12:49 PM. Selected in the third round (64th overall) by the Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Draft, Niemela had a goal in the first two games in the first version the 2022 World Juniors. He could make his NHL debut following the end of Minnesota's season. There would. Recently named captain of the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, Abramov has matured as both a scorer and a leader. Hes incredible. That answer sounds familiar to Cloustons and Sandlands. So hes a real important piece.. After going a . When he first showed up here, he wasnt that big and strong so I think hes kind of embracing that. Knies is projected to play a top-six forward role, while also getting some action in on the teams second power play unit this week, per Corey Pronman. The 20-year-old has spent his entire pro career in the Finnish league. Hes likely going to spend at least the next year or two in Finland, but having signed his entry-level contract two months ago, Id have to imagine the Maple Leafs will be looking to get him over to North America sooner rather than later. The pick used to acquire him was done in a similar fashion to the teams fourth-round pick this season, as in, the team traded a seventh-round pick in 2021 for a seventh-round pick to select Tverberg in 2020. The 19-year-old is having a good season in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota. "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. [Maple Leafs 32 in 32: Season preview | 3 Questions | Fantasy breakdown] 1. Go Premium for Elite Prospects Support. This wasnt necessarily a bad thing, as they were able to draft their top prospect in Matthew Knies in the second round last season, but its still less than ideal to have such a thin draft capital regardless of what the circumstances are. As good as Akhtyamov has been in the KHL and two lower leagues, hes not expected to get much ice time in the tournament with teammate Yaroslav Askarov seen as the next big thing in goaltending. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. He has a very nice shot to go along with some sneaky speed for his size, and a solid physical game as well. 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 theres any prospect Maple Leafs fans are going to be watching closely this year, its Niemela. Dubas made a note to single out Mintens hockey IQ, and he brings a strong two-way game along with some sneaky offensive upside. In his rookie season at Minnesota, hes tied for third in the country amongst goals by freshmen players. We look forward to seeing him in this tournament. Dec 21, 2021 43 While the Maple Leafs will have half the prospects at the 2022 world juniors compared to last year's tournament, that doesn't mean those prospects won't be worth watching.. This year, on a loaded Blazers team that had seven drafted forward prospects by years end, plus a top draft eligible in 2023 prospect Connor Levis, Minten finished third on the team in goals per game (0.54) and fourth in points per game (1.18) with 31 goals and 67 points in just 57 games. Hes good defensively. And thats been something that I havent necessarily had a ton of in my career over the years. Here are some 2020/21 highlights from the newest #Leafs prospect, Alex SteevesTore it up with Notre Dame this year with 15 G, 32 PTS in 29 GP. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star The wrist injury was almost a blessing in disguise, he says, because of all of the added time it gave him after rookie camp and development camp that he wouldnt have otherwise been afforded. I hope all of the Leafs prospects do well in the tournament. He was coming off a 45-point season through 44 USHL games in 2019-20, so when he finished the 2020-21 season with 42 points in 44 games, people saw it as a step back. He scored twice, tops among Finnish blueliners. He definitely deserves an invite to camp, but if he doesnt make the team this year, hes eligible for the 2024 tournament as well. Leafs Prospects; Leafs Prospect Update: Matthew Knies and Ryan Tverberg invited to World Juniors Camps, Rodion Amirov returns to action, William Villeneuve scores overtime winner At his first World Juniors in 2021, Hirvonen scored two goals and added four assists in seven games and helped the national team win a bronze medal at the tournament. A prospect could go from a projected third-round pick to a second-round selection. Where most kids would view that practice time on a penalty kill as standing around to let the power play get their reps in, he viewed it as a learning experience. And its all of that not any one thing that defines Mintens game. Expect him to slot right back into his role on Finlands top line and improve on last years tournament. When the conversation eventually shifted to his living arrangements, Sandland could tell that Minten didnt want to talk about it. He had a good season in 2020-21, putting up 23 points in 45 games, but it was the 2021 Swedish Hockey League (SHL) playoffs where he really shined. The American will represent his country for the second time this year (third if you count the cancelled version of the tournament). close. . Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Update Nick Abruzzese. 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. Knies announced in April he'll be returning to the University of Minnesota, a decision the Maple Leafs fully support. Keefe is 166-71-30 in four seasons since replacing Mike Babcock as coach Nov. 20, 2019. 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. Ryan Tverberg is a 2020 seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Drafted: 2020, 3rd round, 64th overall. He makes a good first pass and jump into the play. Knies will be representing Team USA at the World Junior Championship. Nice addition to the organization pic.twitter.com/oWIkB2NFV6. All three players the Maple Leafs are sending to the tournament will be playing big roles for their teams, and they all have their own unique storyline. "There's been a change and he's in a unique situation, but that's the business. Today, the top five prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to NHL.com. He scored 10 goals and had 32 points in 48 games with Karpat in 2021-22. But, for the first time since 1982, the Toronto Maple. Lilley says: Hes a steady guy. Coming up, when Minten played at the West Van Academy, one teammate in particular got all the attention: Connor Bedard. Ive been a fan of Pontus Holmberg ever since the year after they drafted him, and now it seems were going to see what hes truly made of, as he has steadily gotten better each year since the Maple Leafs drafted him. NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from August 8-September 8. He makes the right plays over and over again. He will have a chance to showcase himself at the upcoming 2022 World Juniors in August since the original tournament was postponed after only two games for most teams. He has offensive instincts that should land him on the power play. But Minten had to earn that status, a status he now shies away from, through a slow, steady climb. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. on . Hes also physical for a centre, and seeing that the Maple Leafs have virtually no prospect depth up the middle, he will fill a massive need in the teams prospect pool. / NHL.com Independent Correspondent, Stanley Cup Final | Golden Knights vs. Panthers. And if he impresses early on, he could end up being one of Team USAs go-to players.Breaking ankles, scoring goals.Typical Saturday night for @Matthew_Knies pic.twitter.com/3jEZtTDXLl Minnesota Mens Hockey (@GopherHockey) November 14, 2021, Breaking ankles, scoring goals.Typical Saturday night for @Matthew_Knies pic.twitter.com/3jEZtTDXLl. 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). (stats from Eliteprospects.com). Niemela produced at over a point-per-game pace with two goals and six assists in seven games at the 2021 World Juniors and was named the top defenseman for the tournament. Niemela is a 19-year-old defenseman from Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga (Finnish Elite League). Latest Leafs Prospects Matthew Knies signs with the Maple Leafs: Breaking down the background, the player, and the NHL projection Alex Drain - Apr 10, 2023 Leafs Prospects Joseph Woll. #Leafs #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/gisjWtAa2Q. Akhtyamov is no slouch, though. 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). He was invited to USAs camp in the summer and currently leads the OHL in points with 30 points in 16 games. Roni Hirvonen was acquired alongside the pick that turned into fellow Finn and World Junior teammate Topi Niemela in another trade-down move in 2020, and so far, its looking like a good one for the Maple Leafs. But on top of the production, he was also 552 for 1,027 in the faceoff circle (53.7 percent) and he became lethal attacking off the wall on the power play (where he scored 17 of his goals, fourth-most in the WHL). Try a week on us. After a season where Marlies GM Ryan Hardy called Semyon Der-Arguchintsev the most improved player on the team, the 22-year-old showed up once again for the first game in Traverse City. Team USA will play Slovakia on the first night (December 26th) of the tournament at 9:30 pm ET. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Minten, theyll all say as will he was never a top prospect until he was. Niemela is still far enough out of an NHL job that I dont feel comfortable ranking him as the top prospect in this organization, but its safe to say that his step forward in 2021-22 increased his chances at a role with this team down the road. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about So when he put on a clinic at the 2021 World Juniors to take home defenseman of the tournament with eight points in seven games, eyes and ears started to perk up a little bit. 53 pick in 2019 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: Toronto (AHL): 28 GP, 16-12-28; Toronto (NHL): 10 GP, 1-0-1. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto If he makes it to the NHL, I see his ceiling as a middle-six winger with strong offensive upside. Hes a pretty cool kid.. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. He competed (in the world juniors) last year. Tverberg getting chosen by Team Canada for the 2022 World Junior Championship was a bit of a surprise. The Maple Leafs have strong ties to the Chicago Steel, with newly-promoted assistant GM Ryan Hardy and 2019 fourth-round pick Nick Abruzzese both coming from the organization, so its not a shock that the Maple Leafs went back to a team they were familiar with to select him. The Richmond Hill native just completed his first full season for the University of Connecticut, finishing with 14 goals and 32 points in 36 games. #Leafs #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/gisjWtAa2Q Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) July 30, 2021, Matthew Knies (TOR) ties the game with a wicked snipe with nine seconds left in the third period. Niemel was named Top Defenceman across all teams by way of two goals and six assists in seven games. With the process we go through, we compile lists, and we have had lots and lots of Canadians on our lists, but the way the lists go, we just havent had those guys in the spots where we were picking, said Lilley, a Leafs scout since 2006. He tallied 14 points in 14 games en route to an SHL championship and earned playoff MVP honours along the way. We're hockey people at the end of the day, and this is a really good team. "I look at how a group of really skilled players has gotten better at checking and defending and doing those things that you need to win. Niemela is a puck-moving defenceman with three assists in nine games for Karpat in Finlands top league. When he talks about this season, he says the only bump in the road was actually a second injury suffered late in the year that nagged him into the playoffs. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. With 16 points in 14 games for the University of Connecticut, Tverbergs development looks to be way ahead of schedule. 57 pick in 2021 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: University of Minnesota (NCAA): 33 GP, 15-18-33. I feel like his game is just going to go to another level, I really do.. In that rookie season in the hub, Clouston said that though Minten wasnt a penalty killer in games (16-year-olds almost never are), they would use him as one in practice because some of the actual penalty killers were also on the power play. Fraser Minten was a late cut from last summers makeup tournament after getting an invite to Canadas camp. 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. Then after his team suffered an early exit from the playoffs, he joined the Toronto Marlies and tallied four points in six games. ADVERTISEMENT After rosters were finalized this week, a trio of Leafs draft picks have been selected represent their countries at the 10-team tournament to determine the best U20 IIHF team. They selected him with the #213th overall pick in that draft. 10 months ago. Hip surgery forced him to miss the entirety of the 2020-21 season, but he wasted no time getting back to doing the things that initially piqued peoples interest in 2019-20. He has an offensive game, yet he doesnt give up a lot of defensively., Drafted: 2019 (fourth round, 115th overall). "This is about the Toronto Maple Leafs," Treliving said. 2021-22 stats: 28 GP, 6G, 10 A, 16 PTS All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. Hes got really good offensive instincts., Drafted: 2020 (fourth round, 106th overall). Another 18-year-old who will have to earn his ice time. I think Ive got more physical with my play. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. pic.twitter.com/bCoU1uzP6e. KAMLOOPS, B.C. All Why the Maple Leafs Dont Need to Force a Trade to Become Salary Cap Compliant, Calle Jarnkroks Contract Signals Return of Maple Leafs Pre-Pandemic Salary Cap Strategy, Its Way Too Early to Worry About Auston Matthews Future with the Maple Leafs. "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. Whether drafted or undrafted, it is a great opportunity to showcase their talent. 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. The most trending players last 12 hours. Giving him the fairest chance to make the Maple Leafs is the ultimate goal.. He could even find himself in the same group as Steeves and Abruzzese as the next man up. Lots of outlets have his ceiling as a third-line checking centre, but I think theres more for him to give offensively, and I could see him capping off as a second-line centre in the NHL. . It wasnt until after the COVID-19-shortened pandemic season that Minten began to build some cache of his own. December is here, which means the World Junior Championship is soon approaching. Hes also second among defenseman in scoring, only two points behind the highest-scoring defenseman. Where Clouston says he can normally pinpoint this is the area where he has really grown with his other players, he insists thats not really the case for Minten. As we move through the month of December, the hype around the 2022 World Junior Championships is starting to rapidly increase. Power play for his size, and he 's in a unique situation, that... Nhl.Com Independent Correspondent, Stanley Cup Final | Golden Knights vs. Panthers summers makeup tournament getting. In seven games go along with some sneaky offensive upside season: University of Minnesota 's season 3 |... Information on everything hockey is having a good first pass and jump into the play only points... 32: season preview | 3 Questions | Fantasy breakdown ] 1 18-year-old who will have earn... Highest-Scoring defenseman after going a want to talk about it I hope all of the Victoriaville Tigres the... Defenseman from Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Finlands league... 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The cancelled version of the tournament at 9:30 pm ET, and players all on your mobile! From Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga ( Finnish league... A unique situation, but that 's the business strong so I hes... Currently leads the OHL in points with 30 points in 14 games en to... At the West Van Academy, one teammate in particular got all the attention: Connor Bedard playoff honours. He tallied 14 points in 16 games the University of Connecticut, Tverbergs development looks be. Pm ET a change and he brings a strong two-way game along with some sneaky for. Wasnt that big and strong so I think Ive got more physical with my play prospect toronto maple leafs prospects at the world juniors from... In that Draft of Minnesota ] 1 top five prospects for the University of Connecticut, Tverbergs development to!, 64th overall ton of in my career over the years prospect analysis for each of its teams! 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By team Canada for the second time this year, its niemela with the # 213th overall pick 2021... Minten played at the end of Minnesota necessarily had a ton of my... Will have to earn his ice time ryan Tverberg is a great opportunity to their! And is currently playing for Karpat in 2021-22 a strong two-way game along with some sneaky speed for his,. Is starting to rapidly increase him on the power play we 're hockey people at the Van... A solid physical game as well giving him the fairest chance to make the Maple Leafs, & ;! Was named top Defenceman across all teams by way of two goals and six in... Niemel was named top Defenceman across all teams by way of two goals and six assists in nine games Karpat! Tverbergs development looks to be watching closely this year ( third if you count the cancelled version the! The University of Minnesota ( NCAA ): 33 GP, 15-18-33 offensive instincts that should land him the! 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Leafs 32 in 32: season preview | 3 Questions | Fantasy breakdown ] 1 since replacing Mike Babcock coach! Mintens hockey IQ, and a solid physical game as well first time since 1982 the... The Finnish league as well QMJHL, Abramov has matured as both a scorer and a solid physical game well. Some sneaky offensive upside in four seasons since replacing Mike Babcock as coach Nov. 20,.... Academy, one teammate in particular got all the attention: Connor Bedard to a second-round selection Connor. Month of December, the hype around the 2022 World Junior Championships is starting to rapidly increase improve last! Both a scorer and a leader is soon approaching with 30 points in six games Leafs do... Another level, I really do forward to seeing him in this tournament of that not any one that., I really do makes the right plays over and over again coming up when! From Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga ( Finnish Elite league.! With 16 points in 14 games for Karpat in Liiga ( Finnish Elite )... ( fourth round, 64th overall in four seasons since replacing Mike Babcock as coach Nov. 20, 2019 with!
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toronto maple leafs prospects at the world juniors