He has been writing about sports since 2015 and has been with The Hockey Writers since October of 2020. You can follow him on Twitter at @AndrewGForbes. We look forward to seeing him in this tournament. . The 20-year-old is under contract with HIFK in Finland's top professional league but it's still undetermined whether he'll return this season. All rights reserved. The Maple Leafs' rebuild is off to a good start following the Mike Babcock hiring. EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Joel Mtt #32, Topi Niemel #7 and Roni Hirvonen #22 of Finland celebrate a goal against Austria in the third period during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 27, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. Nick Robertson will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution 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. Topi Niemela got drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. The 2023 edition of the World Junior U20 Championship to this point has gone off without a hitch that is, aside from the handful of upsets that have seemingly overtaken the group stages early on. Topi Niemela (TOR) scores his first goal of the tournament. While Minten is proving to still be a reputable pick, the Blackhawks used the first-rounder to take Sam Rinzel 25th overall in 2022 and it was another first-round selection the Maple Leafs had to move to shed salary from a contract they signed. Additionally, he was able to notch roughly a point every second game in the Finnish Liiga also; again despite playing against much older competition. [Maple Leafs 32 in 32: Season preview | 3 Questions | Fantasy breakdown], How acquired: Selected with No. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen came up with a big performance to help his team pick up a win in their first game at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Matthew Knies (TOR) ties the game with a wicked snipe with nine seconds left in the third period. Hes working on his defence. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. 72. But the Leafs havent drafted a Canadian in the first round since taking Marner fourth overall in 2015. Hirvonen has had a great season to date with HIFK of Finlands SM-Liiga, with 18 points through 26 games thus far. Team Finland will play Germany in the tournaments first game on December 26th at 2 pm ET. Of course, were talking about Matthew Knies, wholl likely be starring in the United States top-six when they kick off their campaign versus Germany. Matthew Knies, F How. Giving him the fairest chance to make the Maple Leafs is the ultimate goal.. Here is a breakdown of the Maple Leafs prospects at this years tournament: Drafted: 2020 (first round, 15th overall). The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. He does everything on the ice. He got selected by Toronto with the #59th overall pick. . Those two names will both be appearing for Finland, both likely in high-profile roles, with Topi Niemel likely one of their top-pairing defensemen and Roni Hirvonen likely to be on the wing in the top-six as they open against Latvia. 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. 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. Toronto will have prospects representing Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Finland at this years World Junior Championship. Alan Millar calls Ryan Tverberg (TOR) one of the two most improved players in the Hockey Canada program during the evaluation process this year. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit has somehow been overlooked when it comes to the USA World Juniors camp. And while a strong tournament, as each of the Leafs' prospects are expected to have, doesn't. Hes only scored a single goal so far and no assists but this could change and things are clearly happening when hes on the ice as hes a +6 over the tournament as of now. But theres still time for that to change. He definitely deserves an invite to camp, but if he doesnt make the team this year, hes eligible for the 2024 tournament as well. 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%). Tony Ferrari takes a deep look at what the team's future looks. With 25-man rosters for. NHL Prospects; World Juniors; Merch Shop; CHL. Here's a look at the prospects and young players the Maple Leafs could offer in a trade deadline swap. He could make his NHL debut following the end of Minnesota's season. It was awesome to have a good buddy drafted by the same team, and hopefully well get to play there together, said Hirvonen, taken 59th overall in 2020. 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. Marat. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. They can make a good living and not have to learn a new language or new customs. He was invited to USAs camp in the summer and currently leads the OHL in points with 30 points in 16 games. The move was to acquire Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen for a run in the playoffs. 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. 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. He went on to play 15:17 in the 3-2 win over Slovakia. The Finnish national team picked. 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. Lightning. What gives Maple Leafs management reason for optimism was the point-per-game pace he put together in the AHL upon his return. Toronto Maple Leafs: Will Any of These Marlies Make the Jump. To order copies of Toronto Maple Leafs: High Expectations For Prospects at World Juniors EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Joel Mtt #32, Topi Niemel #7 and Roni Hirvonen #22 of Finland celebrate a goal. Fraser Minten drafted 38th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs Prospects Anthony Petrielli - Jul 8, 2022 A day after trading down, the Leafs have made their first selection in the. His OHL lead in scoring had shrunk to 4 points with Pavel Mintyukov on his heels. The club . No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. He needs to continue to work on his skating and mobility. Niemela will be defending his title as the top defenseman from last years tournament. There are six Leafs prospects at the world juniors in Edmonton three on the Russian team (forwards Rodion Amirov and Mikhail Abramov, and goalie Artur Akhtyamov) and three on Finland (defencemen Mikko Kokkonen and Topi Niemela and forward Roni Hirvonen). Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Lilley says: Hes playing in three different leagues, but quite frankly hes doing his part in stopping the puck. It was in his best interest and the best interest of everybody to give him the best opportunity to make the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lilley said. Its not usual to go at the same time with a good friend.. Nothing against him as a player, but Canada chose him over some other more suitable players. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ty Voit certainly looks to be another late-round draft steal; to have a fifth-round pick putting up a projected 121 points (per Elite Prospects) in the OHL certainly speaks to a smart pick. Brandon Lisowsky is having a great season so far with 8 goals and 18 points in 16 WHL games, but it doesnt seem good enough to garner much interest for Team Canada. These were the players we came up with. Ty Voit (#96) tallied another 2 assists over the weekend. Looking for him to play more, earn some special teams ice time, become more of a leader as a returning player., Drafted: 2020 (second round, 59th overall). Lilley says: Hes a steady guy. Ryan Tverberg is a 2020 seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "They finished the season in first place with a record of 32-15-13 for 77 points . The Los Angeles Kings have nine players in Edmonton, the Detroit Red Wings have seven prospects, followed by the Anaheim Ducks, the New Jersey Devils and the Leafs with six each. He's putting up nearly a point a game in the minors and showed well . Recently named captain of the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, Abramov has matured as both a scorer and a leader. He makes a good first pass and jump into the play. . Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. World Juniors: Maple Leafs Lack of Prospects a Sign of Sacrifice | Yardbarker The 2023 edition of the World Junior U20 Championship to this point has gone off without a hitch that. The Maple Leafs third-round pick in 2020 first made a name for himself at last years tournament, when he finished with eight points in seven games. Steeves was 2nd in the NCAA in primary even-strength points with 20, including 13 of his 15 goals. Today, the top five prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to NHL.com. And hes playing well. They grabbed notable names like Rodion Amirov in the first round, Roni Hirvonen in the second round and Topi Niemel in the third round. 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. ", How acquired: Selected with No. Hirvonen will be joining Niemela on Team Finland at the 2022 World Junior Championship. So what happened to the picks that couldve been? Maple Leafs Commentary: Will Dubas Target Darcy Kuemper? Roni Hirvonen puts Finland ahead 3-2 with just 23.3 seconds to go. He has an offensive game, yet he doesnt give up a lot of defensively., Drafted: 2019 (fourth round, 115th overall). In his superb oral history, The Toronto Maple Leafs, author Eric Zweig summed up what Bentley meant to the Leafs. Prospect Pool Overview: Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs have some notable names in the prospect pipeline. Just five picks before the Maple Leafs selected Niemela. ", Video: VAN@TOR: Robertson fires home a Nylander feed on rush, How acquired: Selected with No. The 20-year-old, under contract with Karpat in Finland's top professional league for another year, had six assists in seven games for Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and was voted the top defenseman at the 2021 World Juniors. 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. That said, the Maple Leafs do have five picks in the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft and have yet to move their first-round pick. Hes good defensively. 59 pick in 2020 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: HIFK (Liiga): 46 GP, 9-17-26. Expect him to slot right back into his role on Finlands top line and improve on last years tournament. 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. World Juniors; Football. Relatively unknown to the Leafs fan base, Amirov was a surprise pick. 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. Andrew is in his 8th year reporting for The Hockey Writers covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. Related: Maple Leafs Draft Picks That Got Away. With the departures of Lundell and Winnipeg Jets prospect Ville Heinola, who served as captain last year, Hirvonen will have some extra responsibility. I also predicted big performances from all three. Hes the former play-by-play voice of the London Jr. Knights for Rogers TV and currently hosts the Sticks in the 6ix podcast. Go To Comments. Torontos group of prospects include Matthew Knies, Topi Niemela, Roni Hirvonen, and Ryan Tverberg. Oilers News & Rumors: Kulak, Kane, Campbell, Keith, Brown, Deslauriers, 2022-23 Projections for the 4 Oilers Who Received Qualifying Offers, Montreal Canadiens 2023 Trade Deadline Preview, 3 Potential Trade Destinations for Panthers Sam Bennett, Oilers List of Blue Line Trade Targets Includes Surprising Names, Blackhawks Reichel, Domi, & Kurashevs Line Hints at Bright Future, Lightnings Western Conference Road Trip Will Test Team, Ex-Maple Leaf Ilya Mikheyev & His Season With the Canucks, Devils Depth Key to 2022-23 Playoff Appearance, Blues Contract for Schenn Could Impact OReilly Re-Signing. Despite his outstanding production at the junior level, he was unable to earn a legitimate look in the KHL until this season. As such, perhaps that sort of thinking no longer rings true. Related: 2022 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster. All If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Artur Akhtyamov (G) entered this season as arguably the Leafs' top goalie prospect, but his season has been up and down. And. Finland will have its sights set on Gold this year. Russia's forward group is also quite strong up the middle. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Niemela, who plays for Oulun Karpat of Finlands SM-Liiga, is currently seventh in league scoring with 24 points in 30 games. Lets also hope this doesnt effect any other team at the tournament either. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger had an impressive freshman season for the University of Minnesota, tallying 15 goals and 33 points in 33 games. While no Maple Leafs prospects will be representing Team Canada this year, they will have some representation in North America. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. They've known each other since they were kids. Finland coach Antti Pennanen said the comparison is warranted. TLN's 2022-23 Midseason Leafs Prospect Rankings: Prospects 20-16 Rounding out the back half of this countdown was difficult, as there isn't necessarily a ton separating most of the players in . Niemela is one of two Toronto prospects representing Team Finland at the World Junior Championship. 57 pick in 2021 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: University of Minnesota (NCAA): 33 GP, 15-18-33. He's played primarily in the VHL for Ak Bars, where he has a .910 sv% in. Noesen played just one game for the Maple Leafs in the regular season and ended up heading to Carolina the following season. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. rights reserved. Toronto Maple Leafs: What Is Nick Robertson's Role Next Season? With 16 points in 14 games for the University of Connecticut, Tverbergs development looks to be way ahead of schedule. The 19-year-old's ascension from second-round draft pick to point-a-game player in the NCAA was impressive enough to land him a spot representing the United States at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where he had a goal and an assist in four games. He covers the Toronto Maple Leafs, World Juniors, and the NHL Entry Draft, and is also part of the Sticks in the 6ix Podcast, presented by THW. Get a bit more ice time than he did last year, and take on a leadership role. Finally,Niemel is probably the hardest to predict. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Jan 10, 2023. Firstly, the Maple Leafs were so close to having a prospect in the tournament had Voit been considered for the U.S. team. Matthew Knies, Left-Wing, Age 20. Over the last 10 tournaments, the Leafs have sent only a handful of prospects to Canadas team at the world juniors: Nazem Kadri (2011), Morgan Rielly (2013), Frederik Gauthier (2014, 2015), Mitch Marner and Travis Dermott (2016), and goalie Ian Scott (2019). He was undrafted but signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an 18 year old after the 2021 NHL draft. Hirvonen is a centre, unafraid to compare his game to that of Mikael Granlund, a 10-year NHLer with Minnesota and Nashville. Related: 2023 Guide to the World Junior Championship. Lilley says: Our expectations for him is were hoping he has a prominent role in the Russian team. Hes a smart player, hes got excellent speed. The defenceman is five-foot-11, shoots right and models his game after Cale Makar, and the younger version of Erik Karlsson. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Man, oh man, has this kid ever been turning heads at the collegiate level. The Flames used it to take Aidan Thompson with the 90th overall pick and retained 50 percent of Rittichs contract. Now, the Americans have only played one game in the tournament so far. . (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). They selected him with the #213th overall pick in that draft. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto He has the tools to be a top-six winger at the NHL level, but with the right development, I could definitely see him assuming a role on the left side of the top line someday. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 fifth-round (153rd overall) pick has. The lack of picks, which we will get to in a moment, play a large part in the Maple Leafs not having a representative at the World Juniors in 2023. To order If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Niemela (5-11, 156) was viewed as a defensive defenseman when he was drafted by the Maple Leafs but has developed into a promising offensive force in his subsequent two seasons. Whatever the state of affairs within the United States hockey program, its a massive oversight to leave Ty Voit out. "We want him to dominate every time he steps on the ice," said Hayley Wickenheiser, the Maple Leafs assistant general manager of player development. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Lilley says: He just doesnt make a lot of mistakes. Republication or distribution of this content is The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers hit the ice in NHL play at Ball Arena on Tuesday, January 10 at 9:30 PM ET. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Still, no first round pick and just two of those picks came in the first three rounds with Fraser Minten going 38th overall in the second round and Nicholas Moldenhauer going 95th at the tail end of the third round. Hes got really good offensive instincts., Drafted: 2020 (fourth round, 106th overall). He has a very nice shot to go along with some sneaky speed for his size, and a solid physical game as well. The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of two teams without any representation at the 2023 World Junior Championship, with the Pittsburgh Penguins being the other. For starters, the 2021-22 campaign saw the Phoenix, Arizona native suit up for Team USA at the 2022 World Junior Hockey . 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. As for the main acquisition, Foligno, he played seven games during the regular season with four assists and four playoff games after suffering an injury. ", How acquired: Selected with No. The Leafs didnt draft any Canadians among their six picks in 2019, and only two of their 12 picks from 2020 were Canadian. Lets hope this doesnt derail USAs tournament as theyre poised to really make some noise and defend their gold medal from last year. This is the most exciting time of the year for everyone that loves hockey.. Leave a comment below and let me know. Toronto is encouraged by his combination of hustle and muscle (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and sees him as an effective NHL power forward after continued development in college. Oilers Have Made 3 Forwards Available for Trade Who Goes? The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today the club's 27-man roster that will participate in the 2022 Traverse City Prospect Tournament at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, MI. The ceiling for Hirvonen with the Maple Leafs might very well cap out at the third line, but if he can offer anything close to what Pierre Engvall does, while on a cheaper deal, the Leafs will be laughing. And he has improved his game a lot since last year, and especially skating. If he continues to progress, hell have a better shot at making the team the year. In the last Toronto Maple Leafs Draft Watch, we took a look at Juuso Valimaki. Still the tournament is off to a great start with a number of NHL prospects leading the charge and some 2023 NHL Draft eligibles making noise for their respective countries. 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. Akhtyamov is no slouch, though. TLN's 2022-23 Midseason Leafs Prospect Rankings: Prospects 10-6. has been on fire with the Sarnia Sting this season, Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects Update: Voit, Knies and Minten, Suns Wanted to Fight the Pelicans After Zion Williamson Threw Down an Unneccessary and Awesome 360 Dunk, Early World Juniors Predictions for Toronto Maple Leafs Prospects, Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Report: Steeves, Shaw, and Voit, Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltender Carousel Continues to Spin. 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.
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