Toronto Maple Leafs: 2009 Draft Analysis

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Positive: Blacker plays a great positional game and he makes smart defensive choices. He’s rarely caught out of position, which allows him to avoid taking reactionary penalties. Jesse has good size and he’s a great team player who will do whatever it takes to defend his teammates. He’s also a homegrown defenseman with a Memorial Cup.

Negative: Blacker is still very raw and he needs another year or two in junior and one or two years in the AHL to improve his overall game.

Player Comparison: Adam Foote, Ken Daneyko, Colin White, Richard Matvichuk, Jay McKee

NHL Potential: Top four defenseman

Tommy G’s Rating: 7/10

Jaime Devane

Left Wing

Born Feb. 20, 1991—Mississauga, ONT

Height 6' 4"—Weight 212 lbs.—Shoots L

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs Third Round No. 68 overall 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Positive: Devane has the potential to be a power forward, but at the moment he has been described as nothing more than a heavy weight goon. He has excellent size and strength which can’t hurt at the NHL level. Especially, when their Northeast Division rivals have players like Milan Lucic and Zach Kassian.

Negative: He desperately needs to improve his skating ability if wants to develop into anything more than a fighter.

Player Comparison: Derek Boogaard

NHL Potential: Third or fourth line checker and enforcer

Tommy G’s Rating: 5.5/10

Eric Knodel

Defense

Born June 8, 1990—West Chester, PA

Height 6'6"—Weight 216 lbs.

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs Fifth Round No. 128 overall 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Positive: Knodel has exceptional size for a defenseman and his offensive abilities are actually surprising. The Leafs might have a gem on their hands if he develops properly in the next three to four years.

Negative: Knodel is very raw. He will need to develop in a more competitive league to really show people whether he is capable of producing offensively at the NHL level.

Player Comparison: Kyle McLaren, Mike Komisarek

NHL Potential: Top six defenseman

Tommy G’s Rating: 6/10

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