The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced their 2015 training camp roster consisting of 73 players.
It includes the last-minute addition of former Leaf Mark Fraser on a player tryout agreement, the fourth PTO the Leafs will have in camp.
Mark Fraser signed to PTO
In his 2012-13 season with the Leafs, Mark Fraser posted a PDO-fuelled (106.6) +18 plus/minus in a half-season playing on the bottom pair with Cody Franson. Despite limited skills and footspeed, he won over some fans that season with his physical play, leading the Leafs blueline with 153 hits and dropping the mitts nine times in 45 games.
Randy Carlyle arguably used him in a shutdown role and played him over 17 minutes a game.
This brutal injury ended his year in Game 4 of the playoff series versus the Bruins; unbelievably, Fraser got up:
Fraser has only played 76 NHL games in the three years since, with stops in Edmonton (re-united with head coach Dallas Eakins) and most recently a return to his draft team in the New Jersey Devils. His 34 appearances for the Devils in 2014-15 were his highest NHL total since the lockout year. That’s not a lot of hockey, as he’s battled a bunch of injuries and been scratched regularly when healthy.
Fraser has been a warrior who’s had to battle for every NHL paycheque, but he’s objectively no longer an NHL defenceman, and with a crowded blueline it’s unlikely he can fall anywhere inside the Leafs‘ top ten. There’s eight regular NHLers competing for spots, with Scott Harrington and Stuart Percy knocking at the door trying to break into regular NHL duty. Frankly, he’d be in the way if signed, especially considering Babcock emphasizes playing defence fast and covets mobile puckmovers on the blueline.
Fraser and Lamoriello have a relationship dating back to when Lamoriello drafted Fraser in the third round of the 2005 entry draft. It’s obvious Mike Babcock is looking dial up the competition level and the intensity in camp; in addition to a favour to an old footsoldier of Lou’s, that’s probably all there is to this move.
Notes:
- Update: The charts below have been updated to reflect the Michael Grabner trade.
I - The height/weight info, sourced from the Leafs‘ official site, has Mitch Marner listed at 6’0.
I - Among those signed by the Leafs to NHL contracts, the only notable – but not unexpected – absence is Swedish forward Andreas Johnson, who, after signing a three-year entry-level NHL contract in June, is honouring his commitment in Frolunda for another year.
I - Defenceman Nikolas Brouillard, rookie tournament standout, is out 4-6 weeks with an injury sustained versus the baby Pens and can’t participate in the main camp.
I - Among the unfamiliar names on the roster who weren’t at the rookie camp and aren’t newcomers on AHL deals: Defenceman Justin Holl was a second round pick of the Blackhawks in 2010 who went unsigned after his first year pro (U of Minnesota product). He primarily spent last season in the ECHL. Winger Eric Faille, 26, is a graduate of the University of Moncton who split last season between the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL and the Texas Stars of the AHL.
I - Defenceman Max Nicastro, a third round pick of the Red Wings in 2009, spent the back half of last season with the Solar Bears after 26 games in the Slovakian league.
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - ForwardsPLAYER | HT | WT | SHOT | BIRTHPLACE |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Arcobello | 5'9 | 188 | R | Milford. CT |
Casey Bailey | 6'2 | 204 | R | Anchorage, AK |
Michael Grabner | 6'0 | 185 | L | Villach, Austria |
Brad Boyes | 6'0 | 195 | R | Mississauga. ON |
Tyler Bozak | 6'1 | 195 | R | Regina. SK |
Connor Brown | 6'0 | 190 | R | Toronto. ON |
Sam Carrick | 6'1 | 207 | R | Stouffville, ON |
Richard Clune | 5'10 | 213 | L | Toronto, ON |
Martins Dzierkals | 5'11 | 170 | L | Riga, Latvia |
Eric Faille | 6'0 | 180 | R | Lachine, QC |
T.J. Foster | 5'11 | 180 | R | Slave Lake, AB |
Matt Frattin | 6'0 | 205 | R | Edmonton, AB |
Byron Froese | 6'1 | 204 | R | Winkler, MB |
Frederik Gauthier | 6'5 | 234 | L | Laval, QC |
Curtis Glencross | 6'1 | 200 | L | Kindersley, SK |
Peter Holland | 6'2 | 194 | L | Toronto. ON |
Zach Hyman | 6'1 | 205 | R | Toronto, ON |
Justin Johnson | 6'1 | 230 | R | Anchorage, AK |
Michael Joly | 5'11 | 170 | L | Gatineau, QC |
Nazem Kadri | 6'0 | 195 | L | London, ON |
Kasperi Kapanen | 6'1 | 180 | R | Kuopio, FIN |
Leo Komarov | 5'11 | 200 | L | Narva, EST |
Josh Leivo | 6'2 | 195 | R | Innisfil, ON |
Brendan Leipsic | 5'10 | 180 | L | Winnipeg, MB |
Joffrey Lupul | 6'1 | 206 | R | Fort. Sask., AB |
Mitchell Marner | 6'0 | 170 | R | Thornhill, ON |
Shawn Matthias | 6'4 | 223 | L | Mississauga. ON |
William Nylander | 6'0 | 188 | R | Calgary, AB |
Richard Panik | 6'1 | 205 | L | Matin, Slovakia |
PA Parenteau | 6'0 | 195 | R | Hull, QC |
Jack Rodewald | 6'3 | 194 | R | Winnipeg, MB |
Matt Rupert | 5'10 | 188 | L | Grand Bend, ON |
Ryan Rupert | 5'10 | 186 | L | Grand Bend, ON |
Devin Setoguchi | 6'0 | 200 | R | Taber, AB |
Nikolai Skladnichenko | 6'0 | 200 | L | Monino, Russia |
Nikita Soshnkov | 5'11 | 185 | L | Nizhny Tagil, Russia |
Nick Spaling | 6'1 | 201 | L | Palmerston, ON |
Dmytro Timashov | 5'10 | 190 | L | Kirovograd, Ukraine |
Brady Vail | 6'1 | 195 | L | Palm City, FL |
James van Riemsdyk | 200 | L | Middletown, NJ | |
Daniel Winnik | 6'2 | 207 | L | Toronto, ON |
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - DefencePLAYER | HT | WT | SHOT | BIRTHPLACE |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brennan, T.J. | 6'1 | 215 | L | Willingboro, NJ |
Campbell, Andrew | 6'4 | 215 | L | Caledonia, ON |
Dermott, Travis | 6'0 | 200 | L | Newmarket, ON |
Desrocher, Stephen | 6'4 | 210 | L | Toronto, ON |
Donaghey, Cody | 61 | 195 | R | St. John's, NL |
Fraser, Mark | 6'4 | 224 | L | Ottawa, ON |
Gardiner, Jake | 6'2 | 190 | L | Minnetonka. MN |
Granberg, Petter | 6'3 | 205 | R | Galtritaro. Swedon |
Harrington, Scott | 6'2 | 205 | L | Kingston. ON |
Holl, Justin | 6'2 | 200 | R | Tonka Bay. MN |
Hunwick, Matt | 5'11 | 200 | L | Warren. AU |
Jamieson, Aiden | 6'2 | 188 | R | Lindsay. ON |
Loov, Victor | 6'2 | 210 | L | Sodertallo. Sweden |
Marincin, Martin | 6'4 | 210 | L | Kosice. Slovakia |
Nicastro, Max | 6'3 | 225 | R | Thousand Oaks. CA 01/0240 |
Nielson, Andrew | 6'3 | 210 | R | Rod Ooor. AS |
Percy, Stuart | 6'1 | 195 | L | Oaktollo. ON |
Phaneuf, Dion | 6'3 | 223 | L | Edmonton. AB |
Polak, Roman | 6'1 | 235 | R | Neon. Czech Ropubho 04/28/86 |
Rielly, Morgan | 6'1 | 205 | L | Vancowor, BC |
Robidas, Stephane | 511 | 195 | R | Slsorbrooke. QC |
Valiev, Rinat | 63 | 213 | L | Nizhnokarnsk, Russia |
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - GoaltendersGOALTENDERS | HT | WT | CATCH | BIRTHPLACE | BORN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bernier, Jonathan | 6'0 | 185 | L | Laval, QC | 08/07/88 |
Bibeau, Antoine | 6'2 | 210 | L | Victoriaville, QC | 05/01/94 |
Madore, Rob | 5'11 | 188 | L | Pittsburgh, PA | 05/28/88 |
Peressini, Lucas | 6'3 | 195 | I. | Nobleton, ON | 03/09/95 |
Reimer, James | 6'2 | 210 | L | Morweena, MB | 03/15/88 |
Sparks, Garret | 6'2 | 205 | L | Elmhurst. IL | 06/28/93 |