Bleacher Report - Articles by Jack Porter

Toronto Maple Leafs: Top 10 Prospects

Jack Porter — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:27:16 -0400

1. Jonas Gustavsson

Position: Goalie

Nationality: Swedish

Age: 24

Acquired: Free Agent

Strengths: Three things you want in a goalie size, aggressive and technically sound.

Weaknesses: Has little to no experience against North American shooters.

NHL Comparison: Jonas Hiller

NHL Ready By: 2009 - 2010

2. Tyler Bozak

Position: Center

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 23

Acquired: Free Agent

Strengths: He is considered a goal scorer and has outstanding hockey smarts.

Weaknesses: Injury trouble and strength.

NHL Comparison: Paul Stastny

NHL Ready By: 2009 - 2010

3. Nazem Kadri

Position: Center

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 18

Acquired: 1st Rd, 7th Overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: A top notch playmaker who is willing to go into high traffic areas for the puck. May be better suited for the wing in the NHL.

Weaknesses: He'll need to get bigger and stronger to be NHL ready.

NHL Comparison: Marc Savard

NHL Ready By: 2010 - 2011

4. Mikhail Stefanovich

Position: Right Wing

Nationality: Belorussian

Age: 19

Acquired: 4th Rd, 98th Overall, 2008 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: Undoubtedly one of the top offensive prospects in the game today.

Weaknesses: Consistency, though he made strides towards correcting it this season, is still a major concern with Stefanovich.

NHL Comparison: Alexei Kovalev

NHL Ready By: Could suprise this year but likely 2010 - 2011

5. Viktor Stalberg

Position: Left Wing

Nationality: Swedish

Age: 23

Acquired: 6th Rd, 161st Overall, 2006 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: Big, strong skater with the ability to put the puck in the net.

Weaknesses: No glaring weaknesses but only time will tell if he's successful in the NHL.

NHL Comparison: Mike Modano - Lite

NHL Ready By: 2009 - 2010 but there may not be room for him on the roster

6. Jimmy Hayes

Position: Right Wing

Nationality: American

Age: 19

Acquired: 2nd Rd, 60th Overall, 2008 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: A big bodied forward with soft hands.

Weaknesses: Doesn't use his size all to well.

NHL Comparison: Jaromir Jagr - Lite

NHL Ready By: 2012 - 2013

7. Chris DiDomenico

Position: Center

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 20

Acquired: 6th Rd, 164th Overall, 2007 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: A good two-way center who can help on both sides of special teams.

Weaknesses: Size is a factor, Chris stands at 5'11" and 165 lbs.

NHL Comparison: John Madden

NHL Ready By: 2010 - 2011

8. Jesse Blacker

Position: Defense

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 18

Acquired: 2nd Rd, 58th Overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: A good two-way defenseman, may have more offensive upside than most scouts seem to think.

Weaknesses: Makes little mistakes sometimes, should disappear with development and maturity.

NHL Comparison: Carlo Colaiacovo

NHL Ready By: 2011 - 2012

9. Christian Hanson

Position: Right Wing

Nationality: American

Age: 23

Acquired: Free Agent

Strengths: Hanson is a physical, honest, hard working, defensively solid power forward with the ability to score and set up goals at any level.

Weaknesses: Hanson showed his nerves in his 5 games with the Leafs last season, but that will disappear with time. He needs to adjust to the speed change between college and the NHL before he finds himself in any everyday spot with the Leafs.

NHL Comparison: Scott Hartnell

NHL Ready By: 2009 - 2010

10. Kenny Ryan

Position: Right Wing

Nationality: American

Age: 18

Acquired: 2nd Rd, 50th Overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: Ryan's an aggressive power forward

Weaknesses: Size is a factor for a guy who plays a power forward game.

NHL Comparison: Chris Kunitz

NHL Ready By: 2012 - 2013

Honourable Mentions

Jerry D'Amigo
Joel Champagne
Carl Gunnarsson
Jerome Flaake
Robert Slaney
Dale Mitchell
Juraj Mikus

NHL Northeast Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs

Jack Porter — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:19:55 -0400

By beefing up his fourth line and defense core GM Brian Burke addressed his major concern about the Leafs and their lack of toughness. Burke also took a leap on Swedish goaltender Jonas Gustavsson in a hope he is able to be just as good in the NHL as in Sweden.

Burke, however, failed to add a top six forward to the mix prompting worries that the Leafs will not be able to score goals this coming season. All things considered, Burke did a good job for a first step in his rebuild of the Toronto Maple Leafs

General Manager

Brian Burke

Head Coach

Ron Wilson

Additions

Mike Komisarek D (FA, MON), Garnett Exelby D (Trade, ATL), Colten Orr F (FA, NYR), Jonas Gustavsson (FA, SWE), Francois Beauchemin (FA, ANA), Rickard Wallin F (FA, SWE), Wayne Primeau F (Trade, CAL), Joey Macdonald G (FA, NYI)

Subtractions

Pavel Kubina D (Trade, ATL), Tim Stapleton F (Trade, ATL), Anton Stralman D (Trade, CAL), Colin Stuart (Trade, CAL), Justin Pogge (Trade, ANA), Martin Gerber (FA, KHL),

Jamie Sifers D (FA, MIN), Jeremy Williams F (FA, DET), Kris Newbury F (FA, DET), Jamie Heward D (FA), Olaf Kozlig G (FA)

Top Goalie

Vesa Toskala

Top Forward(s)

Alexei Ponikarovsky, Jason Blake

Top Defenseman

Tomas Kaberle

Rookie To Watch

Tyler Bozak

Potential Training Camp Surprise(s)

Nazem Kadri, Mikhail Stefanovich

Projected Divisional Finish

Fifth Place

Maple Leafs Not Interested In Nikolai Zherdev, But Can They Still CAPITALize?

Jack Porter — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:21:57 -0400

Despite all the speculation that the Toronto Maple Leafs have interest in signing the offensively gifted Nikolai Zherdev, USA Today's Kevin Allen is reporting that Toronto GM Brian Burke has told him that he has "no interest in signing Zherdev".

Allen "tweeted" this at 8:44am on August 5th.

However, one team that has been rumoured to be interested is the Washington Capitals. The Caps are looking to make a move that would open up the necessary salary cap space to ink Zherdev.

One can see this as a very good opportunity for GM Brian Burke to convert his excess of defensemen into some picks and prospects and maybe a little offense.

Washington's primary goal is to shed salary, but you'd have to think they would love to shed salary and pick up some much needed help on the backend.

This is where Burke comes in like a knight in shining armour.

If Burke could swing a deal to send one of Jonas Frogren or Garnett Exelby to Washington, The Caps would probably be more than willing to send a package consisting of a player like Brooks Laich and a prospect or pick. Laich, 26, scored 23 goals last season with 30 assists and could help the Leafs with some much needed offense.

The Capitals in turn get a defensively responsible defenseman and about $1 million in cap space to go towards signing Zherdev. Zherdev would virtually be an upgrade from Laich so in the Caps mind they traded Laich and a pick for Frogren/Exelby and Zherdev.

Just something to chew on.

What are your thoughts? Comment below with your ideas.

Top NHL Rookies To Watch in 2009-2010: Defensemen

Jack Porter — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:00:40 -0400

Every season the NHL welcomes a new crop of rookies, these rookies are the future superstars, shutdown defensemen, and all-star goalies. With the season still agonizingly far from starting, let's take a look at some guys who could be leading the pack.

Matt Gilroy, NY Rangers

Considered by many to be the cream of the crop of the collegiate free agency pool, Gilroy will look to compete for a spot on a defense squad with only four returning parts. Gilroy, 25, could very well make the Rangers right out of camp and if he does he could establish himself as good puck moving defenseman in his freshman campaign.

Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

The second overall pick has a big responsibility waiting for him in Tampa, but at 6'6" he can fit in any big situation. Hedman will likely see big minutes alongside fellow Swede Mattias Ohlund, and will make a very strong case for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

As the Senators continue to improve their back end, they'll be banking on Erik Karlsson as their future puck moving defenseman. Karlsson has massive potential and the calm Swede will begin to live up to it this season. He may not be a big minute guy right away, but he'll show that he is indeed something special.

Thomas Hickey, LA Kings

Hickey is highly-regarded in hockey circles, for his ability to contribute in the offensive zone and shut down opponents in the defensive zone. Hickey moved up on the Kings' depth charts when LA dealt defensemen Kyle Quincey and Tom Preissing for forward Ryan Smyth.

Hickey will probably fit into the fifth or sixth spot on the back end, but should still impress.

Tyler Cuma, Minnesota Wild

Cuma has sneaked under the radar in a sense, but he should get some looks as he has a shot at making the Wild as a 19 year old. Cuma may get sometime on the power play where he could really show his skills and gain some well deserved attention.

Karl Alzner, Washington Capitals

Alzner has been waiting in the wings for a couple of years but should get a shot this season as the Caps try to address their defense. Alzner will help contain the offensive threats the Caps couldn't last year.

Honorable Mentions

Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres

P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadians

Jakub Kindl, Detroit Red Wings

Dmitri Vorobiev, Toronto Maple Leafs

Nick Petrecki, San Jose Sharks

Could The Maple Leafs Be Interested In Nikolai Zherdev?

Jack Porter — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:34:56 -0400

With the striking of noon today, it appears as if the New York Rangers have decided to walk away from the one-year $3.9 million contract awarded to Nikolai Zherdev by an arbitrator.

This opens the door to a possibility that the Toronto Maple Leafs may take a shot at the young Russian. Zherdev will likely want a long-term deal worth at least $3.9 million per season.

Zherdev is seen has a dynamic offensive threat with the potential to be one of the best top line wingers in the game, but scouts say he doesn't play defense that well and inconsistentcy is the biggest concern.

Zherdev would immediately upgrade Toronto's offense, there is no doubt about that but the question becomes, does GM Brian Burke want to take a risk on a guy who is said to be almost "uncoachable?"

The answer should and will likely be yes.

Toronto's coach Ron Wilson has taught many players to live up to their defensive responsibilities and stay consistent, most recently Mikhail Grabovski.

Any deal with Zherdev would make the Leafs tight in regards to the salary cap so another roster move would have to be made to accommodate this move.

It comes down to risk vs reward and in this case the reward is higher than the risk. What do you think? Should the Leafs sign Zherdev?

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Jerry D'Amigo

Jack Porter — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:51:03 -0400

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Jerry D'Amigo could be another great late round find for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A native of Binghamton, New York, D’Amigo led Team USA to a U18 gold medal last season, scoring 13 points in seven games to finish third in tournament scoring.

D'Amigo also scored a healthy 43 points in 44 games for the US Development Program in Ann Arbor.

What D'Amigo Brings the Leafs

There is no doubt that D'Amigo knows how to play the offensive side of the game.

The thing that worries scouts is that D’Amigo is a very one-sided player. His scoring ability will likely convince the Leafs to put devote extra resources to help the New Yorker grow at the other aspects of the game.

D'Amigo Plays Like...

Zach Parise

D'Amigo Next Year

D'Amigo has committed to playing for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute next fall.

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Profile: Chad Rau

Jack Porter — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:34:52 -0400

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Rau has turned into a nice find for the Toronto Maple Leafs.Once a USHL Rookie of the Year, Rau spent four years at Colorado College scoring 140 points in 159 games.

Chad could very well be a effective third or second line center for the Leafs, but he could also end up being a career AHL-er if his skills don't transfer well to the NHL like so many other college players before him.

What Rau Brings The Leafs

Chad is a natural goal scorer at the college level. He knows what to do in the offensive zone thanks to his great hockey sense. Rau's a great leader and is a hard worker despite his 5-foot-11 frame. Chad's biggest asset is his ability to win faceoffs, which could come in handy on any power play or penalty kill. One thing Rau needs to improve on is his explosiveness.

Rau Plays Like...

A combination of Dominic Moore and Mason Raymond

Rau Next Year

Rau could be playing for the Toronto Marlies next year and will one day be in the NHL.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Who Could Be Joining The Leafs Up Front?

Jack Porter — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:02:59 -0400

Brian Burke has been a busy man in the last few weeks, so it's no surprise he took a well-deserved fishing trip this week. The fishing won't stop when he returns; instead of some trout, he'll be hoping to reel in a top six forward to continue to reshape the Leafs.

With the surplus of defensemen, Burke has many bargaining chips at his disposal. These include Tomas Kaberle, Ian White, Mike Van Ryn, and Jeff Finger. So who are some possible assets that could come back to the Leafs as a return for a trade involving these players?

Jason Pominville

The Sabres are rumored to have a very high interest in Kaberle, and a deal structured around Pominville and a pick/prospect could get the trade done. The Sabres have depth at the forward position with Vanek,Stafford, Roy and Connolly and would like to open a spot for prospect Nathan Gerbe.

Pominville recorded 66 points last season after a 80 point campaign in 2007-08. He could fit in nicely on a line with Mikhail Grabovski and Niklas Hagman.

Brooks Laich

Laich is right now a second-line player at best, but still a potential top-six forward. Laich scored 53 points last year for the Caps and added another seven in 14 playoff games. The Capitals are in the market for a defenseman and a deal involving Jeff Finger could potentially reel in Laich.

David Backes

The Blues are another team believed to be pursuing Kaberle, and Backes could quite possibly be part of a package for Tomas. Backes scored 31 goals last season to finish with 54 points on the season. Backes is only 25, so he still has time to develop into an offensive force in the NHL, and like Pominville, Backes is a right winger who could fit well with Grabovski and Hagman.

Patrick Sharp

This deal seems a little far fetched, but according to Al Cimaglia of ESPN, the Blackhawks may be willing to part with Sharp due to the cap issues present in Chicago. His assessment on the return for Sharp is newly acquired Garnett Exelby along with a pick and prospect from the Leafs.

Phil Kessel

Kessel's name has been thrown around with Kaberle's a lot recently, and talks have been rumoured to be back on between the Leafs and Bruins. Kessel scored 60 points in just 70 games last season for the Bruins.

Tyler Kennedy

The Pens lost a key player in Rob Scudari this offseason, so they could be in the market for White or Van Ryn. Kennedy was a solid player for the Pens last season scoring 35 points in 67 games.

Kennedy's only 22, so he could develop further into a top-six forward. Kennedy also plays with an edge which is what Burke is looking for in his young players.Toronto may have to include a mid-round pick along with White or Van Ryn to get a deal like this done.

Alex Tanguay

There is always the option of trading one of the assets for a pick or prospect to free up cap space and sign a top six forward. Tanguay is the best forward still available and could be a nice addition to the Leafs. Tanguay scored 41 points in 50 games for Montreal last season.

The sky seems to be the limit for the Leafs and Brian Burke this offseason, so expect a new forward to join the Leafs in the coming weeks. But right now lets just let Burkie enjoy reeling in the big one, fish that is.

Jonas Gustavsson Now a Toronto Maple Leaf

Jack Porter — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:33:35 -0400

Sportsnet is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs have won the Jonas Gustavsson sweepstakes.

"The Monster" has signed a one-year deal with the Leafs worth $810,000 and a $90,000 signing bonus. The 24-year-old was said to be looking at Toronto, Dallas, Colorado, and San Jose as his destination, but ultimately chose Toronto.

Gustavsson was the best goalie in the Swedish Elite League this season. He posted a 1.96 goals against average and a save percentage of .932 and helped lead his team Farjestad to a league championship.

Welcome to Leafland Jonas.

More news will come on the story soon.

Leafs Sign Six Players Including Nazem Kadri

Jack Porter — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:45:51 -0400

The Leafs made some minor moves today, re-signing Ben Ondrus and Ryan Hamilton. They also signed three free agent forwards Tim Brent, Jay Rosehill, and Richard Greenop.

The 23-year-old Rosehill played this past season with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals and Toronto Marlies, scoring seven goals and eight assists with 275 penalty minutes.

Brent led the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs in scoring with 20 goals and 42 assists for 62 points. The Cambridge native is 25.

The 20-year-old Greenop, who ranked sixth overall in the Ontario Hockey League in penalty minutes, was a member of the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires.

The Leafs also signed 2009 first round draft choice Nazem Kadri to a three-year entry level contract. The 18-year-old scored 78 points in 56 games this season with the London Knights of the OHL. He added another 21 points in 14 playoff games.

Francois Beauchemin: The Newest Toronto Defenseman

Jack Porter — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:27:36 -0400

According to Rogers Sportsnet, the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Francois Beauchemin to a three-year deal worth something in the area of $10 million.

Beauchemin played in only 20 games last season but recorded five points and a minus three rating. Beauchemin is the third defenseman Toronto has added this offseason, leading to speculation that some current Toronto defenseman are being shopped. This includes longtime Leaf Tomas Kaberle.

The deal is to be worth $3.8 million a season for three years.

Beauchemin, who was selected in the third round 75th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1998, is now the 11th defenseman on the Leafs roster.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Leo Komarov

Jack Porter — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:25:34 -0400

Leo Komarov is maybe the perfect player to play in GM Brian Burke's system.

He is small at 5'10" but plays like he's 6'6". Leo is a pest; plain and simple, but he's not a liability defensively or offensively on the ice. He's virtually unknown among the Leaf faithful, but when he does come to North America he's bound to be a fan favourite.

He's sometimes refereed to as a dirty player but he certainly knows how to hit. He was drafted in 2006 but don't expect him to come to the Leafs until he learns to control himself on the ice.

What Komarov Brings The Leafs

Leo gives the Leafs a third line forward who can draw penalties and pound other teams stars. He also likes to crash the net and his nice shot can help him put up goals when doing so. He's not going to score 50 goals but he'll be able to chip in 10-15 goals as a third line winger, plus he'll give the Leafs powerplay opportunities to score every night with the amount of penalties he draws.

Komarov Plays Like

Sean Avery, Cal Clutterbuck and Patrick Kaleta.

Komarov Next Year

He'll likely get an invite to camp because of the type of game Burke is trying to play. He could make the Marlies, and at 22 a season or two in the minors could have him ready to be a good third line winger for the Leafs.

Tomas Kaberle's Potential Suitors: Possible Trades

Jack Porter — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:07:38 -0400

The Toronto Maple Leafs currently have 10 able-bodied defensemen on their roster, only adding to the speculation that long-time Leaf Tomas Kaberle is on the way out via trade.

Based on the Bouwmeester and Pronger trades, I've come up with the mold of any trade for Kaberle—a top six forward, a prospect and a pick. Teams interested in Kaberle include Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Dallas, Pittsburgh, St.Louis, Minnesota and many more.

So with the teams for sure interested, I will give my opinions on some trades—then I want to hear yours.

* The set-up of the trades will change if another Leafs player is included.

Chicago

To Toronto:

Rights to Kris Versteeg

Kyle Beach

First round pick in 2010

To Chicago:

Tomas Kaberle

Toronto gets a top six forward in Versteeg, a top prospect in Beach, and a first round pick. Chicago does this trade because they have no cap room to sign Versteeg. And with Kane and Toews in line for paydays soon, Chicago needs to dump potential salary now.

You could even look for them to throw in another player as a salary dump. Don't forget they also get a very good defenseman at a cheap price that could help them to a Stanley Cup next year.

Boston

To Toronto:

Rights to Phil Kessel

Brad Marchand

First round pick in 2010

To Boston:

Tomas Kaberle

Ryan Hamilton

Second round pick in 2011

Boston GM Peter Chiarelli believes strongly that Phil Kessel has as much trade value as Tomas Kaberle, so any deal will have to be a package-type deal for both teams. This trade puts faith in GM Brian Burke that he can convince Chiarelli that Kaberle has more value.

Toronto gives up a prospect and later pick for a better prospect and higher pick. Toronto also gets their desired top six forward in Kessel.

Los Angeles

To Toronto:

Brayden Schenn

Colten Teubert

Alexander Frolov

First round pick in 2010

To Los Angeles:

Thomas Kaberle

Jiri Tlusty

Burke gets his second Schenn, plus prospect Colten Teubert and a pick. He also gets a top six forward in Alexander Frolov to help now and in the future.

He gives up a lot in Tlusty, but it doesn't look like he is going to be able to play the style coach Ron Wilson demands from his players. It's a little bit of an overpayment, but Burke's going to have to to get Schenn.

Vancouver

To Toronto:

Cory Schneider

Cody Hodgson

Second round pick in 2010

To Vancouver:

Tomas Kaberle

Justin Pogge

Vancouver doesn't have any top six forward they'll be willing to part with in this deal. But Cody Hodgson is good enough, that he makes up for it. By throwing in Pogge, the Leafs could pick up Cory Schneider, but it would downgrade the first round pick to a second. All and all, it would be a solid trade for Toronto.

Dallas

To Toronto:

James Neal

Ivan Vishnevskiy

First round pick in 2010

To Dallas:

Tomas Kaberle

The Stars get a great puck-moving defenseman to replace Sergei Zubov and the Leafs get everything they want. Neal can play the gritty type of game Burke likes and has the potential to put up some serious numbers. They get a prospect who could one day be a very similar player to Kaberle in Vishnevsky—and, of course, the all important first round pick.

Pittsburgh

To Toronto:

Jordan Staal

Eric Tangardi

Second Round Pick in 2010

To Pittsburgh:

Tomas Kaberle

Matt Stajan

The Penguins get a third-line center to replace Staal in Stajan, plus one of the best defenseman in the NHL. With the addition of Kaberle, the Pens could repeat their success.

The Leafs get a gritty scorer in Staal, and it gives Jordan the opportunity to finally step out of the shadows cast by Crosby and Malkin and become a No. 1 center in the NHL. They also get one of the best prospects in the game in Tangardi, and a second round pick in 2010, which is something they don't currently have.

St.Louis

To Toronto:

David Perron

Ian Cole

First round draft pick

To St.Louis

Tomas Kaberle

Toronto gets a good young offensive weapon in Perron and a potential puck-moving defenseman in Cole. It gives St.Louis a veteran presences on their blueline and a great puck-moving defenseman. Also, giving up Cole doesn't make the Blues weak in the future because their future powerplay QB is Alex Pietrangelo.

Minnesota

To Toronto:

Cal Clutterbuck

Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Josh Harding

Second round pick in 2010

To Minnesota:

Tomas Kaberle

Alexei Ponikarovsky

Toronto gets the definition of a Burke player in Clutterbuck, plus a top six forward in Bouchard. If they don't sign Gustavsson, Harding is a very good replacement. Minnesota gets their puck-moving defenseman, and a big forward to replace Bouchard in Poni.

So What Are Your Ideas For A Trade?

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: The Perfect NHL Draft for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Jack Porter — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:00:48 -0400

With the 2009 NHL Entry Draft just a few short days away, I thought I'd join the countless others who have put their ideas for the Leafs forward.

Remember—this is just my ideas, not predictions.

First, I'd trade Pavel Kubina and either Anton Stralman or Jerome Flaake to the Islanders for the 26th pick in the draft. New York would get Stralman if they picked Tavares or Flaake if they pick Hedman.

Next I would take that 26th pick and trade it along with goaltending prospect Justin Pogge to the Flyers for the 21st pick.

After that I would trade Thomas Kaberle, Nikolai Kulemin, and a third round pick (68) to Los Angeles for the fifth pick in this draft.

LA, which has more than enough prospects, is looking for a veteran presence on the blueline to help mentor their young defensemen. They will also still want some type of prospect and Kulemin has turned into a pretty decent one in the last couple of years.

I'd then flip picks with Ottawa (seventh for ninth), giving them the chance to leap-frog Dallas in the draft order. With both Ottawa and Dallas looking for an offensive defenseman, Ottawa would get first pick between Dimitry Kulikov and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Toronto would gain something like a second round pick for their help. This is very reasonable, as Toronto gave up second and third round picks to flip picks with New York and move up two spots and select Luke Schenn last year.

Of course, Schenn was the last of the big four defensemen in that draft, so a single second round pick from Ottawa is a fair trade.

With these first round picks I would take Brayden Schenn (fifth), Nazem Kadri (ninth), and either Scott Glennie, Stefan Elliott, or David Rundblad (21st).

To sum up, Toronto gains:

Brayden Schenn, Nazem Kadri, Scott Glennie/Stefan Elliott/David Rundblad, a second round pick (39th), and approximately $11,500,000 freed-up in salary cap money.

The Leafs lose:

Pavel Kubina, Anton Stralman/Jerome Flaake, Justin Pogge, Thomas Kaberle, Nikolai Kulemin, and a third round pick (68th).

Remember, these are not predictions—just one man's dreams.

But hopefully, Burkie has something like this up his sleeve.

NHL Mock Entry Draft: Rounds 1-2

Jack Porter — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:43:56 -0400

New York Islanders

1. Victor Hedman D Modo (Swe JE)
The Islanders haven't said who they'll select first overall but it seems like their leaning towards the big Swedish defenseman.The Islanders have some potential offensive threats up front with Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo, so the addition of Hedman could lift the Islanders out of the basement.

Tampa Bay
2. John Tavares C London (OHL)
If the Islanders select Hedman then I believe the Lightning would trade their pick away, but if they were to pick at this position they would take Tavares. They would have to take Tavares just because of his potential to become a franchise player but they may run into the same problem they did with their old triple threat if Stamkos, Tavares and Lecavalier are all still on the team in a few years. Also the financial condition in Tampa isn't exactly ideal.

Colorado
3. Matt Duchene C Brampton (OHL)

The Avs will take Matt who could turn into the best player taken in the draft. With captain Joe Sakic set to retire in little while (maybe not this year but soon) the Avs need to put another high end center into their cupboards. Matt could turn into the reincarnation of Sakic in Colorado.
Atlanta
4. Evander Kane C Vancouver (WHL)
The Thrashers drafted a defenseman with their first pick last year (Zach Bogosian 3rd overall) so their likely to take a forward this year. The Thrasher will take Kane because of the looming possiblity that Ilya Kovalchuck will walk after next season. With Kane the Thrasher get a player they can fall back on if Kovalchuck leaves, and if Ilya decides to stay they have a lethal duo of a sniper and a power forward.
Los Angeles
5. Brayden Schenn C Brandon (WHL)
With Kane out of the picture the Kings will change their pick from one power forward to another, which may just turn out to be a better choice. Schenn is a gritty player who can also score.The Kings are set on the back end with the emergence of young players like Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty as well, they have top D prospects in Thomas Hickey and Colten Teubert, so look for them to stock pile on forwards.
Phoenix
6. Jared Cowen D Spokane (WHL)
The Coyotes have done a good job picking forwards in the draft the last few years. They've selected Mikkel Boedker, Peter Mueller, Kyle Turris and Viktor Tikhonov among others. So this year the Yotes will try to beef up their blueline by adding Cowen. Cowen stands a towering 6'5 and is 216lbs. Cowen could play for the Coyotes as soon as next year.
Toronto
7. Nazem Kadri C London (OHL)
The Leafs are in talks to trade up in the draft but if they were to pick at this position they would likely take Kadri. Kadri's stock has raised after an impressive combine and the Leafs took notice. Kadri's a great pick up but if they do pick here they may need to pick up another 1st round pick to have the impact they wanted to have in this draft.
Dallas
8. Dimitry Kulikov D Drummondville (QMJHL)
The Stars don't usually have such a high draft pick but due to a disappointing season they have the chance to get a great young player. The Stars will take Kulikov to essentially replace Sergi Zubov. Zubov who is 38, is going to retire in the next couple of years so the Stars will need someone who is solid defensively but can also run the powerplay. They get exactly this in Kulikov.
Ottawa
9. Oliver Ekman-Larsson D Leksand (Swe. II)
For the second straight year the Sens will select a Swedish defenseman with their first pick. The Senators are in need of defense and they will now have created a duo of young good defenseman in Ekman-Larsson and last years pick Erik Karlsson.
Edmonton
10. Ryan Ellis D Windsor (OHL)
After watching their playoff hopes slip away when their defense core got injured, the Oilers will try to refresh their supply with the compact Ryan Ellis. Despite his size Ryan proved this years that he is a superstar who knows how to win. Ellis won a gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship plus an OHL and Memorial cup title. Also new Oilers coach Pat Quinn coached Team Canada at the WJC and relied heavily on Ellis for the powerplay.
Nashville
11. Magnus Paajarvi Svensson LW Timra (Swe JE)
Paajarvi may not drop this far, but would due to to the fact the last three teams needed defense he may fall. The Oilers may select him to play with Ales Hemsky but it's not likely. The Predators however would be more than happy to make Magnus their first pick. The Preds have plenty of defenseman and will look to upgrade their attack.
Minnesota
12. Jordan Schroeder RW University of Minnesota (NCAA)
The Wild are frightened of the thought of life without Marian Gaborik but it may just happen. So with that in mind they will pick Schroeder to help bring offense to a team known for their defense. With the rest of their picks the Wild will select more offensively minded players.
Buffalo
13. Scott Glennie C Brandon (WHL)
The Sabres have depth in virtually every position, but with their last three first round picks being defensemen watch for them to pick the best forward available. Scott gives them a top end offensive prospect who is a pure scorer. They have very good forwards and they will only get better with Glennie's arrival.
Florida
14. David Rundblad D Skelleftea (Swe JE)
With Jay Bouwmeester set to leave the Panthers, Florida will try and replace him with the big Swede who can quarterback their powerplay. David has the size to step into the NHL. The Panthers will try to pick up some more defenseman and a forward or two this year.
Anaheim
15. Zack Kassian RW Peterborough (OHL)
The Ducks gave up a valuable forward in Chris Kunitz when they traded him Pittsburgh. At 6'3 Zack could shape up to be a dominating power forward in the NHL. The Ducks have a history of picking punishing forwards and will undoubtedly make Kassian one of many forwards picked in this draft.
Columbus
16. John Moore D Chicago (USHL)
The Blue Jackets have stockpiled an impressive amount of offensive forwards, but now are looking to upgrade their defense core. Moore is a good size at 6'2 but needs to fill out a bit more. Moore has the potential to turn into a powerplay quarterback. The Jackets should be focusing on mainly d-men with the amount of forwards they have and the emergence of Steve Mason in goal.
St.Louis
17. Jacob Josefson C Djurgarden (Swe JE)
The Blues are solid at all positions but could also improve at every position. With their forwards starting to grow older it's the perfect opportunity to add a young speedster to their line-up.
Montreal
18. Simon Despres D Saint John (QMJHL)
The Canadians have a good core of young forwards so don't expect them to pick a forward with their first pick. Instead their likely to pick a defenseman. The best still around should be Despres.The 6' 3 d-man could replace Mike Komisarek if he decides to leave the Habs.
New York Rangers
19. Peter Holland C Guelph (OHL)
The Rangers have a built a solid defense through the last few drafts so look for them to try and restore their offense. Peter Holland is as good of a prospect as you would expect from a 19th pick. He possess some good skill but lacks some work ethic. With the Rangers strapped for money Peter could have a chance to make the team next season but will most likely return to the OHL for another year of seasoning.
Calgary
20. Carter Ashton LW Lethbridge (WHL)
The Flames have some forward prospect but most look like they'll peak as third or fourth line players, they are also set on the back end so they'll likely try to pick up a scoring forward with top six potential. Ashton does have the potential to one day become a top six forward but will need some more development first.
Philadelphia
21. Olivier Roy G Cape Breton (QMJHL)
The Flyers did sign goalie Ray Emery but he isn't the long term answer. For years Philly has needed a goaltender, Olivier may just be the answer. He has the potential to become a starting goalie in the NHL. He possess a great butterfly style. Scouts also like him for his consistency.
Vancouver
22. Drew Shore C U18 (USDP)
The Canucks prospect situation is just plain bad. They have basically no potential players besides Cody Hodgson, Michael Grabner and even Patrick White who is drawing questions on his abilities. The Canucks will try to find the best prospect available at any position. Drew Shore offers them a potentially good player but they must be willing to but in the development time to allow him to blossom into the best player possible.
New Jersey
23. Jeremy Morin C U18 (USDP)
The Devils have become old. Plain and simple, most their forwards are going to be done their careers in the next couple of years. The Devils get a goal scorer who can replace John Madden or Bobby Holik or Brendan Shanahan in Morin. He could be NHL ready in a couple of years and looks to have the potential to become a prolific goal scorer. A prolific scorer at pick 23 shows the amazing depth in this years draft class
Washington
24. Calvin de Haan D Oshawa (OHL)
The Capitals are undoubtedly a powerful team but for them to jump to the next level they need to improve on the backend. They already have prospect Karl Alzner at the NHL level of play. So they should add another defenseman, likely de Haan. Calvin is an all around good defenseman and helped keep the Generals afloat after the departures of both John Tavares and Mike Del Zotto.
Boston
25. Stefan Elliott D Saskatoon (WHL)
The Bruins have one of the best teams in hockey. Their weakest point however is probably their defense, and it's actually pretty good. The Bruins don't have many young defensemen though so look for them to pick up Elliott to keep the back end youthful.
New York Islanders
*26. Landon Ferraro RW Red Deer (WHL)
The Islanders take a defenseman with their first pick so they'll likely take a forward with their second. The son of former NHLer Ray Ferraro, Landon looks to have the potential to one day be a decent contributor in the NHL.
Carolina
27. Louis Leblanc C Omaha (USHL)
The Canes may be a few players away from being a force in the NHL. Louis Leblanc possess a good skill set but he dropped to 27th because teams who wanted a more immediate impact couldn't wait on him to attend college at Harvard. He should be ready in a few years and will help contribute to the Canes' success.
Chicago
28. Chris Kreider LW Andover Academy (HS)
The Blackhawks are a powerful young team and drafting Kreider will only add to that. Chris is a absolutley amazing skater, some question his offensive skills because of the lack of competition he gets at the high school level. Chicago would likely ask him to play in the QMJHL or the USHL.
Detroit
29. Carl Klingberg LW V.Frolunda (Swe)
The Red Wings will return to their Swedish well and pluck yet another steal out of it. Klingberg love's playing a physical game and has the ability to contribute a bit to the offense.
Pittsburgh
30. Jordan Caron C Rimouski (QMJHL)
Caron is a big bodied player who looks to have the ability to become a good power forward. The Penguins have two of the best centers in the game, so if Caron evolves into a third line center he will have served his purpose.

* New York Islanders receive Ottawa's (originally San Jose's) 2009 1st Round Pick and Dean McAmmond from the Senators for C Mike Comrie and D Chris Campoli. Ottawa receives Tampa's 2009 1st Round pick (from San Jose), along with Filip Kuba, and Alexander Picard from Tampa Bay for Andrej Meszaros. Tampa Bay receives San Jose's 2009 1st Round pick, Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, and a 2010 4th Round pick from San Jose for Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich.

Round 2

New York Islanders
31. Edward Pasquale G Saginaw (OHL)
Tampa Bay
32. Dylan Olsen D Camrose (Jr.A)
Colorado
33.Kyle Palmieri C U18 (USDP)
Atlanta
34. Dmitri Orlov D Novokuznetsk (Rus)
Los Angeles
35. Ethan Werek C Kingston (OHL)
Phoenix
36. Richard Panik C Trinec (Cze)
New York Islanders
37. (via Tor) Tim Erixon D Skelleftea (Swe)
Dallas
38. Joonas Nattinen Espoo (Fin)
Ottawa
39. Ryan O'Reilly C Erie (OHL)
Edmonton
40. Zach Budish C Edina High (High School)
Nashville
41. Toni Rajala LW IIves (Fin)
Nashville
*42. (via Min) Thomas Tatar C HK Zvolen (Svk)
San Jose
*43. (via Buf) Josh Birkholz RW Fargo (USHL)
Florida
44. Cody Eakin C Swift Current (WHL)
Atlanta
*45. (via Ana) Anton Lander LW Timra (Swe)
Ottawa
*46. (via Columbus) Matt Clark D Brampton (OHL)
New York Rangers
47. Marcus Johansson C Farjestad (Swe)
St.Louis
48. Charles-Olivier Roussel D Shawinigan (QMJHL)
Colorado
49. Matthew Hackett G Plymouth (OHL)
Toronto
*50. (via NYR) Brayden McNabb Kootenay D (WHL)
Carolina
*51. (via Cal, via LA) Seth Helgeson D Sioux City (USHL)
Tampa Bay
*52. (via Phi) Eric Gelinas D Lewiston (QMJHL)
Vancouver
53. Gabriel Lemieux D Shawinigan (QMJHL)
New Jersey
54. Alex Chiasson RW Des Moines (USHL)
Washington
55. Mac Bennett D Hotchkiss H.S. (High School)
New York Islanders
*56. (via Bos) Alex Hutchings C Barrie (OHL)
San Jose
57. Jesse Blacker D Windsor (OHL)
Toronto
*58. (via Buf, via Car) Kenny Ryan RW U18 (USDP)
Chicago
59. Tyson Barrie D Kelowna (WHL)
Detroit
60. Taylor Beck LW Guelph (OHL)
Pittsburgh
61. William Wrenn D U18 (USDP)

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Juraj Mikus

Jack Porter — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:55:16 -0400

Juraj is virtually an unknown commodity when it comes to Maple Leafs prospects. The 20-year-old Slovak was selected in the fifth round—134th overall—in the 2007 draft by the Leafs.

Mikus is a towering 6'4" defenseman with considerable offensive upside. In 2006-07, he tore up the Czech Junior League; he was plus-32 and added 24 points in 42 games. He represented Slovakia at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship, scoring a goal and two assists in six games.

What Mikus Could Bring the Leafs

Juraj is a big defenseman who has the vision and puck-moving ability to play the North American game. His biggest assets are his reach and point shot. Once he fills out his lanky frame (he's only 186 lbs. now) he could become a solid fifth or sixth defenseman in the NHL.

Mikus Next Year

Juraj will continue to play in Europe, and once he fills out he could be playing in the AHL. He could graduate to the NHL a few years later.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Jerome Flaake

Jack Porter — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:43:46 -0400

Germany's Jerome Flaake is on the fast track for the NHL and he'll burst on the scene with the Toronto Maple Leafs soon enough.

Flaake is one of the best prospects to come out of Germany in years. Flaake scored an astounding 80 points in 36 games in Germany's premier junior league, the DNL.

He plays with an edge that could benefit him greatly and has a healthy size at 6'2 and 187 pounds as well.

What Flaake could bring to the Leafs

The Leafs get a phenomenal skater in Flaake. He is a smart player who can dangle with the best of them. He is a gifted scorer and has a frame that is big enough to bump other players. He's also a feisty forward racking up 188 PIMS in 193 career games in German and international games.

Jerome plays a lot like another Jerome. Flaake plays a feisty game with scoring touch similar to that of Jarome Iginla.

Flaake Next Year

Jerome will stay in Europe next year and then will try to transfer his skill to the North American game. Toronto fans are already excited, and for good reason.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk:The Leafs Need Two First Round Draft Picks

Jack Porter — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:44:53 -0400

Leafs GM Brian Burke has said he wants Tavares, but this isn't the best choice.

Instead, the Leafs need to pick up two first round draft choices and develop an offensive one-two punch.

Some could argue that the Leafs could pick Tavares and get another forward in next year's draft, but the problem is next year's draft isn't nearly as deep and the Leafs may not have that great of a pick in the 2010 draft.

So why do the Leafs need two forwards?

A good team needs a one two punch. Pittsburgh has Crosby and Malkin and the Capitals have Ovechkin and Semin.

The Leafs will need to trade away Thomas Kaberle to get the pick and will probably need to part with their 2010 first round pick to obtain another top ten pick, but it will be worth it.

There are many different combinations but some of the better ones are:

Zack Kassian and Jordan Schroeder

Zack is a bruising skilled forward who could open space for speedster Schroeder. With just the right amount of skill and heart these two could contrast each other perfectly.

Scott Glennie and Brayden Schenn

This pair has already been getting attention as linemates for Brandon of the WHL, hopefully they can transfer the chemistry to the NHL game. Brayden (the younger brother of current Leaf Luke Schenn) is the half of the pair that does the digging, but Glennie is the scorer of the two. The Leafs could also put any of their up and coming centers (Mikhail Stefanovich, Tyler Bozak, or Chris Didomenico) between these two and they'd have a great line for the future.

Nazem Kadri and Evander Kane

Kadri could be the dish man for Kane for years. Kadri's game is being a playmaker while Kane's is the sniper's style. With Grabovksi or Kulemin on with these guys the Leafs could have a powerful first line with the depth still to have a great second line.

Matt Duchene and Magnus Paajarvi - Svensson

This maybe a far fetched partnership, as both of these players are projected to go high, but the pairing would be explosive. Both of these guys are not only snipers, but playmakers too. With these two on the ice together the opposing team would not know which to cover as both can pass and score at an elite level.

Brian Burke needs to use this draft as a building block for a working team not just a superstar on a roster of average players.

Name That Team! What Will the New Ontario Based Team Be Called?

Jack Porter — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:33:36 -0400

According to many hockey media outlets, Jim Balsillie has offered a enormous $212.5 million in an effort to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. The deal is hinging on the condition that if he does take over the Coyotes he will be able to move them to Ontario.

So with that in mind lets take a look at some names for the prospective franchise.

How about,

- The GTA Commuters

- The Toronto Better Leafs

- The Ontario Gretzkys

- The Toronto Blackberrys

- The Toronto Screw Bettmans

No, but now seriously a look at some real suggestions.

The North Toronto Coyotes

The obvious choice would be just to keep the current name. The North Toronto comes from the rumours that a new team will be placed in a city north of Toronto.

The (North) Toronto Seneca or Mohawk

I have drawn the names Seneca and Mohawk from the original native tribes that lived in the Toronto area before the Europeans settled in North America. This could be a great team name because it draws deep from the roots of Toronto's history.

This name could also been seen as too similar to the Chicago Blackhawks. The "North" could be removed due to the NHL's history of naming teams in a common city (NY Islanders and NY Rangers).

The Toronto Silver Railers

As a gesture towards fans sitting in sports bars (because all the seats will be taken by corporate sponsers) across Toronto watching the hockey games, the new team could be named in honour of the first bar ever opened in Toronto. The Silver Rail was opened at Yonge and Shuter in 1947.

Just imagine the team skating around the ice with a big, silver "S" and "R" on their chests.

The Toronto Yorkers

As known by most residents of Toronto, the city was formerly known as York. A simple choice would be to name Toronto's new team after it's old name.

The Toronto Simcoes

Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe is credited as the founder of the city of Toronto (then York). By naming them the Simcoes it would be another way to honour Toronto's History.

The Hamilton Steel Workers

There is always the option that the team could be moved to Southern Ontario, ideally Hamilton. Hamilton workers would be able to relate to the name and like the the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers it would show the city's main industry.

The Golden Horseshoe Mustangs

This is in the event that the team is placed somewhere in the Golden Horseshoe area. By naming the team after a region rather then the city, the team could develop a broader fan base. Also by naming the team the "Mustangs" it helps go back to the fact it's in the Golden Horseshoe but it also stands for a tough, wild and unpredictable animal.

So while we wait for a new team, I want to hear your thoughts on a name. Put your suggestions in the comments section below.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Jimmy Hayes

Jack Porter — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:10:38 -0400

Jimmy Hayes will no doubt be on the list of great Leaf's prospects to come out of the 2008 draft ( see: Luke Schenn, Mikhail Stefanovich, Joel Champagne
and Jerome Flaake).

Jimmy was taken with the Leaf's second-round pick, 60th overall. Jimmy had solid seasons with the U.S. in international play as well as a good stint with the
Lincoln Stars of the USHL. Hayes has signed a letter of intent to play at Boston College this coming fall.

At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Jimmy fits perfectly into Burke's plans for the future of the NHL's greatest franchise.

What Hayes Will Bring The Leafs

Jimmy is the perfect combination of size and touch. At 6-foot-5 nobody will push him around, but he also has some of the best hands in junior hockey. Hayes also has the speed to get open and put his hands to work. Although he can play the power forward game, he may be more effective as a dangler. Jimmy is also great off the ice, he's a team player and has impeccable work ethic.

Jimmy's play style is similar to that of Jaromir Jagr.

Jimmy Next Year

Jimmy has signed a letter of intent to play at BC and will play there at least until his junior year. After that the Leafs will have a player ready to make an impact in the NHL.

College Finds: Diamonds In the Rough

Jack Porter — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:52:34 -0400

With the recent Leafs signing of Christian Hanson, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss some other good college signings.

Here are the top ten college-signed players coming at you now:

10. Blake Wheeler—Minnesota

College Stats: 127 GP 42 G 54 A 96 P

NHL Stats: 75 GP 20 G 22 A 42 P

9. Rene Bourque—Wisconsin

College Stats: 152 GP 57 G 40 A 97 P

NHL Stats: 241 GP 54 G 61 A 115 P

8. John Madden—Michigan

College Stats: 160 GP 80 G 100 A 180 P

NHL Stats: 706 GP 140 G 157 A 297 P

7. Jason Blake—North Dakota

College Stats: 119 GP 71 G 100 A 171 P

NHL Stats: 662 GP 174 G 224 A 398 P

6. Andy McDonald—Colgate

College Stats: 137 GP 67 G 88 A 155 P

NHL Stats: 480 GP 119 G 214 A 333 P

5. Chris Kunitz—Ferris State

College Stats: 152 GP 99 G 76 A 175 P

NHL Stats: 329 GP 87 G 118 A 205 P

4. Brian Rafalski—Wisconsin

College Stats: 146 GP 20 G 78 A 98 P

NHL Stats: 689 GP 67 G 356 A 423 P

3. Dan Boyle—Miami-Ohio

College Stats: 148 GP 40 G 107 A 147 P

NHL Stats: 594 GP 91 G 254 A 345 P

2. Martin St. Louis—Vermont

College Stats: 139 GP 91 G 176 A 267 P

NHL Stats: 685 GP 237 G 345 A 582 P

1. Ed Belfour—North Dakota

College Stats: 34 GP 29 W 4 L 1 T 3 SO

NHL Stats: 963 GP 484 W 320 L 14 T 76 SO

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Viktor Stalberg

Jack Porter — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:31:06 -0400

Viktor Stalberg has become a gem of a pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Stalberg was passed by in his first two years of draft eligibility, but in 2006 the Leafs made him their sixth-round pick, 161st overall.

Viktor has progressed every year and was (until today's signing of Christian Hanson) the Leafs' best NHL-ready prospect playing at the collegiate level. Viktor's biggest accomplishment has come this year, as he has been named to the top 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. The Hobey Baker Award is given to the best college player.

What Stalberg Brings The Leafs:

Viktor is a very intense player and has size to match. At 6'3" and 191 pounds, Viktor could fill out a little more, which is a scary thought.

Stalberg is a natural sniper and has a good scoring touch. His passing and defensive play has been criticized by some scouts, but his skating helps mask that. He has great acceleration and can reach top speed in just a few strides.

He forechecks well, but he could use his size to improve his physical game. His sniper of a shot could be a strong benefit for the Leafs down the road.

Stalberg plays like Mike Modano.

Stalberg Next Year:

Stalberg will likely return to Vermont for his senior year of college hockey to help mentor his younger brother Sebastian, who will join UVM next season.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Prospect Profile: Mikhail Stefanovich

Jack Porter — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:33:10 -0400

Years down the road Mikhail Stefanovich may be viewed as one of the big draft day steals that helped rebuild the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs took Mikhail with their fourth round pick (98th overall) in the 2008 NHL entry draft. Stefanovich was a highly touted prospect at the beginning of the 2007-2008 QMJHL season. So highly thought of that he was projected to go as high as the top 10.

Scouts then found a flaw in this young man's game though. Mikhail was not playing to the best of his abilities every night. This worried scouts and his ranking began to fall. Come draft day teams passed over him because of his work ethic.

The Leafs, however, saw the potential in him. Instead of using their fourth-round pick to get a player who had a chance of making the NHL, they took a player who will make the NHL if he just changes his attitude.

This season, Stefanovich did just that, he decided he wanted to play hockey from day one of the 2008-2009 season.

Stefanovich finished the regular season with 49 goals and 27 assists for 76 points, also he was an amazing plus 30. Oh ya, he got the 76 points in just 56 games for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL good for 17th in league scoring behind guys who played 10-12 more games than him.

What Mikhail will bring the Leafs

Mikhail is a big forward with a scoring touch and could work wonders with fellow Belorussian Mikhail Grabovski a few years down the road. Many scouts are amazed by his hockey sense, he has the ability to out think almost anyone when on the ice.

NHL Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau says, "He's a big kid, 6'2" and 200 pounds. He has good overall skills, but needs to improve on his work ethic and his involvement if he's going to make it to the next level. When he is on his game, he is a good skater and has a great shot. He can really stickhandle but needs to show it more."

Stefanovich Plays Like

Olli Jokinen

Stefanovich Next Year

Mikhail will be playing for the Marlies next season and will see a few games with the Leafs.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Top Free Agents On The Market Come July 1

Jack Porter — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:18:51 -0400

This weeks piece may not be directly on the blue and white, but you better believe the Leafs are taking a good hard look at most of these guys. July 1st is a celebration for NHL general managers, a Christmas if you will. This Christmas however they buy their own presents. Free agency is a beautiful thing a team can go from a pretender to a contender with a few well thought out moves on this day, but beware sometimes bad contracts can handcuff a team for years to come ( cough co ** Jason Blake** ugh cough). So here is the list of the top ten unrestricted free agents for every position expect goalie where there will be 9. * Stats are current as of the writing time of this article

Begin Slideshow

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Will The Leafs Turn Into The Marlies

Jack Porter — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:41:43 -0500

Just three days away from the NHL's trade deadline, questions of who's going where are being asked across Toronto. One question that’s not being asked however is, who will fill up the Maple Leaf's roster for the remainder of the season.

Today I’m going to be the first to put this question out there. So for the sake of argument let’s assume that all the players speculated to be traded are in fact gone. Goodbye Kaberle, Kubina, Antropov, Blake, Ponikarovsky, Moore, Stralman, Finger, Stajan, White and Toskala.

With these subtractions the lines look bleak for Toronto and the only players that should bring back a roster player are Kaberle and Antropov so I'll go with the most rumored deals for these players to fit new players into the Toronto roster.

The rumored Kaberle deal shakes down like this:

Kaberle

To The Flyers For:

Joffery Lupul (the roster player)

James Van Riemsdyk

1st Round Pick

The rumored Antropov deal:

Antropov

To the Penguins* For:

Alex Goligoski

1st round pick

* This trade may be out of the picture because of the recent Ryan Whitney trade but it is still a possibility.

Forwards

Hagman ------- Lupul

Kulemin Grabovski Stempniak

------- Devereux -------

May Mitchell Mayers

Defense

Schenn Goligoski

Van Ryn Sifers

Frogren -------

Goaltenders

-------

Joseph

The lines are bare for the Leafs with three openings at forward, one at defense and one at the goaltending position. Right away let’s get rid of the easy one, Pogge joins Cujo as co-starters for the Buds

Goaltenders

Pogge

Joseph

At defense there was a lot of depth but with Kronwall being pick up off waivers by the Capitals early this season and White, Stralman and Finger traded there is a gapping hole where young defenseman used to be. The Marlies have two defenseman the Leafs could call upon in Phil Oreskovic or Richard Petiot. Petiot has 14 points for the baby buds while Oreskovic is an impressive plus 18. Both men stand 6'3 in height, but the advantage will go to the defensively sound Oreskovic. The Leafs defense post deadline should look something like this.

Defense

Schenn Goligoski

Van Ryn Sifers

Frogren Oreskovic

Up front is where the most open spots lie, with three open spots the Leafs should get a really good look at some of the talent playing for their AHL affiliate. Some might think an obvious call up is Jeremy Williams, but there is a very good reason why he won't be called up. Williams will have to go through re-entry waivers to join the Leafs and GM Brian Burke won't take that gamble with one of the club's best young players. Its likely shoot-out hero Tim Stapleton will remain with Toronto and Jiri Tlusty will likely be recalled. The final spot will likely be fought over between Alex Foster, Ryan Hamilton and Bates Battaglia. With Burke wanting to see what the future holds for the Leafs Battaglia will likely be the first name to hit the cutting room floor. After that the choice between Foster and Hamilton comes. Foster is having a great year with the Marlies scoring 28 points while Hamilton has a decent 19 points. Although Foster does have more points I think the spot will go to Hamilton, Burke traded away a good young player in Robbie Earl for Hamilton and he'll want to see if it was a smart decision. With those call ups the forward lines should look like this.

Forwards

Hagman Stapleton Lupul

Kulemin Grabovski Stempniak

Tlusty Devereux Hamilton

May Mitchell Mayers

So with D-Day looming, I hope you've got some insight now into what the Leafs will look like after the hectic day of trading.

Mid-season Mock Draft

Jack Porter — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:31:50 -0500

With the trade deadline looming, there will be a few first round draft picks on the move in the coming week so I wanted to put my midseason draft list out there.

I will be doing another list at the end of the year but this will help to show how much the rankings can change in the last few months of the season.

1. New York Islanders

John Tavares, C

London Knights, OHL

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman, D

Modo, Swe JE

3. Atlanta Thrashers

Matt Duchene, C

Brampton, OHL

4. Toronto Maple Leafs

Evander Kane, C

Vancouver, WHL

5. Phoenix Coyotes

Jared Cowen, D

Spokane, WHL

6. Colorado Avalanche

Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi, LW

Timra, Swe JE

7. Ottawa Senators

Brayden Schenn, C

Brandon,WHL

8. St.Louis Blues

Nazem Kadri, C

London, OHL

9. Nashville Predators

Ryan Ellis, D

Windsor, OHL

10. Los Angeles Kings

Simon Despres, D

Saint John, QMJHL

11. Minnesota Wild

Jordan Schroeder, RW

U of MN, WCHA

12. Anaheim Ducks

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D

Leksands, SweAI

13. Pittsburgh Penguins

Dmitri Kulikov, D

Drummondville, QMJHL

14. Carolina Hurricanes

Scott Glennie, C

Brandon, WHL

15. Edmonton Oilers

Stefan Elliott, D

Saskatoon, WHL

16. Columbus Blue Jackets

Peter Holland, C

Guelph, OHL

17. Dallas Stars

Jacob Josefson, C

Djurgarden, Swe JE

18. Buffalo Sabres

John Moore, D

Chicago, USHL

19. Vancouver Canucks

Calvin De Haan, LW

Oshawa, OHL

20. Florida Panthars

Zack Kassian, RW

Peterborough, OHL

21. Philadelphia Flyers

Carter Ashton, LW

Lethbridge, WHL

22. Montreal Canadians

Drew Shore, C

USA - 18

23. New York Rangers

Jeremy Morin, C

USA - 18

24. Calgary Flames

Landon Ferraro, RW

Red Deer, WHL

25. Chicago Blackhawks

Kyle Palmieri, C

USA - 18

26. New Jersey Devils

Louis Leblanc, C

Omaha, USHL

27. Detroit Red Wings

Marcus Johansson, LW

Farjestad, Swe JE

28. Boston Bruins

Dylan Olsen, D

Camrose, AJHL

29. New York Islanders *

David Rundblad, D

Skelleftea, Swe JE

30. Washington Capitals

Jordan Caron, C

Rimouski, QMJHL

* Islanders received San Jose first-round pick and Dean McAmmond from Ottawa for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli.

**The orders is not the current standings it is my prediction of where the teams will finish and yes I think Ovie and the Caps will take home the Cup.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Trade Predictions

Jack Porter — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:19:05 -0500

It is prediction time as the trade deadline draws near, last week I talked about who will stay and who goes in leaf land. This week I’m going to predict some trades that could happen on or before March 4.

Toronto Trades

Alexei Ponikarovsky

To The Minnesota Wild For

Fifth round draft pick

Roman Voloshenko

Alexei’s name has popped up in trade rumors with the Wild and the Wild are in need of a big bodied player who is a decent scorer. Alexei has been thrown under the bus a lot this season but he still has 17 goals and 20 assists in 56 games this season. Meanwhile Burke is in the search for draft picks and prospects.

Voloshenko is an average prospect scoring 30 points in 76 games with the Houston Aeros of the AHL. At 22 Roman could develop into a strong offensive presence. Although he left the Aeros to go back to play in Russia he may be persuaded to come to the Leafs and play with fellow Belarusian Mikhail Grabovski.

Toronto Trades

Jason Blake

To the Pittsburgh Penguins for

Miroslav Satan

Luca Caputi

The Pens signed Satan hoping he could play along side Sidney Crosby, but that experiment didn’t pan out. So the Pens will trade Satan to the Leafs for Blake. The two both have large contracts and will cancel each other out when it comes to salaries. The Pens however get a guy who is on pace for 30 plus goals.

Blake could be the guy to work along side Crosby and for this the Leafs will also acquire prospect Luca Caputi as well. The Leafs also won’t be stuck with the struggling Satan as his contract is up at the end of this season.

Toronto Trades

Anton Stralman

To the Edmonton Oilers for

Ryan O’Marra

Although this is a minor deal and you might think it’s stupid to predict a trade like this, I really think this is a very possible trade. Edmonton is believed to be the front runner to land Jay Bouwmeester but even if they do get Jay there is a need for another defenseman with Grebeshkov going down with an ankle sprain. In Stralman the Oilers get a cheap fifth or sixth defenseman who still has growing potential.

Also as soon as Grebeshkov gets healthy they have the option of sending Anton to the AHL. Burke would probably want a draft pick but due to cap restrictions on the Oilers part he would have to settle with a prospect like O’Marra. Stralman has fallen well out of favor in the Leafs organization.

Toronto Trades

Nik Antropov

Pavel Kubina

Jiri Tlusty

To the Columbus Blue Jackets for

Jiri Novotny

Rostislav Klesla

Jakub Voracek

Third round draft pick

Besides a Thomas Kaberle trade I believe this could be a trade that really defines the Toronto rebuild. Columbus is in need of a number two center and a number one defenseman. They’ll get this in Antropov and Kubina.

In return the Leafs get two roster players who have had some struggles but have loads of potential. They also get an outstanding prospect in Voracek, which is why the Jackets will want Tlusty to some what restock their prospect flow.

Toronto Trades

Thomas Kaberle

To the New Jersey Devils for

Travis Zajac

Matt Halischuk

First Round draft pick

The deal everybody’s waiting for is the one involving Thomas Kaberle. Last year the Flyers almost got Kaberle for Jeff Carter (who is on pace for 90 points) and a first round draft pick. So it is not crazy to assume that Zajac (on pace for 68 points) would be traded with a prospect and first round pick.

The first round pick is a must for Brian Burke and Halischuck is the high end prospect expected in return for Thomas. As well the Devils are in need of a defenseman to shore up their blue line, so the deal fits perfectly.

Some may think a few or all of these predictions are crazy but I believe these are very plausible trades. No matter what though, these next two weeks should be exciting times for Leaf fans.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Should The Leafs Claim Manny Legace Off Waivers?

Jack Porter — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:26:30 -0500

The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending issue this year has been well documented in the media, which is why I believe Toronto should claim St.Louis goaltender Manny Legace off waivers should he be placed on re-entry waivers by the Blues.

Manny has a Stanley Cup under his belt from 2002 and won’t be a long term cap hit. He currently makes $2.5 million but only has a $2,150,000 salary cap hit.

I am not saying Manny is the long term fix, but he could possibly help with this season. With Legace on the roster Toronto could have the flexibility to give goalie Vesa Toskala a couple weeks off to really nurse the groin injury that has bothered him all season, thus giving Toronto a healthy Toskala with the potential to return to his former self.

If Toskala does get healthy that could give GM Brian Burke the negotiating leverage to go to a team with healthy Toskala and maybe just trade Vesa to get a good return.

If not, Legace’s contract is up at the end of this season and it is done with.

Another option could be that Burke trades Legace to a team who is suddenly in need of a back up goaltender at the deadline and the Leafs pull out a fourth or fifth round pick in return.

Another option reported this time by “The Fourth Period” and “CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada,” is that the Leafs as well as the Calgary Flames may be interested in bringing in former Ottawa goaltender Ray Emery as a back up goaltender. Emery is currently in North America after refusing to return to the KHL until he is paid his owed salary. If an NHL team does sign him he’ll have to clear waivers like Columbus goalie Wade Dubielewicz did when he signed with the NY Islanders earlier this season.

Justin Pogge Gets Call against Buffalo Tonight

Jack Porter — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:23:05 -0500

Justin Pogge will start his third NHL game tonight when the Toronto Maple Leafs face off against the Buffalo Sabres at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo.

Pogge won his first NHL start against the Atlanta Thrashers, but lost his second to the Minnesota Wild, allowing six goals on 21 shots.

The young goalie didn't take the loss badly, saying he learned that he needed to work on some things.

The Maple Leafs also announced that Mikhail Grabovski won't play in Buffalo, but didn't give a clear answer as to why. Grabovski was benched for most of the second and third period in Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers.

Also not in the lineup tonight is defenseman Tomas Kaberle, who will be out up to four weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.

Fellow defenseman Jonas Frogren and forward Andre Deveaux will also not play, as they have been sent down to the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies.

Porter's Weekly Leafland Talk: Who Stays and Who Goes?

Jack Porter — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:02:27 -0500

With the NHL trade deadline about a month away, I wanted to weigh in on who might stay and who might be wearing a new sweater come March 4th.

Staying

Ian White

Although Ian’s name has popped up in trade talks (most notably with the Los Angeles Kings) don’t expect White to be moved. White is a young offensive defenseman that has shown he can play the wing too, no team will be able to put any offer on the table that will make Burke trade this young man brimming with potential.

Dominic Moore

Moore’s name like White’s has appeared in some trade rumors but expect them to be nothing more than rumors. Although Moore is having a career year offensively and has leadership, I don’t believe any team will make an offer that will be worth trading a player that is a mentor to the young players coming up in the Leafs system and also plays coach Ron Wilson’s two way hockey style.

Vesa Toskala

Well, the old saying applies here, the Leafs should’ve quit while they were ahead with Vesa Toskala. A move last year could have seen the Leafs get at least a prospect and 1st round pick for Vesa. This year Toskala has lost all the stock value he had compiled last year. With the leagues worst save percentage among starting goalies at .883 and a lowly 3.32 goals against average, no team will touch this guy with an hundred foot pole. I smell a buy out at the end of this season.

Matt Stajan

The talented center has been tested and passed this season by coach Ron Wilson. Matt is a future leader on this team and can chip in offensively. Stajan is also very close to being an untouchable on this Maple Leafs squad such as the likes of

Luke Schenn, Mikhail Grabovksi, Nikoli Kulemin and Justin Pogge.

Going

Thomas Kaberle

The 30 year old defenseman from Rakovnik, Czech Republic has already said he will waive his no trade clause if asked by GM Brian Burke. Kaberle will be a hot commodity at this years trade deadline, mostly likely going to the highest bidder. Despite a recent injury Kaberle is expected to be moved for a top prospect and a first round pick. Teams interested in picking up the all star rear guard include LA, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Montreal and as many as ten other teams.

Pavel Kubina

A team that fails at getting Kaberle, may make a pitch to acquire Kubina. Pavel has shown his worth and may waive his no trade clause come March 4th. Although he may not command a first round pick Kubina could be traded for a prospect or young roster player as well as a second or third round pick. Columbus is rumoured to be the top team interested in Kubina’s services.

Nik Antropov

Antropov’s name has been bouncing around in trade talks all season and why not? Nik has developed into a powerful center who has a gift for scoring. Nik should be able to bring in the Leafs a solid return. Columbus is again the front runner this time for Antropov and it is rumored a deal is in the works that would see Toronto rake in a package of prospects and picks including a first rounder for Antropov and Kubina.

Jason Blake

The pesky forward has been lighting it up this past month and has pushed his trade stock skyward. Burke should be able to pick up a roster player and decent prospect for the surging Blake. Vancouver and Washington may be interested in Blake but his $4 million salary might be a stumbling block.

Alexei Ponikarovsky

Alexei hasn’t exactly burned up the league but a team looking to add scoring depth may trade for the hulking winger. Alex has good size and can score or dish the puck. Leaf fans shoudn’t expect a big return for Poni but a decent trade could be in the future. Minnesota seems to be the main team interested in Poni.

Jiri Tlusty

Okay settle down. It may seem like a surprise that Tlusty is on this list but take a minute to think about this. Tlusty hasn’t lived up to the potential he was supposed to have but he is looking like he will turn into a decent player. Now you maybe thinking, “If he’s going to be a decent player then why trade him?”

Well I’ll tell you: When a team is looking to acquire Kaberle, Antropov or Kubina they may be willing to give up a draft pick and a prospect but maybe not as good of a prospect or as high of a pick Toronto wants. So by adding Jiri to the deal the Leafs could go from for example with the Columbus Blue Jackets from a prospect like Cody Goloubef to a prospect like Jakub Voracek.

Other players on the move could include Jeff Finger, Anton Stralman, Nik Hagman and Lee Stempniak.