Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. 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. And he has improved his game a lot since last year, and especially skating. Last time round they found themselves eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Czechia and it wouldnt be entirely surprising to see a similar result this time, especially given the insistence on not picking a squad of best possible options. So what happened to the picks that couldve been? He also had three assists for the U.S. in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in August. 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. . EDMONTONIt would seem Maple Leafs prospects Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemel are inseparable. Knies, Niemela, and Robertson all look like they could become regular NHLers someday, and the rest of the prospects I listed certainly dont lack potential. 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. Four of the six Maple Leafs prospects competing at the 2021 World Junior Championship were in action on Christmas, kicking off the tournament in Edmonton. It was a draft that saw the Maple Leafs make 12 selections over the seven rounds, including one in each round. 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. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto 7 Reasons Connor McDavid Is the Worlds Best Hockey Player, Avalanche Must Fix Attitude and Power Play Problems, NHL Rumors: Blackhawks, Kraken, Bruins, Canucks, 3 Devils Who Can Join Jack Hughes at the All-Star Game, Red Wings Jake Walman Is Proving His Worth. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 fifth-round (153rd overall) pick has been on fire with the Sarnia Sting this season, with 48 points in 27 games. Andrew is in his 8th year reporting for The Hockey Writers covering the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers hit the ice in NHL play at Ball Arena on Tuesday, January 10 at 9:30 PM ET. Leave a comment below and let me know. Knies, who was a second round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2021, is off to a blazing start in his freshman season with the University of Minnesota where he has 16 points in 18 games to start the season. You can follow him on Twitter at @AndrewGForbes. Somehow though, the Pittsburgh-born youngster hasnt been given the chance to help the United States in their quest for World Juniors gold. #Leafs #LeafsForever, Maple Leafs Acquire Matt Murray & Draft Picks For Future Considerations, Maple Leafs Commentary: Matt Murray, Goalie Solution or Mrazek Mistake. What gives Maple Leafs management reason for optimism was the point-per-game pace he put together in the AHL upon his return. Where were they traded and when for the Maple Leafs not to have any representatives at this years World Junior Championship? Toronto Maple Leafs: Will Any of These Marlies Make the Jump. He can make some plays. EDMONTON, AB - JANUARY 02: Elmer Soderblom #25 of Sweden skates against Topi Niemela #7 of Finland during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship quarterfinals at Rogers Place on January 2, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. 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Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs saw prospects Matthew Knies suit up for Team USA and Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemela play for Finland. The playmaking center, who was the MVP of the SHL Playoffs in 2021 with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 14 games, joined Toronto of the AHL at the end of the 2021-22 season and had four points (two goals, two assists) in six games, impressing Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas in the process. Perhaps the stand-out of Roni Hirvonens performances is the fact that, per EliteProspects, in 11 games with the Finnish Under 20s team last season, he scored 12 goals and added a further 3 assists for 15 points; statistically that shows through. NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from August 8-September 8. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. The Leafs, in recent year, have drawn from all over the globe when drafting players, unafraid as some teams are of drafting Russians. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2022. 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. 5 Maple Leafs' Prospects Flying Under the Radar January 5, 2023 by Peter Baracchini Compared to the other teams in the league the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect pool isn't as strong. Topi Niemela - Finland - The Finnish born defenseman was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 64th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Its more likely a year away for the 20-year-olds, who are under contract for one more season in the Finnish top league Hirvonen with HIFK Helsinki, Niemel with Karpat. The same day the Maple Leafs landed Foligno, they also acquired David Rittich from the Calgary Flames for their 2022 third-round pick. This is the most exciting time of the year for everyone that loves hockey.. He does everything on the ice. (Statistics as of. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Get a bit more ice time than he did last year, and take on a leadership role. Ty Voit (#96) tallied another 2 assists over the weekend. With the process we go through, we compile lists, and we have had lots and lots of Canadians on our lists, but the way the lists go, we just havent had those guys in the spots where we were picking, said Lilley, a Leafs scout since 2006. Despite his outstanding production at the junior level, he was unable to earn a legitimate look in the KHL until this season. 84. 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. He went on to play 15:17 in the 3-2 win over Slovakia. A prospect could go from a projected third-round pick to a second-round selection. 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. Republication or distribution of this content is Absolutely, Ty Voit is undersized and may never be a regular NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a result. Its improving all the time., Pennanen sees the NHL in Hirvonens future: Of course it could take some time, but I think he has a chance to reach that level some day.. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Expect him to slot right back into his role on Finlands top line and improve on last years tournament. Hes a smart player, hes got excellent speed. Roni Hirvonen is a 2020 second-round pick. The 19-year-old is having a good season in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota. Jan 10, 2023. With such hype around him and the potential for Knies to be a bit of a wildcard addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs line-up as they near the Stanley Cup Playoffs, its understandable to have eyes on him. Topi Niemela (TOR) scores his first goal of the tournament. 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. Thanks . Matthew Knies is a 2021 second-round pick of the Leafs selected #57th overall in that draft. On April 11, 2021, the Maple Leafs moved their 2021 first-round pick, their 2022 fourth-round pick which they eventually got back and their 2021 fourth-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets. As I mentioned earlier, Maple Leafs 2020 seventh round pick Ryan Tverberg was among the last cuts for Team Canada, which largely had to do with the emergence of Bedard at selection camp. The 23-year-old, entering the final year of his entry level contract, was loaned to Vaxjo of Sweden's top professional league last season and responded by averaging almost a point per game. He competed (in the world juniors) last year. But he has had a good start in the KHL with Ufa-based Salavat Yulaev (five goals, three assists). Its unclear whether they will venture to Toronto in September for what would be their first training camp with the Leafs. They've known each other since they were kids. Marner set the franchise record with a 23-game point streak earlier in the season. Team Finland will play Germany in the tournaments first game on December 26th at 2 pm ET. (Stats from eliteprospects.com). The fact he was picked in the second round back at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft points to the Toronto Maple Leafs seeing something in him. Here are the top 10 NHL players to come out of the tournament that was won by Team USA 10 years ago. The sixth-place team in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Wild (22-13-2), host the 11th-ranked St. Louis Blues (19-17-3) at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday at 7:00 PM ET.Minnesota grabbed a 5-1 victory at home its last time out on January 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.In its most recent game 57 pick in 2021 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: University of Minnesota (NCAA): 33 GP, 15-18-33. If theres any prospect Maple Leafs fans are going to be watching closely this year, its Niemela. In both games hes logged over 21:30, logging 22:11 against Austria even though he took two minor penalties. Matthew Knies, Left-Wing, Age 20. Toronto Maple Leafs news fromFanSided Daily, Toronto Maple Leafs Put Streak on the Line vs Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson InjuredAgain. 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. He led the Tigers in scoring with 76 points, including 35 goals, in 63 games last year, and has four goals and 10 assists in nine games this season. The roster. The tournament kicked off on August 10 and the Maple Leafs have three prospects playing in the tournament. Relatively unknown to the Leafs fan base, Amirov was a surprise pick. I think he has also improved his skill since last season, especially his pro athlete mindset.. 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. Related: 2022 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster. He beats you offensively and on defence., Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. PHILADELPHIA (AP) John Tavares had a goal and two assists, Mitchell Marner added three assists and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 on Sunday night. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He plays in the pro league as well playing against men. Kokkonen has been regular on Finlands national junior teams since he was 15, playing above his age bracket and appearing in the world juniors last year at 18. They were drafted five picks apart in 2020. Here is a look at each of those four prospects. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be on hiatus, but some of their prospects are keeping busy at the World Juniors. In Finlands seven games, Roni Hirvonen had seven points and Niemela had six points. Hip surgery forced. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). Niemela is a puck-moving defenceman with three assists in nine games for Karpat in Finlands top league. Topi Niemela got drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. Certainly, in the next one or two seasons, we want to see him make a jump. Niemel picked up an assist in Mondays loss to Canada, his fourth of the tournament. And if he impresses early on, he could end up being one of Team USAs go-to players. Of the four Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that did get selected, there will be three countries represented. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Toronto will have prospects representing Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Finland at this year's World Junior Championship. Niemela is a 19-year-old defenseman from Oulu Finland and is currently playing for Karpat in Liiga (Finnish Elite League). And Hirvonen is captain of the Finnish entry at the world junior hockey championship, while Niemel is an alternate captain. Some players will enjoy great careers, while other highly-touted prospects will fail to meet the lofty expectations. With 25-man rosters for. And despite not making Team Canada, the fact that he was even considered to make the team considering where he was drafted should be seen as a positive sign. 648 EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 30: Topi Niemela #7, Roni Hirvonen #22, Anton Lundell #15 and Kasper Simontaival #29 of Finland celebrate a goal against Slovakia during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 30, 2020 in Edmonton, Canada. What Niemelas been able to do in Finland this year is ridiculously impressive for a 19-year-old, and only makes his presence at the World Juniors that much more intriguing. Hes had a good start to the season., Drafted: 2019 (third round, 84th overall). The Finnish captain had a goal . Difficult cuts. To order copies of He's putting up nearly a point a game in the minors and showed well . 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