had his strong attributes," Toronto AHL coach Greg Moore said. Leave a comment below and let me know. The 19-year-old is having a good season in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota. 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To order Marner, selected Thursday to the NHL All-Star . Steven Ellis. American Matt Knies is the other. Hirvonen has two goals and four assists on the top line with Islanders prospect Aatu Rty and Joakim Kemell, drafted 17th by the Nashville Predators this year. NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from August 8-September 8. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. As such, perhaps that sort of thinking no longer rings true. This is the third of four meetings during the regular season, with the Leafs winning 4-1 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Jan. 7 in the most recent meeting, while . This year, Hirvonen will be serving as Finlands captain. Hes 18 but I think he should be another guy that plays a pretty prominent role on their team. Over the last 10 tournaments, the Leafs have sent only a handful of prospects to Canadas team at the world juniors: Nazem Kadri (2011), Morgan Rielly (2013), Frederik Gauthier (2014, 2015), Mitch Marner and Travis Dermott (2016), and goalie Ian Scott (2019). Thanks . Finland coach Antti Pennanen said the comparison is warranted. And despite not making Team Canada, the fact that he was even considered to make the team considering where he was drafted should be seen as a positive sign. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. He covers the Toronto Maple Leafs, World Juniors, and the NHL Entry Draft, and is also part of the Sticks in the 6ix Podcast, presented by THW. Hirvonen, what a great player, unbelievable. Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Will Play Big Roles at 2022 World Juniors Maple Leafs Prospects Will Play Big Roles at 2022 World Juniors December 14, 2021 by Alex Hobson As we move. Toronto's group of prospects include Matthew Knies, Topi. Despite only having three prospects at the World Juniors this year, all three players I mentioned will be worth keeping an eye on as the tournament gets underway in Edmonton and Red Deer. The Finns. We look forward to seeing him in this tournament. Enter Search Term. The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers hit the ice in NHL play at Ball Arena on Tuesday, January 10 at 9:30 PM ET. Toronto is encouraged by his combination of hustle and muscle (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and sees him as an effective NHL power forward after continued development in college. The hockey world wasn't exactly taken by Zdeno Chara early in his career, either. And Hirvonen is captain of the Finnish entry at the world junior hockey championship, while Niemel is an alternate captain. But given his style of play, I think hes capable of handling it. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. The playmaking center, who was the MVP of the SHL Playoffs in 2021 with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 14 games, joined Toronto of the AHL at the end of the 2021-22 season and had four points (two goals, two assists) in six games, impressing Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas in the process. However, lets recap Knies performance so far. Now, surely we cant pretend to assume Thompson wouldve been a World Junior star, but the fact is the Maple Leafs moved another top three-round pick for a mediocre acquisition. Its improving all the time., Pennanen sees the NHL in Hirvonens future: Of course it could take some time, but I think he has a chance to reach that level some day.. What gives Maple Leafs management reason for optimism was the point-per-game pace he put together in the AHL upon his return. The Los Angeles Kings have nine players in Edmonton, the Detroit Red Wings have seven prospects, followed by the Anaheim Ducks, the New Jersey Devils and the Leafs with six each. December is here, which means the World Junior Championship is soon approaching. Taking part in a tournament of this magnitude is huge for every junior player. Just five picks before the Maple Leafs selected Niemela. Watching Knies game, he has a play style similar to that of former Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies saved his best game for the last one of the group stage, helping USA win Group B. . This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. 159 pick in 2018 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: Vaxjo (SHL): 46 GP, 11-30-41; Toronto (AHL): 6 GP, 2-2-4. It was a really good experience, Hirvonen said. The organizations 2020 NHL Draft may have been their last major haul. And if he impresses early on, he could end up being one of Team USAs go-to players. They grabbed notable names like Rodion Amirov in the first round, Roni Hirvonen in the second round and Topi Niemel in the third round. This past year, the Maple Leafs rebounded with five selections over the seven-round draft. Who cracks your list? He plays for HIFK in Liiga this season after spending the previous two seasons playing for Assat. Tverberg getting chosen by Team Canada for the 2022 World Junior Championship was a bit of a surprise. Lots of skill on the ice, Pennanen said. Its more likely a year away for the 20-year-olds, who are under contract for one more season in the Finnish top league Hirvonen with HIFK Helsinki, Niemel with Karpat. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The move was to acquire Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen for a run in the playoffs. FINLAND PULLS AHEAD! He covers the Toronto Maple Leafs, World Juniors, and the NHL Entry Draft, and is also part of the Sticks in the 6ix Podcast, presented by THW. Fraser Minten is staring out the window of a Sandman Hotel in Prince George, B.C. So the Maple Leafs learned a harsh lesson on Saturday night. Tore it up with Notre Dame this year with 15 G, 32 PTS in 29 GP. Matthew Knies out of the University of Minnesota gets the ball rolling as Toronto's first untouchable prospect. Hes had a good start to the season., Drafted: 2019 (third round, 84th overall). This is the most exciting time of the year for everyone that loves hockey.. "On the ice and off the ice, he wants to know what the best are doing and how they're achieving their fitness standards, for example," Wickenheiser said, "and he really has a plan for himself of where he wants to see himself go. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be on hiatus, but some of their prospects are keeping busy at the World Juniors. Nice addition to the organization, Roni Hirvonens last-minute heroics send through to the #WorldJuniors semifinals. Jul 31, 2021 Here's this week's look at some of the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects and how they're doing at the major junior level. Through two games, Hirvonen hasnt scored a goal and only has one assist to show for his effort. Through three games in the KHL, he has a .904 save percentage, in eight games in the second division, he has a .935 save percentage, and three games at the junior level, he has a .926 save percentage. Six is a fairly impressive number. Hes the former play-by-play voice of the London Jr. Knights for Rogers TV and currently hosts the Sticks in the 6ix podcast. Alan Millar calls Ryan Tverberg (TOR) one of the two most improved players in the Hockey Canada program during the evaluation process this year. Good skater. Giving him the fairest chance to make the Maple Leafs is the ultimate goal.. The Leafs will have six prospects three with Russia and three with Finland competing at the 2021 world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, starting on Dec. 26. While a majority of. Despite winning both contests, its been slightly underwhelming for our pair of Fins after two games: As predicted, Niemela has been a key player for Finland at this tournament so far. Whatever the state of affairs within the United States hockey program, its a massive oversight to leave Ty Voit out. Now, theres a number of ways of looking at this, especially after the Americans left OHL star Ty Voit off their final roster. All Republication or distribution of this content is Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Matthew Knies will probably remember his opening game at the 2022 World Juniors for being in the middle of the most bizarre review and re-review of a goal. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few prospects eligible to play in the 2023 World Junior Championships which will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick starting on December 26th, 2022. rights reserved. They were drafted five picks apart in 2020. Were excited for him. Marner set the franchise record with a 23-game point streak earlier in the season. #Leafs #LeafsForever, Maple Leafs Acquire Matt Murray & Draft Picks For Future Considerations, Maple Leafs Commentary: Matt Murray, Goalie Solution or Mrazek Mistake. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen came up with a big performance to help his team pick up a win in their first game at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onToronto Maple Leafs and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. I think hell earn ice time., Drafted: 2020 (third round, 64th overall). Of course, prior to the World Juniors over the Christmas period the Team USA roster will need to be trimmed down to 25 players and injuries might occur, but the reality is that the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is likely not getting a look in. Like his good friend Niemela, he's not the biggest player (5-9, 164) but has good leadership qualities and served as Finland's captain at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, where he had seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven games. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto He is not as good a skater as Makar, but some day hes going to be a power player and a penalty-killing defenceman, Pennanen said. Man, oh man, has this kid ever been turning heads at the collegiate level. They selected him with the #64th overall pick. OHL; QMJHL; WHL . Should the Toronto Maple Leafs hang onto their first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, they'll select a very talented player. There have been some standout performances by players throughout the system and . The Finnish national team picked. Hirvonen has had a great season to date with HIFK of Finlands SM-Liiga, with 18 points through 26 games thus far. The lack of picks, which we will get to in a moment, play a large part in the Maple Leafs not having a representative at the World Juniors in 2023. The Americans finished undefeated in their group after they hung on . His motor has been compared to that of former Leaf Zach Hyman, and his play last season was impressive enough to the point where there were talks of him joining the Maple Leafs at the end of the 2021-22 season. Regardless of how you look at it, heres a look at how the Maple Leafs were left without a single prospect in this years U20 tournament. If theres any prospect Maple Leafs fans are going to be watching closely this year, its Niemela. Niemela is one of two Toronto prospects representing Team Finland at the World Junior Championship. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. After missing training camp and the first month and a half of the 2022-23 season, Woll has been incredible with an 8-0-0 record to kick off his season with the Toronto Marlies - tying a franchise record run in the process. Finland's Roni Hirvonen (22) is stopped by Latvia goalie Bruno Bruveris (30) in a world juniors game Tuesday. The fact he was picked in the second round back at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft points to the Toronto Maple Leafs seeing something in him. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Another 18-year-old who will have to earn his ice time. I hope all of the Leafs prospects do well in the tournament. The 20-year-old, under contract with Karpat in Finland's top professional league for another year, had six assists in seven games for Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and was voted the top defenseman at the 2021 World Juniors. . Related: 2023 Guide to the World Junior Championship. Like Kokkonen, hes played above his age bracket most of his teenaged career. Ryan Tverberg is a 2020 seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto Maple Leafs news fromFanSided Daily, time on their penalty kill and on the powerplay, Toronto Maple Leafs seeing something in him, Toronto Maple Leafs Will Send 3 Players to the World Junior Championship, Best Reactions to Harry Caray Hologram Singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame', Toronto Maple Leafs and Rodion Amirov's KHL Club Extend Loan. The Toronto Maple Leafs had three prospects playing in the tournament: Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemel played for Team Finland, and Matthew Knies played on one of the Team USA rosters. He went on to play 15:17 in the 3-2 win over Slovakia. The Flames used it to take Aidan Thompson with the 90th overall pick and retained 50 percent of Rittichs contract. PHILADELPHIA (AP) John Tavares had a goal and two assists, Mitchell Marner added three assists and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 on Sunday night. Toronto Maple Leafs: Will Any of These Marlies Make the Jump. Difficult cuts. MONTREAL, QUEBEC - JULY 08: Fraser Minten is selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs during Round Two of the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 08, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He makes the right plays over and over again. He has a great shot. He has five goals and 17 assists for 22 points in 25 games so far this season. Knies announced in April he'll be returning to the University of Minnesota, a decision the Maple Leafs fully support. So what happened to the picks that couldve been? One of the reasons he was selected is his productive season at the University of Connecticut in the NCAA. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. To order (Statistics as of. Toronto Maple Leafs After the COVID-19 forced the cancelation of the 2022 World Juniors last winter, the tournament will be restarted on Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta. TORONTO Mitch Marner hit yet another milestone on Saturday. Matthew Knies was expected to. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be keeping a close eye on their four prospects and hoping to see great things. "We feel he'll challenge for the roster here.". (stats from Eliteprospects.com). by "Physically, he is very imposing. The Toronto Maple Leafs (25-9-7) hit the road to battle the Detroit Red WIngs (17-15-7) Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit in a battle between Original Six foes. One of the Maple Leafs best forward prospects, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev is a trade candidate leading up to the 2023 deadline. Team USA will be looking to defend their Gold Medal from last year. Instead, guys like Noah Laba, Tyler Boucher and Sam Lipkin got call-ups when theyre useful role players but have hardly stood out this season on their respective teams. Take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that are representing their respective nations at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship in Montreal and Toronto. Hes a dark horse candidate to be a leading scorer for the US at this tournament and if he can finish on his chances like he did his first game, its very much a possibility. Also, it just broke today that they will forfeit their second game as there has been more than one player who has tested positive for Covid-19.

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