Both players aged out this time around and werent able to return with Finland to the tournament being held in Moncton and Halifax leaving the hopes of the Maple Leafs having representation at the tournament on the shoulders of their more recent prospects. Tverberg is a dual citizen, and many thought he had a better shot of making the Team USA roster than he did the Team Canada one. It will be easier to go there because you have a good friend with you, said Niemel, standing with Hirvonen in the media centre at Rogers Place. He led the Tigers in scoring with 76 points, including 35 goals, in 63 games last year, and has four goals and 10 assists in nine games this season. To order copies of Its not usual to go at the same time with a good friend.. To order copies of With the calendar turning over to 2023 and the World Juniors signaling the unofficial halfway point in the hockey calendar, it's an excellent time to reassess the Leafs' prospect pipeline. The 18-year-old has five goals and four assists in 21 games for Assat in Finlands top league. Nick Moldenhauer is another long shot to make Team Canada, but he is leading the USHL in goals and is second in points right now with 10 goals and 18 points in 13 games. Toronto Maple Leafs After the COVID-19 forced the cancelation of the 2022 World Juniors last winter, the tournament will be restarted on Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta. As such, perhaps that sort of thinking no longer rings true. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images). Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Also as predicted, Hirvonen has been a key player for Finland as well. ", How acquired: Selected with No. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. As I wrote about the other day, the Toronto Maple Leafs have three. Leading the OHL in goals per game might be enough to at least get him a look. I also predicted big performances from all three. Its the luck of the draw. Niemela, who plays for Oulun Karpat of Finlands SM-Liiga, is currently seventh in league scoring with 24 points in 30 games. These were the players we came up with. On the other side of the trade, Rittich played just four games for the Maple Leafs going 1-1-1 with a 2.72 goals against average (GAA) and .888 save percentage (SV%). He saw time on their penalty kill and on the powerplay, suggesting that he is certainly well-rounded and able to adapt to the different roles, despite his youth and the fact hes playing against men. After winning every game in the preliminary round, USA was upset by Czechia in the quarter finals while Finland won the silver metal after taking Canada to overtime in the gold medal game. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Here is a breakdown of the Maple Leafs prospects at this years tournament: Drafted: 2020 (first round, 15th overall). Here's this week's look at some of the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects and how they're doing at the major junior level. He went on to play 15:17 in the 3-2 win over Slovakia. He certainly is undersized but with any luck that isnt going to hold the 19 year-old back from one day cracking the Toronto Maple Leafs roster. Hes the former play-by-play voice of the London Jr. Knights for Rogers TV and currently hosts the Sticks in the 6ix podcast. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. . Whats more is that the team only had the one selection in the first four rounds in 2021, which certainly doesnt help the case of having a top-end player from any country when it comes to this best-on-best set-up. Niemela is a 19-year-old defenseman from Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga (Finnish Elite League). "He played exceptionally well for them," Dubas said of Holmberg's brief AHL stint. Hirvonen, what a great player, unbelievable. Breaking ankles, scoring goals.Typical Saturday night for @Matthew_Knies pic.twitter.com/3jEZtTDXLl. Thats it so far, hopefully we get answers about the USA team soon and they can play their next game against Sweden on Wednesday at 9:30pm est. They've known each other since they were kids. He finished last season with 21 points in 54 games for Assat of the same league, and hes on pace to crush his career high, so it would appear switching teams was the best thing for the Maple Leafs 2020 second round pick. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has extended his home point streak to 19 games - a new franchise record - after assisting in the Auston Matthews goal in the second period of the game . The Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 fifth-round (153rd overall) pick has. He would have missed the start of training camp. (Hirvonen) can be good on the power player and everything else. Despite winning both contests, its been slightly underwhelming for our pair of Fins after two games: As predicted, Niemela has been a key player for Finland at this tournament so far. This is the most exciting time of the year for everyone that loves hockey.. Tverberg getting chosen by Team Canada for the 2022 World Junior Championship was a bit of a surprise. The Toronto Maple Leafs had three prospects playing in the tournament: Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemel played for Team Finland, and Matthew Knies played on one of the Team USA rosters. Here is a look at each of those four prospects. "Physically, he is very imposing. As good as Akhtyamov has been in the KHL and two lower leagues, hes not expected to get much ice time in the tournament with teammate Yaroslav Askarov seen as the next big thing in goaltending. Hirvonen is five-foot-nine, an inch shorter than Granlund, but a terrific playmaker with a high hockey IQ. He competed (in the world juniors) last year. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be on hiatus, but some of their prospects are keeping busy at the World Juniors. While a majority of. Enter Search Term. He is not as good a skater as Makar, but some day hes going to be a power player and a penalty-killing defenceman, Pennanen said. The Flames used it to take Aidan Thompson with the 90th overall pick and retained 50 percent of Rittichs contract. At this years tournament, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have four prospects taking part. World Juniors; Football. Matthew Knies was expected to. The 5-10, 177-pounder scored 55 goals in 46 games in his final year with Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20 and will be looked upon to provide offense in the NHL this season. Andrew is in his 8th year reporting for The Hockey Writers covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I thought within his game, he always had his strong attributes," Toronto AHL coach Greg Moore said. Today, the top five prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to NHL.com. Hes also logging big minutes comparatively, playing 14:17 in their first game and 15:17 in their second game. Toronto Maple Leafs news fromFanSided Daily, Toronto Maple Leafs Put Streak on the Line vs Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson InjuredAgain. Toronto Maple Leafs: What Is Nick Robertson's Role Next Season? His combination of size and skill make him an integral part of the team, and theres no doubt in my mind that hell be utilized as such. This is a great opportunity to compare him against his peers, the top players in his own age group. Its hard to be optimistic about the draft when you sacrifice your picks for assets in hopes of a deep playoff run each year, only to be let down seven games in. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson will unfortunately have zero impact on the 2022-23 season, as he underwent shoulder surgery, ultimately keeping him out six months. All three of the Leafs' prospects at the 2022 world juniors are likely to play impactful roles. Lilley says: He just doesnt make a lot of mistakes. He has been writing about sports since 2015 and has been with The Hockey Writers since October of 2020. Toronto Maple Leafs: Will Any of These Marlies Make the Jump. The Leafs didnt draft any Canadians among their six picks in 2019, and only two of their 12 picks from 2020 were Canadian. All Alan Millar calls Ryan Tverberg (TOR) one of the two most improved players in the Hockey Canada program during the evaluation process this year. He plays for HIFK in Liiga this season after spending the previous two seasons playing for Assat. He's putting up nearly a point a game in the minors and showed well . He began his broadcasting with CBCs Hockey Night in Canada team as well as being part of their coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. 159 pick in 2018 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: Vaxjo (SHL): 46 GP, 11-30-41; Toronto (AHL): 6 GP, 2-2-4. Nick Robertson will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Here, Rasmus Sandin starts the breakout on the powerplay and it leads to a nice chance for the Leafs 2018 6th round pick Pontus Holmberg. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Through three games in the KHL, he has a .904 save percentage, in eight games in the second division, he has a .935 save percentage, and three games at the junior level, he has a .926 save percentage. The Markham, Ont., native had a goal and an assist to hit the 500-point mark in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Niemel picked up an assist in Mondays loss to Canada, his fourth of the tournament. Now, surely we cant pretend to assume Thompson wouldve been a World Junior star, but the fact is the Maple Leafs moved another top three-round pick for a mediocre acquisition. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Topi Niemela has his first point at the 2022 World Junior Championship when he and fellow Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen assisted on Aatu Raty's goal in the third period . Ovchinnikov was one of the stories of Toronto's prospect pool last year, putting up a massive season in the MHL with 20 goals and 31 assists in just 40 games. Right now, there is already a log-jam of defensemen in the line-up, though the fact he shoots right might very well smooth his path to the Leafs. With Seattle Kraken prospect Matthew Beniers and Calgary Flames prospect Matthew Coronato set to lead the charge for the States, Knies has an opportunity to step into a big secondary role for the United States. This is the player with the most assists in the whole of the CHL, not just the OHL. #Leafs #LeafsForever, Maple Leafs Acquire Matt Murray & Draft Picks For Future Considerations, Maple Leafs Commentary: Matt Murray, Goalie Solution or Mrazek Mistake. Lilley says: Hes a steady guy. He's played primarily in the VHL for Ak Bars, where he has a .910 sv% in. And he has improved his game a lot since last year, and especially skating. Hes a 19-year-old playing in one of the top leagues in the world. His OHL lead in scoring had shrunk to 4 points with Pavel Mintyukov on his heels. They selected him with the #213th overall pick in that draft. Hes working on his defence. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. They selected him with the #64th overall pick. The Toronto Maple Leafs (25-9-7) hit the road to battle the Detroit Red WIngs (17-15-7) Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit in a battle between Original Six foes. Of the four Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that did get selected, there will be three countries represented. All three players have aged out and are ineligible for this years tournament. Related: Maple Leafs Draft Picks That Got Away. Matthew Knies out of the University of Minnesota gets the ball rolling as Toronto's first untouchable prospect. He also makes weekly appearances on THWs Maple Leafs Lounge Roundtable. If you care about the team with the maple leaf on its jersey, youll be watching Canada at the world junior hockey tournament. Fraser Minten is staring out the window of a Sandman Hotel in Prince George, B.C. by . While no Maple Leafs prospects will be representing Team Canada this year, they will have some representation in North America. Moldenhauer was up against tough competition to even get an invite to the Canadian camp and their fourth-round pick Dennis Hildeby was an overager when the Maple Leafs selected him 122nd overall in 2022. The move was to acquire Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen for a run in the playoffs. Lets hope he can pick up his offensive production over the next few games and lets hope Finland can finish in the gold medal game. In both games hes logged over 21:30, logging 22:11 against Austria even though he took two minor penalties. Topi Niemela - Finland - The Finnish born defenseman was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 64th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He makes a good first pass and jump into the play. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. 5 Maple Leafs' Prospects Flying Under the Radar January 5, 2023 by Peter Baracchini Compared to the other teams in the league the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool isn't as strong. Prospect Pool Overview: Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs have some notable names in the prospect pipeline. That interested fans were more focused on the 2023 draft eligibles with the hopes of getting an early glimpse at some of the names the Leafs may target this June. Also, it just broke today that they will forfeit their second game as there has been more than one player who has tested positive for Covid-19. Recently named captain of the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, Abramov has matured as both a scorer and a leader. Last time round they found themselves eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Czechia and it wouldnt be entirely surprising to see a similar result this time, especially given the insistence on not picking a squad of best possible options. While we all know the health concerns around Amirov, both Hirvonen and Niemel played for their country at the World Junior tournament on multiple occasions with Niemel even being recognized as the tournaments top defenceman in 2021, earning bronze in 2021 and silver at the 2022 tournament. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Niemela is one of two Toronto prospects representing Team Finland at the World Junior Championship. Lilley says: Hes playing in three different leagues, but quite frankly hes doing his part in stopping the puck. Alex Hobson is a writer and a radio producer for 610 CKTB. "We feel he'll challenge for the roster here.". Hes 18 but I think he should be another guy that plays a pretty prominent role on their team. As I mentioned earlier, Maple Leafs 2020 seventh round pick Ryan Tverberg was among the last cuts for Team Canada, which largely had to do with the emergence of Bedard at selection camp. He scored in all three games and was named MVP at the Karjala Cup as Russias under-20 team beat senior teams from Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic. Komarov is 5-foot-10 and 213 pounds. 648 The rearranged World Juniors give everyone a chance to get a dose of hockey this summer, not in the least Toronto Maple Leafs fans wholl have high expectations. There would have been one more, American Nick Robertson, but the Leafs decided to keep the 19-year-old in Toronto to prepare for the upcoming NHL season, with training camp opening Jan. 3. American Matt Knies is the other. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. 2022 World Junior Championship Team Canada Final Roster, 2022 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster, Capitals Ties With Russia Run Deeper Than Ovechkin, Kings Have Several Options to Replace Edler. Its telling that the Team USA roster has all but completely shunned the CHL (only 2 call-ups play in the CHL). "They finished the season in first place with a record of 32-15-13 for 77 points . Clearly a trade the Maple Leafs brass would like back considering the Blue Jackets used the first-rounder to select Corson Ceulemans with the 25th overall pick. Of our readers and are ineligible for this years tournament: Drafted: 2020 ( first round, 15th )! Sort of thinking no longer rings true in the 6ix podcast, youll be watching Canada the. 153Rd overall ) pick has on their Team with a record of 32-15-13 for 77.... 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