Leafs 2017 Entry Draft

[hockeyfan1]

Gotta love Babcock straight to the family.

That was a nice gesture on Babcock's part.  Classy coach.

 

[bustaheims]

McKenzie had him at 22, Marek at 26. So a little, but not as funny as last year.

I guess. Still probably missed an opportunity to trade down and add another quality pick.

 

[Frank E]

I am pleased.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I guess. Still probably missed an opportunity to trade down and add another quality pick.

Yup. Thought that about Foote too. Guess there isn't much of an appetite to move either way this year.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

9 months ago me is thrilled.

Playoffs and the guy we wanted to draft? Whodathunkit?

Having your cake and eating it, too.  Apparently it's actually possible!

 

[slapshot]

Perfect pick for the Leafs. Exactly who I was hoping they would get. Cal Foote was my second choice, so when he went higher, I was like "oh no," McPhee or Burke is going snag our guy and we'll get neither.

I am so pumped with this pick. The stars are aligning nicely after all these years...

 

[Kin]

It's an unimportant thought but I can't help but wonder absent the run on defensemen starting at #14 what the Leafs' draft board was like re: ranking the three Scandinavian defensemen.

 

[Zee]

Pretty good pick at 17. A year ago he was in the top 5 but dropped due to mono and a down year. Hyped for this guys potential

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Wonder if the Leafs try to do the same thing they did with Nylander and get Liljegren playing with the Marlies at some point next season.

 

[disco]

Welcome to the Toronto Maple Leafs TIM-MAH! Liljegren.

 

[Kin]

Wonder if the Leafs try to do the same thing they did with Nylander and get Liljegren playing with the Marlies at some point next season.

It's a long shot obviously and you don't want to rush things but if the thinking on him is he's a top 5 talent who got held up by mono then i don't see why he wouldn't, as Hunter sort of indicated, get a real chance at camp to make the big club.

 

[TBLeafer]

And we still got LIL!

I'm sure the irony from last summer isn't lost on those here.  ;D

 

[L K]

Wonder if the Leafs try to do the same thing they did with Nylander and get Liljegren playing with the Marlies at some point next season.

It's a long shot obviously and you don't want to rush things but if the thinking on him is he's a top 5 talent who got held up by mono then i don't see why he wouldn't, as Hunter sort of indicated, get a real chance at camp to make the big club.

I hope this is that fluke drop that turns into something like Rask dropping to the Leafs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

It's a long shot obviously and you don't want to rush things but if the thinking on him is he's a top 5 talent who got held up by mono then i don't see why he wouldn't, as Hunter sort of indicated, get a real chance at camp to make the big club.

Yeah, that's why I think 'planning' on starting him with the Marlies is the right call. If he absolutely exceeds expectations then there's still room to bring him up. Having players develop in Europe is fine but it's also very constraining for the organization. I wouldn't do it for any top-5 pick, and like you said Liljegren can almost be classified as that.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And of course, there's a good chance there's a bunch of Swedes on the Marlies next season in Borgman, Rosen, Grundstrom, Johnsson, Timashov, and Lindberg. Would make the transition to North America significantly easier on him.

 

[bustaheims]

Yup. Thought that about Foote too. Guess there isn't much of an appetite to move either way this year.

Certainly doesn't seem that way. We're into the 20s, and there's been no movement.

 

[Frank E]

It's a long shot obviously and you don't want to rush things but if the thinking on him is he's a top 5 talent who got held up by mono then i don't see why he wouldn't, as Hunter sort of indicated, get a real chance at camp to make the big club.

Yeah, that's why I think 'planning' on starting him with the Marlies is the right call. If he absolutely exceeds expectations then there's still room to bring him up. Having players develop in Europe is fine but it's also very constraining for the organization. I wouldn't do it for any top-5 pick, and like you said Liljegren can almost be classified as that.

They said he's under contract in Sweden for next season.

 

[Zee]

It's a long shot obviously and you don't want to rush things but if the thinking on him is he's a top 5 talent who got held up by mono then i don't see why he wouldn't, as Hunter sort of indicated, get a real chance at camp to make the big club.

Yeah, that's why I think 'planning' on starting him with the Marlies is the right call. If he absolutely exceeds expectations then there's still room to bring him up. Having players develop in Europe is fine but it's also very constraining for the organization. I wouldn't do it for any top-5 pick, and like you said Liljegren can almost be classified as that.

They said he's under contract in Sweden for next season.

Lou will break it.

 

[bustaheims]

They said he's under contract in Sweden for next season.

Swedish teams seem be fairly amicable to renegotiating those deals for guys that have been drafted and have a legit shot of getting into the NHL that season.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Edmonton gets Yamamoto.