It appears that the players on the on the Maple Leafs‘ NHL roster aren’t the only ones in the organization stirring up news. Both of the Leafs‘ 2nd round selections from the 2009 NHL Entry Draft this past June, winger Kenny Ryan and defenseman Jesse Blacker are reportedly on the move, ironically in different directions out of the revolving door that is the Windsor Spitfires.
Winger Kenny Ryan has apparently decided to forego his commitment to Boston College and will instead opt to join the defending Memorial Cup champion Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Ryan will provide another weapon for the Spitfires’ high octane offense, which ranked 1st in the OHL with 62 goals through just 12 games played. Ryan had been skating alongside fellow Leafs‘ prospect Jimmy Hayes during two exhibition games, but had failed to record a point. There is no word yet regarding the reasons for Ryan’s surprise departure.
However, as soon as Kenny seemed to check into Windsor, it appears that defenseman Jesse Blacker is on the way out. Coming off a strong season as the Spitfires’ defensive rock during their Memorial Cup run, it was expected that Blacker would see himself earn a top pairing role on this year’s club and increased powerplay time. However, the return of 2009 1st round pick Ryan Ellis and arrival 2010 projected lottery pick Cam Fowler has choked up much of Blacker’s potential minutes. As a result, the Windsor Star is reporting that Jesse Blacker has demanded a trade out of Windsor because he is seeking to play a more prominent role. GM Warren Rychel confirms that 6 teams have already expressed interest in the young defender and early rumors have him going to the Saginaw Spirit, a division rival of the Spitfires. Blacker has recorded 3 assists and 12 PIM’s through 9 games played thus far for Windsor.
alex.tran@www.mapleleafshotstove.com
