Maple leafs draft round up
Posted 6:17 PM ET | Comments 8
Toronto in my opinion did the right thing in trading up to get Luke Schenn. They REALLY need a shutdown guy to build around, and to be honest he is not an offensive slouch and has stated he wants to concentrate on improving his offensive game more to become more well rounded, so it is a great move.
Most people did not like the idea of moving the other picks to jump those two spots to grab him but many over look that they had conditions to them. The conditions were the Islanders has the choice of a 2nd this year, and a 3rd next year, or vice versa so it was not a big drop in picks this year.
Things I liked about the leafs picks this year. They went BIG! The smallest player they drafted was six foot one and a half. So the size factor is good. Second they drafted at least one player for each position which will help build their depth.
Here is the descriptions of each prospect the leafs drafted of NHL.com.
Luke Schenn: -- Taken First round (5th overall)
Strengths: "A big strong defenseman that he might compare with is (Ed) Jovanovski. He has a tough edge to him, he has the ability to, if caught up ice, to work hard and get back in time to recover."
Areas to Improve: "(He needs to improve) his decision making, in other words, Schenn sometimes gets carried away with his own enthusiasm, his own aggressiveness and gets caught out of position. He is good enough at the junior level to recover and will soon be good enough at the pro level to recover, but its best that he learns how not to have to recover so frequently."
Outlook: "Luke can play a mean game and he plays a tough NHL-style defense that is guaranteed to get him a long hard look and career in the National Hockey League."
--- My Take --- I like what was said about him above, but many people also talk about his potential to be a Captain in the NHL, something the leafs will be needing.
Jimmy Hayes: -- Taken Second round (60th overall)
"Jimmy has really been playing better since he went to the USHL. Last year he played with James vanRiemsdyk and Colin Wilson (on the U.S. Under-18 team) and they were just a perfect chemistry line – all season he was good going up and down the wing and going to the net. He works hard, he's been consistent, physical and he doesn't take any shifts off. He is at his best as a big power winger. On the wing he's a got a really good shot and a really long reach."
---My Take--- I don't know too much about him but from what I heard is that at one point he was consider to be going in the top round, about 1 year ago but his stock dropped. They see potential in him, so hopefully it comes through.
Mikhail Stefanovich: -- Taken fourth round (98th overall)
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
--- My take--- I really like this pick by the leafs. He has a lot of skill and led rookies in goals in QMJHL. He also was awarded the Michael Bossy award as the best professional QMJHL prospect this year, so he is turning around his mental situation.
Greg Pateryn: --Taken in the fifth round (128th overall)
No scouting report.
---My take--- Another big defender to go into the system with Schenn. I've not heard a single thing on him personally and can't really find much, so other than his size I got nothing.
Joel Champagne: --Taken in the fifth round (129th overall)
Joel is very strong on face-offs – is used late in the game to win important draws in the defensive zone. He is at his best when he is on the puck, forcing the play and finishing his checks in all areas of the ice. He can play a solid two-way game and has good hockey sense. He will need to improve his skating in order to take his game to the next level – his agility and his speed both need work.
---My Take--- A big center that needs to polish his game in alot of areas. He has a lot of size and needs to learn how to skate with it. Great passer, but needs to learn to use his size to his advantage.
Jerome Flaake: -- Taken fifth round (130th overall)
No scouting report.
---My take--- Only 1 point in 30 games does not make me confident in him becoming a big time scorer in the NHL but he is young and might just need to mature his game, as he is playing in a league with men so that also lowers it. We shall see I guess.
Grant Rollheiser: --Taken sixth round (158th overall)
No Scouting report
---My take--- This kid has kinda been the underdog everywhere he has gone, and has had to battle for all his opportunities which shows his dedication.
Andrew MacWilliam: -- Taken round seven (188 overall)
No scouting report
---My take--- Another big D-man. Not alot on him either. Thats all i can give.
Overall I think the leafs did well, and clearly won with getting Schenn. The rebuild is starting, and Schenn is a great way to do it. Congrats to the leafs.
Most people did not like the idea of moving the other picks to jump those two spots to grab him but many over look that they had conditions to them. The conditions were the Islanders has the choice of a 2nd this year, and a 3rd next year, or vice versa so it was not a big drop in picks this year.
Things I liked about the leafs picks this year. They went BIG! The smallest player they drafted was six foot one and a half. So the size factor is good. Second they drafted at least one player for each position which will help build their depth.
Here is the descriptions of each prospect the leafs drafted of NHL.com.
Luke Schenn: -- Taken First round (5th overall)
Strengths: "A big strong defenseman that he might compare with is (Ed) Jovanovski. He has a tough edge to him, he has the ability to, if caught up ice, to work hard and get back in time to recover."
Areas to Improve: "(He needs to improve) his decision making, in other words, Schenn sometimes gets carried away with his own enthusiasm, his own aggressiveness and gets caught out of position. He is good enough at the junior level to recover and will soon be good enough at the pro level to recover, but its best that he learns how not to have to recover so frequently."
Outlook: "Luke can play a mean game and he plays a tough NHL-style defense that is guaranteed to get him a long hard look and career in the National Hockey League."
--- My Take --- I like what was said about him above, but many people also talk about his potential to be a Captain in the NHL, something the leafs will be needing.
Jimmy Hayes: -- Taken Second round (60th overall)
"Jimmy has really been playing better since he went to the USHL. Last year he played with James vanRiemsdyk and Colin Wilson (on the U.S. Under-18 team) and they were just a perfect chemistry line – all season he was good going up and down the wing and going to the net. He works hard, he's been consistent, physical and he doesn't take any shifts off. He is at his best as a big power winger. On the wing he's a got a really good shot and a really long reach."
---My Take--- I don't know too much about him but from what I heard is that at one point he was consider to be going in the top round, about 1 year ago but his stock dropped. They see potential in him, so hopefully it comes through.
Mikhail Stefanovich: -- Taken fourth round (98th overall)
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
--- My take--- I really like this pick by the leafs. He has a lot of skill and led rookies in goals in QMJHL. He also was awarded the Michael Bossy award as the best professional QMJHL prospect this year, so he is turning around his mental situation.
Greg Pateryn: --Taken in the fifth round (128th overall)
No scouting report.
---My take--- Another big defender to go into the system with Schenn. I've not heard a single thing on him personally and can't really find much, so other than his size I got nothing.
Joel Champagne: --Taken in the fifth round (129th overall)
Joel is very strong on face-offs – is used late in the game to win important draws in the defensive zone. He is at his best when he is on the puck, forcing the play and finishing his checks in all areas of the ice. He can play a solid two-way game and has good hockey sense. He will need to improve his skating in order to take his game to the next level – his agility and his speed both need work.
---My Take--- A big center that needs to polish his game in alot of areas. He has a lot of size and needs to learn how to skate with it. Great passer, but needs to learn to use his size to his advantage.
Jerome Flaake: -- Taken fifth round (130th overall)
No scouting report.
---My take--- Only 1 point in 30 games does not make me confident in him becoming a big time scorer in the NHL but he is young and might just need to mature his game, as he is playing in a league with men so that also lowers it. We shall see I guess.
Grant Rollheiser: --Taken sixth round (158th overall)
No Scouting report
---My take--- This kid has kinda been the underdog everywhere he has gone, and has had to battle for all his opportunities which shows his dedication.
Andrew MacWilliam: -- Taken round seven (188 overall)
No scouting report
---My take--- Another big D-man. Not alot on him either. Thats all i can give.
Overall I think the leafs did well, and clearly won with getting Schenn. The rebuild is starting, and Schenn is a great way to do it. Congrats to the leafs.
I believe Flaake also played in a German junior league this year where he tore it up.
This kind of trade is why the leafs struggle to be mediocre. You can develop stay at home defensemen more than any other position, but the leafs trade up two slots to get him. Believe me he would have still been available.
This kind of trade is why the leafs struggle to be mediocre. You can develop stay at home defensemen more than any other position, but the leafs trade up two slots to get him. Believe me he would have still been available.And if he wasn't? It was a great job by the leafs, being agressive abd getting it done. Bravo!
Go_Avs.....you know nothing if you thought Schenn was gonna be there at 7
this draft devastated don cherry
Have to agree that there was very little chance that Schenn would still be there at 7. If he had gotten by the Islanders, Columbus would very likely have taken him. Instead they got a very good forward in Filatov so they probably aren't all that bothered there. Maybe you can easily develop ok defensive defenceman, but you definitely can't just pick up the elite ones off the side of the road. At any rate I definitely think it was a good move to go after the guy they wanted. Still selected 8 guys in this draft and I think Schenn will be a huge part of the Leafs in the future.Besides the Leafs will no doubt be bad next year as well and should be right back with a high pick. Was a good draft to add a big piece for the future and add more players to the prospect pool.Checking out http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/toronto_maple_leafs might not be a bad idea. If you scroll down to Other Notables to get some information on some of the guys the Leafs drafted. Though don't have information on everyone guys like Jerome Flaake have something concerning what they can do.
Go_Avs you are funny.. It was a GREAT move to get Schenn.
Obviously Schenn is a good building block for the future, I like the way the Leafs have chossen a traditional style defenseman as a cornerstone as opposed to something flashy. I think Jimmy Hayes could be an unexpected suprise and Flaake has potential. Schenn was ranked 6th by the ISS, so picking 7th with the Islanders reputedly hungry for a blueliner I don't think he would have been there come the 7th.