Luke Schenn
Cross-posted: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16813&blogger_id=48
I'm approaching the upcoming campaign with a win-win mentality.
Should the Maple Leafs dwell in the bottom five as virtually assured by Toronto media types, the opportunity to import a premier prospect to join Luke Schenn atop the prospect ranks will obviously be a major boost to a re-tooling club in the midst of its youth movement. [more…]
Schenn will play for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
I'm as sure of this as I am that Carlo Calaiacovo will get injured. While there is an abundance of defensemen competing for the two available positions (Kaberle, Kubina, Finger and Frogren will form the Leafs' top 4), Schenn will, at some point, stand-out from the majority of the group. Whether it's in training camp or mid-way through the season, as soon he joins the team he'll stay there for the remainder.
Before Schenn arrived, Anton Stralman was the Leafs' best defensive prospect. Now, however, things have changed. While Stralman is still shaping up to be a premium offensive defenseman, the Leafs haven't had a franchise caliber defender in quite some time.
Original post: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16747&blogger_id=48
The Battle of Ontario’s prospects ended in triumph for the Senators in an action-packed, end-to-end tilt featuring 12 goals split 7-5.
The night started brightly for the Maple Leafs following Phil Oreskovic’s bout with Geoff Waugh three seconds after puck drop that was seemingly a spill-over of bad blood from last AHL season and/or an arrangement made in warm up. Off an early face-off in the Sens’ zone, Darryl Boyce drew the puck back to 5th overall pick Luke Schenn who fanned on his point-shot only [more…]
On Draft Day '08, the Toronto Maple Leafs made the bold move of trading up from the 7th selection to grab Kelowna Rockets defenseman Luke Schenn 5th overall.
Leaf fans have been waiting a long, long time for a young franchise calibre to fall into their lap, and they may finally have found one in Luke. Heading into the draft weekend, Schenn had the presitigious honor of being lumped together into the group of elite four defensemen, who along with Stamkos, highlighted the top of this year's draft class. Luke was proclaimed the most NHL ready and defensively sound blueliner among the group, but his supposed lack of an offensive game has caused some fans to label him as nothing more than a defensive stay-at-home defenseman. [more…]
Rebuild.
That was the game plan going in to the off-season after another abysmal season from our boys in Blue and White.
Given this arduous task was veteran GM Cliff Fletcher. I mean, it's not every day that MLSE realize their failure and place this kind of responsibility on their GM (or… is it?).
Fletcher got to work right away, trading a 3rd round selection in the 2008 draft for Jamal Mayers. While this received mixed reception, the presence of Mayers to the Leafs' now young line-up is going to add some leadership to a team sorely lacking it.
Every professional hockey organization, particularly one in the Leafs' current plight, must exhaust every possible avenue when it comes to importing young talent into their system.
In addition to the chance to evaluate the progress of your developing prospects front-and-centre, the upcoming rookie tournament provides a valuable opportunity to invite undrafted youngsters for a 3 game trial run. Last year this event proved fruitful for the Maple Leafs, who uncovered a hidden gem by the name of Darryl Boyce. The Summerside native was already preparing for life-after-hockey at the University of New Brunswick when, after a fantastic championship-winning campaign with U of NB he was signed to a minor-league contract and invited by John Ferguson Jr. to play in the 2007 rookie tournament in Kitchener. [more…]
*Sunday Morning Update: Nothing ground-breaking here, but Fletcher told me via e-mail this morning that there were no new developments in Friday's meeting between himself, Mats Sundin and agent J.P Barry. "Mats is going to take his time." It's expected that Fletcher clarified his position by reaffirming that Sundin was welcome back, with a reported $7 million, 1 year deal still on the table. Alex Tran will be checking in with his first blog sometime today. [more…]
*Update: Cliff Fletcher just reported to me via e-mail that getting Luke Schenn under contract is "not necessarily" his next focus.
Two more highly-coveted young [more…]
