So the Maple Leafs learned a harsh lesson on Saturday night. 57 pick in 2021 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: University of Minnesota (NCAA): 33 GP, 15-18-33. Ryan Tverberg is a 2020 seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hirvonen and Niemel worked out with the likes of John Tavares and Michael Bunting while getting to know the organization and city before returning to Finland to attend their world junior camp. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Now, the Americans have only played one game in the tournament so far. EDMONTON, AB - DECEMBER 26: Joel Mtt #32, Topi Niemel #7 and Roni Hirvonen #22 of Finland celebrate a goal against Austria in the third period during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on December 27, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. Lilley says: Its a 19-year-olds tournament. Through two games, Hirvonen hasnt scored a goal and only has one assist to show for his effort. NHL Prospect Roundup: Toronto Maple Leafs' Joseph Woll is a brick wall. Perhaps it speaks less to Voits amazing form and more so to an inability to look beyond their borders for players. A prospect could go from a projected third-round pick to a second-round selection. Thanks . His skills have been on full display for the University of Minnesota so far in 2021-22, and his impressive start should be enough to earn him some proper looks in Team USAs top six. Also like Niemela, it hasnt resulted in much success on the score sheet. 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. We create the lists without any biases toward country or nationality. Of the four Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that did get selected, there will be three countries represented. 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. Oilers Have Made 3 Forwards Available for Trade Who Goes? World Juniors; Football. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Braeden Kressler is an interesting prospect. 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. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Marner, selected Thursday to the NHL All-Star . Its an awesome opportunity for these young men to play in the best amateur tournament there is, for them to play against their peers, and for us to compare, said John Lilley, the Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting. He has been writing about sports since 2015 and has been with The Hockey Writers since October of 2020. He could make his NHL debut following the end of Minnesota's season. He finished last season with 21 points in 54 games for Assat of the same league, and hes on pace to crush his career high, so it would appear switching teams was the best thing for the Maple Leafs 2020 second round pick. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Taking part in a tournament of this magnitude is huge for every junior player. Hes had a good start to the season., Drafted: 2019 (third round, 84th overall). I hope all of the Leafs prospects do well in the tournament. While Minten is proving to still be a reputable pick, the Blackhawks used the first-rounder to take Sam Rinzel 25th overall in 2022 and it was another first-round selection the Maple Leafs had to move to shed salary from a contract they signed. World Juniors 2020: Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects | Sporting News Canada MIN DAL 12:00p -154 ANA WIN 12:00p -256 DET CBJ 3:00p SJ BUF 4:00p CHI NYI 4:30p VGS BOS Mon, 4:00p COL PHI Mon,. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. What gives Maple Leafs management reason for optimism was the point-per-game pace he put together in the AHL upon his return. The lack of picks, which we will get to in a moment, play a large part in the Maple Leafs not having a representative at the World Juniors in 2023. It will be easier to go there because you have a good friend with you, said Niemel, standing with Hirvonen in the media centre at Rogers Place. Toronto's group of prospects include Matthew Knies, Topi. Fast forward to the 2021 NHL Draft and the Maple Leafs had just three selections with only one of those picks coming in the first three rounds. There are six Leafs prospects at the world juniors in Edmonton three on the Russian team (forwards Rodion Amirov and Mikhail Abramov, and goalie Artur Akhtyamov) and three on Finland (defencemen Mikko Kokkonen and Topi Niemela and forward Roni Hirvonen). So, How have things been so far? All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Those two names will both be appearing for Finland, both likely in high-profile roles, with Topi Niemel likely one of their top-pairing defensemen and Roni Hirvonen likely to be on the wing in the top-six as they open against Latvia. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. Some teams fear Russian players will choose to play in the lucrative KHL. Artur Akhtyamov (G) entered this season as arguably the Leafs' top goalie prospect, but his season has been up and down. Toronto has 11 prospects eligible to be in the tournament this year, but only the best get selected to represent their country. ", How acquired: Selected with No. He is as defensively sound as a teenager can be. After winning every game in the preliminary round, USA was upset by Czechia in the quarter finals while Finland won the silver metal after taking Canada to overtime in the gold medal game. The Finns are two-thirds of the Leafs prospect contingent at the world juniors. He began his broadcasting with CBCs Hockey Night in Canada team as well as being part of their coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Toronto will have prospects representing Team Canada, Team USA, and Team Finland at this years World Junior Championship. "One thing he really elevated was his shot selection and choosing when and where to shoot the puck. Lightning. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). There have been some standout performances by players throughout the system and . He scored twice, tops among Finnish blueliners. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about "I thought within his game, he always had his strong attributes," Toronto AHL coach Greg Moore said. They can make a good living and not have to learn a new language or new customs. Here are the top 10 NHL players to come out of the tournament that was won by Team USA 10 years ago. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Akhtyamov is no slouch, though. And while a strong tournament, as each of the Leafs' prospects are expected to have, doesn't. Now, theres a number of ways of looking at this, especially after the Americans left OHL star Ty Voit off their final roster. This season he is an integral part of the Finland National World Junior U20 team battling for gold in Red Deer, Alberta. Team Finland will play Germany in the tournaments first game on December 26th at 2 pm ET. It was a lot of fun and good to see everyone, the staff members there and some NHL players and get to train with those guys. On the other side of the trade, Rittich played just four games for the Maple Leafs going 1-1-1 with a 2.72 goals against average (GAA) and .888 save percentage (SV%). But they did venture over earlier in the summer, a week before other prospects had their development camp. With the World Junior Championship in the rearview mirror, here's a look at 10 prospects making noise as of late. For those players that have not been drafted yet, playing well at a tournament such as this can do wonders for their draft position. This is the player with the most assists in the whole of the CHL, not just the OHL. The Leafs will have six prospects three with Russia and three with Finland competing at the 2021 world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, starting on Dec. 26. He went on to play 15:17 in the 3-2 win over Slovakia. The Toronto Maple Leafs (25-9-7) hit the road to battle the Detroit Red WIngs (17-15-7) Thursday evening at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit in a battle between Original Six foes. 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 and San Jose Sharks, respectively. However, lets recap Knies performance so far. 553 Mike Zeisberger, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. Topi Niemela (TOR) scores his first goal of the tournament. The same day the Maple Leafs landed Foligno, they also acquired David Rittich from the Calgary Flames for their 2022 third-round pick. You can follow him on Twitter at @AndrewGForbes. Russia's forward group is also quite strong up the middle. Again, this could easily change over the coming games and for the Finnish teams fortunes, lets hope it does. He provides analysis on the top draft-eligible players, prospects drafted by NHL teams and all other relevant prospect information. Steven Ellis. Over the last 10 tournaments, the Leafs have sent only a handful of prospects to Canadas team at the world juniors: Nazem Kadri (2011), Morgan Rielly (2013), Frederik Gauthier (2014, 2015), Mitch Marner and Travis Dermott (2016), and goalie Ian Scott (2019). Toronto Maple Leafs news fromFanSided Daily, Toronto Maple Leafs Put Streak on the Line vs Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson InjuredAgain. Here is a breakdown of the Maple Leafs prospects at this years tournament: Drafted: 2020 (first round, 15th overall). Man, oh man, has this kid ever been turning heads at the collegiate level. He covers the Toronto Maple Leafs, World Juniors, and the NHL Entry Draft, and is also part of the Sticks in the 6ix Podcast, presented by THW. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images). The 19-year-old is having a good season in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota. He currently has seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 16 games. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. Of course, prior to the World Juniors over the Christmas period the Team USA roster will need to be trimmed down to 25 players and injuries might occur, but the reality is that the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is likely not getting a look in. NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from August 8-September 8. He can make some plays. He has a great shot. He's played primarily in the VHL for Ak Bars, where he has a .910 sv% in. Niemela is one of two Toronto prospects representing Team Finland at the World Junior Championship. Nice addition to the organization, Roni Hirvonens last-minute heroics send through to the #WorldJuniors semifinals. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Topi Niemela has his first point at the 2022 World Junior Championship when he and fellow Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen assisted on Aatu Raty's goal in the third period . There would have been one more, American Nick Robertson, but the Leafs decided to keep the 19-year-old in Toronto to prepare for the upcoming NHL season, with training camp opening Jan. 3. It was in his best interest and the best interest of everybody to give him the best opportunity to make the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lilley said. Nick Robertson will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. 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. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Niemel was drafted 64th overall. As I wrote about the other day, the Toronto Maple Leafs have three prospects at this years World Juniors and all should play a key role for their countries if they are to make it far. The World Juniors provides a sneak peek at the next crop of potential NHL stars. Lots of skill on the ice, Pennanen said. Hes good defensively. Alan Millar calls Ryan Tverberg (TOR) one of the two most improved players in the Hockey Canada program during the evaluation process this year. One of the reasons he was selected is his productive season at the University of Connecticut in the NCAA. (stats from Eliteprospects.com). (Stats from eliteprospects.com). What makes Niemelas role even more important is that he was drafted for the advanced defensive instincts he possessed for his age, which makes his newfound offensive ability that much more of a pleasant surprise. Should the Toronto Maple Leafs hang onto their first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, they'll select a very talented player. Niemela will be defending his title as the top defenseman from last years tournament. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2022. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has extended his home point streak to 19 games - a new franchise record - after assisting in the Auston Matthews goal in the second period of the game . For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few prospects eligible to play in the 2023 World Junior Championships which will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick starting on December 26th, 2022. Beyond Matthew Knies, the Leafs only have two other players headed to Edmonton for this summers World Juniors. They selected him with the #64th overall pick. Take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects that are representing their respective nations at the 2015 World Junior Hockey Championship in Montreal and Toronto. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Like Kokkonen, hes played above his age bracket most of his teenaged career. The Leafs didnt draft any Canadians among their six picks in 2019, and only two of their 12 picks from 2020 were Canadian. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Hirvonen has had a great season to date with HIFK of Finlands SM-Liiga, with 18 points through 26 games thus far. As good as Akhtyamov has been in the KHL and two lower leagues, hes not expected to get much ice time in the tournament with teammate Yaroslav Askarov seen as the next big thing in goaltending. Making his World Juniors debut, Knies opened the scoring in the first period, scoring aone-timer goal on a setup from teammate Logan Cooley. With Seattle Kraken prospect Matthew Beniers and Calgary Flames prospect Matthew Coronato set to lead the charge for the States, Knies has an opportunity to step into a big secondary role for the United States. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Ty Voit (#96) tallied another 2 assists over the weekend. 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. For interview requests or any other inquiries, you can follow Alexs social media pages listed at the bottom of his articles like this one. 53 pick in 2019 NHL Draft, 2021-22 season: Toronto (AHL): 28 GP, 16-12-28; Toronto (NHL): 10 GP, 1-0-1. Ty Voit probably has the best chance of any Leafs prospect at playing in this years World Juniors. The 20-year-old, under contract with Karpat in Finland's top professional league for another year, had six assists in seven games for Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and was voted the top defenseman at the 2021 World Juniors. Today, the top five prospects for the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to NHL.com. Minten was added to Team Canadas summer camp earlier in the year, but was passed on by a team that had more than 10 returnees from the summer when Canada won a gold medal. Two games, Hirvonen hasnt scored a goal and only toronto maple leafs prospects at the world juniors of their 12 picks from 2020 were Canadian prospect! Can be did get selected, there will be defending his title the... Prospect at playing in this years tournament: Drafted: 2019 ( third round, overall! 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toronto maple leafs prospects at the world juniors