herman
Well-known member
That’s why I was pushing for 7x7 last summer, but they’re trying to keep their powder dry for the Marner number.
2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
Athletic: Meet Luke Haymes, the NCAA free agent drawing interest from the Maple Leafs
I don't know much about Luke Haymes. But so far, everything I've seen today makes him appear to be a credible NCAA UFA pickup.
When they trade their draft picks away, they have to fill the prospect cupboard with some candidates to give their staff players to develop. The Leafs do offer that: excellent facilities and staff to develop players - so that should help to attract them. That appears to be the case this time with Haymes.
I don't know much about Luke Haymes. But so far, everything I've seen today makes him appear to be a credible NCAA UFA pickup.
When they trade their draft picks away, they have to fill the prospect cupboard with some candidates to give their staff players to develop. The Leafs do offer that: excellent facilities and staff to develop players - so that should help to attract them. That appears to be the case this time with Haymes.
Opinions on him seem all over the place. Eliteprospects called him the best NCAA free agent in years:
While someone like Corey Pronman who's done "best NCAA/CHL/European free agents" lists for years didn't even include him on his 18 name list. And of course lots of opinions in between those two.
Definitely sounds like an intriguing prospect though. We'll see how he does in the AHL for the rest of the season.
For the most part, as I recall, opinions are usually all over the place on players like these.
If one looked at Bobby McMann's stats at Colgate, I doubt anyone who did would fault someone for taking a pass.
I'd never heard of him until after they had acquired him and still knew almost nothing about him. It wasn't until I saw him play for the Marlies that the lights went on for me - that maybe they had something.
I read the reviews like you - I too had noticed he didn't make Pronman's list .. .but neither did McMann. They signed a maybe.
The thing about a prospect like McMann is that he was so raw - development could leap him up the depth charts.
Haymes is more known. He has been to the Leafs development camps in 2023 and his game took off after that. So his development ceiling might not be as high. But I don't know much about him. I'd never heard of him before yesterday. I feel sort of stupid talking about him.
It's tough enough being a fan of this team. Gotta leave the scouting to them.
I am grateful to see they're beating the NCAA bushes to find and sign players that might develop to help fill in the void from a lack of drafting due to trades - particularly while they're contending because they find out what they've got a lot faster with players like this than they would developing a drafted player from scratch. Their lack of prospect depth probably was an attraction for Haymes - not as much competition for coaching and development time - along with great facilities and staff. By this time next year or sooner, they'll have a pretty fair idea if (and when) Quillan or Haymes can fill Minten's skates as a 3rd line center.
herman
Well-known member
In recent years, Pronman's prospect rankings have been, let's charitably say... inconsistent.
It's the nature of the beast; trying to watch this many players as a solo outfit and seeing skaters maybe 2-3 times a year at most. The sample size per player + the subjective filter of one person (no matter how erudite and diligent) is always going to be more misses than not.
It's the nature of the beast; trying to watch this many players as a solo outfit and seeing skaters maybe 2-3 times a year at most. The sample size per player + the subjective filter of one person (no matter how erudite and diligent) is always going to be more misses than not.
I remember this post. Not to be too much of a Corey Pronman-cheerleader but I'd like to see literally anyone else try to rank 139 under-23 year old hockey players while providing somewhat detailed breakdowns of their game and not have any inconsistences/questionable calls.
And also his Celebrini > Bedard rank is bang-on.
dappleganger
Well-known member
NHL front offices cannot do prospect rankings at any reasonable level. I'd hate to be a scout.
herman
Well-known member
Yes. But his Laine-Matthews one...
We're better off with team effort scouting reports. Like he's still several steps up on Sam Cosentino, so Pronman remains a good starting point in general.
Ozzie
Active member
I think 88 deserves more love than he's been getting this season. The dude is No.2 in NHL goals. He signed his very generous contract and kept delivering like a machine. And I expect an uptick come playoff time because he's been the Core4 member to most consistently show up in the post season.
Here's a toast to Willy!
Here's a toast to Willy!
herman
Well-known member
I think I give him enough love.
Guru Tugginmypuddah
Well-known member
Always pumping up Willy.
lamajama
Well-known member
Hey-OOOO!
herman
Well-known member
Man knows how to get a PP going and popping off at the right time.
Ozzie
Active member
Did you walk up to him on the street, look in his eyes and tell him man to man that you love him, yet?
Bullfrog
Active member
Jarnkrok will almost certainly be out there.
L K
Well-known member
I'm sure that if the Leafs weren't in roster/cap constraints that they would magically be able to activate Patches, but at the same time, I think the number of good games he played this year is matched by games where he was ineffective. He did have some good efforts on L2 with Tavares/Nylander but I'm not banking on him being that guy when his body couldn't hold up to that style of play.
Also, are the Leafs now good again because they took care of business against the Flyers to claim the division or are they only terrible when they lose games?
2024 - 71GP 40-22-9 89 points (28 RW, 35 ROW, 261 GF, 235 GA)
2025 - 71GP 41-25-5 89 points (35 RW, 39 ROW, 231 GF, 210 GA)
Also, are the Leafs now good again because they took care of business against the Flyers to claim the division or are they only terrible when they lose games?
2024 - 71GP 40-22-9 89 points (28 RW, 35 ROW, 261 GF, 235 GA)
2025 - 71GP 41-25-5 89 points (35 RW, 39 ROW, 231 GF, 210 GA)
Ozzie
Active member
Pacioretty is perfect for the playoffs because he is playing way beyond his physical capacity (a guy in his mid 30s playing like mid 20s) throwing his body around and also getting Greasy goals.
Good for a 2 or 3 games per series (assuming cap ok and injury healed).
That complements "Scratch and Score" Robertson who gets scratched and then comes back and scores.... who can play a couple of games per series too.
L3 is on the border of being an absolute liability and being ok, so it needs whatever boost it can get.
Good for a 2 or 3 games per series (assuming cap ok and injury healed).
That complements "Scratch and Score" Robertson who gets scratched and then comes back and scores.... who can play a couple of games per series too.
L3 is on the border of being an absolute liability and being ok, so it needs whatever boost it can get.
The good news is anything can happen in the playoffs which they are destined for.
Not so good news is that they do not seem like a top contender to me. I'd agree that they're second tier.
Odds makers give them very roughly about a 6% chance to win a Cup vs the better teams at very roughly 10%.
Who knows for sure? Those odds seem very roughly right to me - that there are some better teams in the league.
Losses like the one to the Preds rattles confidence in them.
It seems like they're still trying to figure out their lines, etc with just a handful of games to go.
Which Auston Matthews will be playing for them?
Although their points are about the same as last year, this roster seems better constructed for the playoffs.
We'll find out soon enough.
2/3rds or more of the league doesn't get as good of a shot this year, so I'm grateful for that.
Go Leafs Go !!
herman
Well-known member
Same points as last year with ass-butt Matthews vs last year's Rocket winning, Hart finalist Matthews means the team is much more robust underneath. If he can pop off for 2-3 games out of 7 and his floor is still defensively not ass-butt, we're in good shape.
Just need the PK to not be stupid, and the PP to feel very comfortable to not iso on Matthews chances as much as it has prior to 2025.