Jolly January for Leafs Prospects
While the Maple Leafs struggled through a horrific 3-10-2 record to start the new year at the NHL level, many of the organization’s top young prospects enjoyed a very productive month of January on the scoresheet. Jerry D’Amigo (left) continued to build off a strong World Junior tournament, Mikhail Stefanovich seemed to finally turn the corner, while Nazem Kadri took his game up to that dominant level we all know he’s capable of.
Nazem Kadri:
Absolutely ON FIRE. Since coming back from a mediocre World Junior performance, Kadri has been simply unbelievable for London, grabbing the reins of the Knights’ offense and leading them on an 8-1-1 tear during the frst 10 games of his return. He’s been doing it all: dishing out big hits, playing with a ton of aggressiveness and confidence and displaying serious game breaking end-to-end rushing ability. He has scored 6 goals and 19 assists for 25 points in 11 January games, earning Hockey Future’s “Prospect of the Month” honours. Kadri now stands at 26 goals (a new career high) and 37 assists for 63 points in 39 games played this season. Interesting to note that if Kadri had played a full 68 game OHL season, he would be on pace for 110 points, passing Wilson’s bold preseason prediction by a significant margin.
Jerry D’Amigo:
Jerry was having a quietly stellar NCAA freshman year heading into December when he was named to Team USA’s WJC roster, but really used that tournament as his coming out party. He was absolutely fantastic for the Americans, burning Canada on a number of occasions and finishing the tournament with 12 points in 7 games. Back in my 2009 Draft Review in June, I was thrilled with this selection in the 6th round, deeming it Toronto’s best value pick of the draft and now you guys can see why. D’Amigo is gradually approaching the point-a-game mark, now with 22 points in 24 games played on the year.
Jesse Blacker:
The Leafs’ 58th overall selection from last season is another prospect enjoying his best offensive month of the year. The two-way defenseman is slowly easing into his role as one of the go-to guys on Owen Sound’s blueline and is getting more comfortable with the increased workload and responsibility. Blacker has recorded 9 points in 12 January games, already giving him a career high 26 points. Jesse was chosen to represent the Attack at the OHL’s All-star Classic this evening, and showed surprising speed at the skills competition the other day when he took home the title of “Fastest Skater”.
Mikhail Stefanovich:
Stefanovich is another of those names who really caught everybody’s attention last year when he turned in a near goal-a-game campaign for the Quebec Ramparts, and big things were expected from the young sniper this season. Things didn’t start off as smoothly as he would’ve liked, struggling to make much of an impression during the Leafs’ Rookie Tournament and then carried those difficulties over to his QMJHL season. While Mikhail’s offensive production remains spotty and sporadic, he has managed to chip in 24 points over his last 13 games played, including a pair of 5 point outings as well as a 4 point performance tonight.
Joel Champagne:
The big bodied forward is another Leaf prospect currently honing his skills in the QMJHL. A by-product of the Leafs’ recent change in draft philosophy, Champagne offers plenty of size, character along with a bit of a physical edge in his game. He has enjoyed 13 points in his last 11 games played, taking some time to adjust to the trade that sent him from PEI to Victoriaville in late December. While his offensive game is gradually coming along, it’s his 58% faceoff percentage and huge front-of-the-net presence that will be his ticket to an NHL career.
Phillipe Paradis:
Paradis is strangely one of those names we don’t hear talked about very often around these parts, despite the fact that he was brought in by way of a fairly significant trade. While the youngster’s overall offensive numbers are actually down from last year, he has managed to already match his career high total of 19 goals. Phillipe was not brought into the organization to score goals or rack up points, but rather to play an up-tempo physical game at both ends of the ice and he continues to do that quite well. To his credit, there may be a little bit more skill in those hands, as he has scored 6 points over his last 3 games played.
alex.tran@mapleleafshotstove.com
February 4th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
He’s worth over three, but four is puching it. I have no idea what he wants though. ‘Scrapper’ probably isn’t the best word, maybe ‘scrappy’ or hell, truculent and beligerent.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
kingkessel wrote:
Would be nice but I think it will be a bust in the end. We’ll overpay and he’ll slack. He also seems like a problem player. He’ll probably pull a Heatley.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
@ kingkessel:
I can only imagine what the crowd at the ACC to see him play. Just look at the amount of attention Phaneuf got at his first practice!
February 4th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
captain morgan wrote:
He doesn’t hit ten consistently, but a guy like him costs. His cap hit is $2 mil. I like the guy because he can fight and score, but I’d rather have Rosehill at half a mil then him at $2.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
lescott wrote:
Tucker’s shadow has more leadership qualities than Poni in the flesh. Thats what I’m getting at. Tucker wouldn’t be brought in to score goals. He would be more of an example of how to play with heart and how to not get complacent.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
emanuel82 wrote:
Coming from you, that’s a compliment.
The warm, fuzzy and welcoming type.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
F-Tucker. He’s finished. He should just sit home with Shayne Corson’s sister and never show his face in public. He’s old and washed up. He was only good with Domi.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
emanuel82 wrote:
You’re such a tool. Here’s your quite:
…”we could trade Mike Komisarek (the only bad move BB made). I would keep Kaberle and send that “I only know how to hit, but not how to get hit” good for nothing D-man.”
I don’t know about you, but I prefer the dmen who can hit and avoid getting hit as well.
Fool.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Yeah TT, that’s something almost all of our defensemen bring along with our new goalie and Wayne Primeau. We can get those sorts of things for real cheap if we need more of them. Besides, we could probably use some scoring.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
lescott wrote:
True. A scorer who creates goals not one who waits for them.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
We need a Bill Guerin type player right? Problem with tucker is that he wont get the immediate respect as someone like guerin. But i don’t think we will have that problem next year, Kadri will be one feisty little bugger, he wont get the immediate respect but he will earn it that’s for sure! It shouldn’t be our first need anyways…look at pittsburg, guerin put them over the top i believe once they acquired him and then went on to win the cup. We need the talent then someone to show them the way.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Ponikarovsky to me is simple. You offer him 3 mil a year. If he says yes then dial him in. If no then get what you can get
February 4th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
“True. A scorer who creates goals not one who waits for them.”
they’re both valuable…
February 4th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
@ Jordan:
Agreed
That is what I say, maybe he can get a 1/4 mil raise a year for the next 3.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Also, if we managed to score Kovalchuk, think about the 6 games we play against Montreal a year. I would look forward to that more than anything.
We would not only score 6 goals against them every time but we would absolutely crush the midget line into the boards.
Toronto would be an absolute force to be reckon with, for once, Teams would DESPISE coming into the ACC to play.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
would you change your name to kingkovalchuk?
or to prince kessel?
February 4th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
@Charlie
He’s a band-aid, he get’s injured all the time. Thank god, cause Bozak can play. He always finds an awkward position to get hit into the boards and injures himself. You wait and see. He’s a great guy, but great guys don’t win cups. He turns over the puck so often.
If you think he’s an amazing player, you are the tool sir!
But I say that in a warm, fuzzy, welcoming way of course.
February 4th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
ogie ogilthorpe wrote:
Byfuglien also!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
emanuel82 wrote:
What are you talking about?
Who is a bandaid? Komi?
What does that have to do with Bozak?
Who thinks he’s an amazing player?
Better yet, what are you talking about!? I seriously have no clue.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
@ Charlie:
both Hanson and Mitchell will be in camp next fall (Mitchell will be retained), both are young and worth holding onto at this point in the rebuild of our team.. Burke wants as much competition as possible for roster spots..
so we’ll just have to sit on this and see who earns what in camp next season.. maybe both will make it, maybe just one of them….
February 4th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Jordan wrote:
Agreed. I would like to trade him and sign him. Problem is, once he hits the market, it’s the market that will determine his value and we would have to overpay.
I guess it boils down to whether or not the return is good.
I think he is the one player I wouldn’t trade just for the sake of trading/house cleaning/get a second rounder for.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
BeLeafer wrote:
Agreed. It’s the fairest route to go.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
@Charlie
Let me break it down for cause you are a little bit retarded
Komisarek is a band-aid cause he’s always hurt. Thanks to that, Bozak can play, otherwise his salary don’t fit under the cap.
Finally, you seem to think Komi is a GREAT (or AMAZING) ice hockey player, which you are awfully wrong SIR!
Forget it, let’s just call you stupid instead!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
emanuel82 wrote:
Wow, you really don’t illustrate your points clearly.
When did I say Komi was a great player?
You’re the genius who complained that Komi “only knows how to hit and not how to get hit”
Not sure your personal vendetta against me, but by all means, keep ‘em coming. You provide more than enough fodder for me to use.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
there is no way that kovy will be a leaf…brian burke on already said on the fan 590 that his price tag is way to high
February 4th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
kap wrote:
Ya, Burke said no to $8 million per for 8 years.
You gotta assume he takes a crack though. Although my guarantee still withstands, but Burke’s big mouth makes it hard!!
February 4th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
BB seems to be one of the only GM’s to have learned from the lockout. Kovi can take his ego to some other dumb franchise that wants to cause another lockout. Contracts like the one he is seeking don’t belong in a league with so many bad franchises that lose so much money.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
no player should be worth more then then the entire franchise
February 4th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Mortagleus wrote:
Aki Berg is one that comes to mind.
I’d give him league max in a heartbeat.
February 27th, 2010 at 12:50 am
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