2012 NHL Entry Draft

[maplesyrup]

#leafs head scout Dave Morrison says they've already talked to Ryan Rupert's twin brother Matt about attending development camp. #sndraft

What are the rules for signing an undrafted player?

I'm afraid I don't know. Wide open as long as you stay under the allowable number of contracts?

 

[Bender]

It works both ways... Other teams should want the best talent they can get too. High end D is never, ever any the less at a premium. 

That's just not true. Good offensive defensemen are frequently available for reasonable costs. A pretty good one got dealt yesterday for a second round pick. #1 centres are almost never available and always cost a ton.

Maybe they weren't confident either Forsberg or Grig would turn into the first line player you described. Weren't you the guy that made Angelo Esposito comparisons not too long ago?

 

[Etiam Vultus]

I find it funny that the main reason some of you are pissed is because you were married to the idea of drafting one of the forwards. I will laugh if Grig ends up being this years Nikita Filatov.

More likely an Alexander Svitov (3rd) or an Alexendre Volchkov (4th).  Both were big, can't miss, prospects.

 

[Kin]

Maybe they weren't confident either Forsberg or Grig would turn into the first line player you described. Weren't you the guy that made Angelo Esposito comparisons not too long ago?

No.

And anyway I think this is as much about a lack of faith in Burke's decision making as it is anything else.

 

[bustaheims]

What are the rules for signing an undrafted player?

If they're still draft eligible for next year, they have to be signed before their junior season starts.

 

[lamajama]

I'm not saying Rielly will not be OK but as usual it's Blowhard's comments that are most annoying. As some have said here STFU. Your credibility is sorely lacking and declining every day.

Yes, because telling someone you don't know but call Blowhard to STFU oozes credibility.

Well if I was actually made GM of the Leafs and ran my mouth off with silly statements then I'd expect to be told to STFU too. And you'd have to enlighten me on credibility. Burke's credibility - or lack of it - always stem from his own statements and unfortunately actions at times. I know this is what he is but I don't seen 29 other GM's acting like this - and I'm looking at his whole "body of work" here. I had great hopes for him here as I thought he could handle the media as well as the team. He might be handling the media but his handling of the team is pretty weak as far as results show. Yes we have "more prospects" perhaps but since he had to do it his way, we're pretty much in the same boat - needing goaltending, D and a #1 centre. It's the same thing we've needed for years. Nothing elite is coming via UFA and we could soon be stuck with a 12 year deal on a goaltender that will give us 4-5 years perhaps.

I've been a Leaf fan for 50 years and will probably always be as long as I'm a hockey fan but I'd really like to have an organization that is admired even grudgingly (like I admire Detroit). We just seem to get half-baked rebuilds and vague promises however couched in lawyer-ese.

And unless something substantial is accomplished this off-season, Burke is probably gone and away we go again for the new guy.

Didn't mean for this to turn into a rant as it's all not related directly to
Rielly being picked - it's just Burke's comments stoked the feeling a bit..

 

[Kin]

More likely an Alexander Svitov (3rd) or an Alexendre Volchkov (4th).  Both were big, can't miss, prospects.

So you're just listing prospects who didn't turn out? Because defensemen are immune to that?

 

[donkeyy0]

It works both ways... Other teams should want the best talent they can get too. High end D is never, ever any the less at a premium. 

That's just not true. Good offensive defensemen are frequently available for reasonable costs. A pretty good one got dealt yesterday for a second round pick. #1 centres are almost never available and always cost a ton.

A good number of NHL scouts probably question Grigorenko's capability of reaching the status of #1 centre. If you don't pick Grigs, there's no shot that the Leafs should've picked Faksa over Reilly.

I understand the need/want for a 1st line center, but the only option was Grigs, and obviously the Leafs scouts didn't like what they saw.

 

[hockeyfan1]

I'm sure the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders love the fact that the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs is out there saying that he felt they got the best player in the draft.  All you have to say is "We really liked this player.  We feel we got a guy that can really help turn this organization around."  Not "We had this guy ranked as the first overall pick." 

Burke has always had bravado, and, since it's been his nature at times to 'shoot from the lips', we shouldn't allow ourselves to be too surprised at his choice of words.

But yes, you've made your point very clear, and rightly so. 

 

[Jalili]

I find it funny that the main reason some of you are pissed is because you were married to the idea of drafting one of the forwards. I will laugh if Grig ends up being this years Nikita Filatov.

Filatov is at the extreme end of the spectrum, but maybe he pans into a semin or zherdev type. Even then, I can't blame management for passing on him. Or maybe, he turns out a lot better than that, who knows?

 

[hockeyfan1]

@jonasTSN1050: Matt Finn met for lunch with second cousin Carlo Colaiacovo earlier in the week. Former Leaf offered tips on draft experience.

Injuries don't run in bloodlines, do they?

OH NO!  He's related to 'splody bones?

Hey, paisan, that gives Finn Italian bloodlines!  Carlo!! 

 

[Kin]

I understand the need/want for a 1st line center, but the only option was Grigs, and obviously the Leafs scouts didn't like what they saw.

Sure but there's always going to be something wrong. If you try to trade for a #1 the other team will want a lot in return. If there's a UFA they'll want a giant contract. A draft pick won't be utterly, utterly perfect.

Standing your ground only works if you have a lot of ground to stand on.

 

[#1PilarFan]

Not only that, but apparently his name is also pronounced "pee-lash".

Well played.

 

[hockeyfan1]

You can't be talking about an aging, injury-riddled Visnovsky with just one year left on his deal, can you?

...who scored 68 points a season ago? I sure can.

I like what the Islanders did too at this draft.  Getting Visnovsky (call him a 'veteran' if you will),  gives them experience at that position.

 

[bustaheims]

call him a 'veteran' if you will

He'll be 36 by the time the season starts. There isn't a world where he isn't a veteran.

 

[hockeyfan1]

call him a 'veteran' if you will

He'll be 36 by the time the season starts. There isn't a world where he isn't a veteran.

Fine, then.  He obviously, as I had stated prior, can give the Islanders much needed experience.  With him and Mark Streit, at least that makes two dependable/reliable dmen. It'll help stabilize the Islanders defence coupled with whomever they already have.

 

[moon111]

Although some could say Burke should 'STFU'.  I'd be more inclined to say it's actually fan comments that cause the most damage to this team.  The fact fans are all over this would be the #1 reason I'd never ever sign as a UFA for the team I grew up idolizing.  Is anything Burke has said that big of a deal?  No.  Leafs got a top 5 player with a top 5 pick.  Nobody here knows what's going to happen down the road.  If you do, you're a better man/woman then the top scouts in the world who've been analyzing these prospects under a microscope.  Burke stating that all things considered, they think Morgan Rielly is #1 is a fact.  The only argument I've seen against that is based off of emotion.

 

[LeafsInSeven]

How can you argue with a straight face that the Leafs should have chosen with the 5th pick in the draft a player who at best went 11th? If you want to argue that the Leafs picked the wrong defenseman, maybe I could take it seriously.

 

[Bender]

I find it funny that the main reason some of you are pissed is because you were married to the idea of drafting one of the forwards. I will laugh if Grig ends up being this years Nikita Filatov.

Filatov is at the extreme end of the spectrum, but maybe he pans into a semin or zherdev type. Even then, I can't blame management for passing on him. Or maybe, he turns out a lot better than that, who knows?

I would not be happy with a Zherdev/Frolov/Afinogenov type at all. And it's funny - we talk about Kessel not backchecking and we're constantly ragging on him even after finishing top 10 in scoring, but imagine Grigorenko here with all the talk of his work ethic already and lack of play without the puck. We already harp on Kadri for that reason. I think it's a powder keg waiting to happen and I wouldn't be surprised at all if the tempermental Russian stereotype ended up being true. There's more value in having a safe pick than a home run swing if you're not confident that you'll actually hit that home run.

And in regards to Forsberg: I will definitely be down if he ends up being a strong power forward like Johan Franzen, but there's question marks there too: People have stated he's more of a two-way second liner than anything else, and another player I am reminded of is Paajarvi...

Anyway, regardless, this draft won't pan out for years. We still barely know what we have in Percy and Biggs.

 

[LeafsInSeven]

Brown was the leading scorer on perhaps the worst OHL team since Don Cherry thought he knew how to run a junior team. He was an astonishing -72 this season. The Leafs probably saw a lot of him while checking on McKegg and Olden.

Ryan Rupert has a twin brother Matt playing with him on the London Knights who wasn't drafted.

Neither Sondre Olden (did he re-enter?) nor Josh Nichols were drafted. I got the impression that Nichols may have received some sort of offer from the Leafs and turned it down. Looks like he'll enter Leafs' draft history with names like Miguel Delisle and Jonathan Zion as prospects who should have just signed and taken their opportunity.