Garrett Bauman
We’ve partnered up with Pension Plan Puppets to bring to you a Player Review series, where we will be evaluating and grading the 2009-10 season for every Leaf who featured in a significant number of games for the Blue and White last season, with an eye towards 2010-11.Today we feature Mikhail Grabovski, profiled by Garrett Bauman.
The Summary:
Talented albeit inconsistent, Grabovski has held down the second-line centre job in Toronto for two seasons, with mixed results. A flashy player who scored 20 goals in his rookie season, Grabovski's tenure in Toronto has featured as many moments of offensive brilliance as head-scratching decisions (both on the ice and off).
Listed at 5'11" and a generous 182 lbs, the feisty 26 year-old Belarussian plays a much more aggressive style than his size would indicate. Although he has done a passable job in the #2 centre role, questions remain as to whether he fits GM Brian Burke's long-term vision of the club. Under contract for two more years, the enigmatic forward may find himself on the trading block should a top centre become available (via trade or FA) to the Maple Leafs.
We’ve partnered up with Pension Plan Puppets to bring to you a Player Review series, where we will be evaluating and grading the 2009-10 season for every Leaf who featured in a significant number of games for the Blue and White last season, with an eye towards 2010-11.Today we feature Luca Caputi, profiled by Garrett Bauman.
The Summary:
One of the Penguins' highest-ranked prospects, 21-year old Toronto native Luca Caputi was acquired by the Maple Leafs on the eve of the Trade Deadline in exchange for long-serving winger Alexei Ponikarovsky.
Caputi's acquisition was another in a long line of moves by GM Brian Burke designed to (a) clean house, and (b) add young players with upside who can contribute immediately.
To Caputi's credit, the early returns have been positive the 6'3, 200lb winger can develop into a regular contributor, although with only 28 NHL games under his belt (19 with the Maple Leafs), it is difficult to gauge on what his ultimate role, or impact, will be. The 2010-11 season should provide a crucial indication of his NHL future.
AM 640 radio personality and co-host of the "Bill Watters Show", Greg Brady, will be taking part in this year's Ride To Conquer Cancer benefiting the Campbell Family Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital.
Participants will cycle from Toronto to Niagara Falls over the weekend of June 12-13 in an effort to raise awareness for, and donations toward, the ongoing development of research, instructional practices, and compassionate care at the renowned Princess Margaret, one of the top five cancer research hospitals in the world.
Though the news in Leaf Nation has been relatively quiet of late, there have been a few intriguing storylines making the rounds. Joel Champagne will re-enter the draft, Nik Kulemin and the Maple Leafs have hit a contract impasse, Tomas Kaberle is reportedly gathering interest from a number of teams, and a member of the Toronto media raised a few eyebrows with a blog post regarding the relationship between Dion Phaneuf and Ron Wilson.
In the second installment of the Prospect Season In Review, we will take a look at a couple of Maple Leafs prospects who have proven a positive product of the John Ferguson Jr / Cliff Fletcher draft era.
Profiles in this segment include German DEL winger Jerome Flaake and defender Korbinian Holzer, as well as a prospect closer to home: Windsor Spitfires winger Dale Mitchell.
Things may be relatively quiet in Leafs Nation these days, but that doesn't mean there has been a lack of excitement elsewhere in the NHL.
As such, here are a few quick takes on some of the headlines dominating the NHL landscape these days (including the Phoenix Coyotes situation, the Patrice Cormier charges, and Willie Mitchell's controversial comments), as well as a quick glance at the nearly-completed 2nd round of the NHL playoffs.
Administrative note: Can't believe we missed this, but I never activated the registration component of the new MLHS. My sincere apologies to anyone who has attempted to register since the relaunch. You can now do so here. This is also a call out to all of you lurkers to register and get in on the discussion... now that you are physically able to.
For those who are interested, the good folks at capgeek.com have listed contract details for newest Leafs Ben Scrivens and Jussi Rynnas. Details are posted after the jump. [more…]
Something I noticed in the HF Prospect Rankings which were released the other day, was a note about Phillipe Paradis being ineligible to play for the AHL Marlies next season.
Judging by the inbox, a few others noticed it too, so I did some digging to find out exactly what the AHL player eligibility requirements are for NHL prospects.
Now that the Leafs' most important pending free agent -- goaltender Jonas Gustavsson -- has been signed to a two-year contract extension, it is time to take a look at their remaining free agent players.
Notably, the list of expiring contracts includes pending RFAs Nikolai Kulemin, Christian Hanson and John Mitchell. Pending UFAs on the Leafs' roster include Wayne Primeau, Rickard Wallin, Jamie Lundmark, Garnet Exelby and Mike Van Ryn.
Per TSN, the Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed in principle to a 2 year contract with pending-RFA goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. The contract is said to be worth $2.7 million in total (avg $1.35 million per season).
Gustavsson, originally signed to a 1 year contract, struggled somewhat during the first half of a season marred by heart surgery and the inevitable adjustment period required with not only a new league, but a new culture as well. As the season progressed, so too did Gustavsson's consistency and poise. As his comfort level grew, fans began to witness what all the hype had been about, his performance culminating with a 7-game winning stretch during the month of March (7-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .929 SV %).
For the season, Gustavsson finished with a winning record of 16-15-9, posting a 2.87 GAA and .902 SV %.
As you are no doubt well aware, the NHL draft lottery will be held tonight in New York to determine the order of the 14 non-playoff teams heading into the June 25-26 draft in Los Angeles. You can catch coverage of the lottery at 8pm on TSN.
Update
And the winner is ... Edmonton. Â Leafs fans, prepare yourselves to endure "Kessel Trade" debates for the better part of the next decade.
Last night, the London Knights - and Leafs prospect Nazem Kadri - were eliminated from the OHL playoffs in a Game 7 blowout at the hands of the Kitchener Rangers.
For his part, Kadri makes his playoff exit as the OHL's post-season scoring leader with a remarkable 9 goals and 18 assists in 12 games.
The Kitchener Rangers will now move on to face the defending-champ Windsor Spitfires, whose own lineup features a couple of Leafs' prospects: forwards Dale Mitchell and Kenny Ryan (pictured).
