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Kozun Loaned To Marlies; Leafs Prospect Update

November 28, 2014, 12:01 PM ET [472 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Maple Leafs have sent forward Brandon Kozun to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on a conditioning stint.

The 24-year-old winger was the surprise of training camp, making the Leafs squad based on his top-end speed, skill and penalty killing abilities. In five games, Kozun registered one assist but suffered a high ankle sprain against Detroit on October 17 after being taken into the boards by Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson.

Kozun will likely play the next two games for the Marlies (Sunday against Lake Erie and Tuesday vs. Grand Rapids) before being cleared to return to the Leafs lineup, which would give the big club a full complement of 14 healthy forwards.

With Toronto playing eight of their next nine games at Air Canada Center, their AHL affiliate losers of their last eight and space being tight on the salary cap, Marlies captain Trevor Smith could be returned with Mike Santorelli or Daniel Winnik moved to the middle.

The 29-year-old Smith has one assist in eight games after being recalled on November 9 and can be returned to the Marlies without clearing waivers if he does not exceed 10 games or is on the Leafs roster for 30 days, while Kozun and Richard Panik would have to go through waivers to be sent to the AHL and could very well be claimed by another NHL club looking for help up front.

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According to a report from Sports.ru in Russia, former Marlie Petri Kontiola has found a spot back in the KHL, as the Finnish center and former Kings, Devils and Canes forward Andrei Loktionov have signed with Lokomotiv.

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2014 Draft



The 18-year-old Leafs top pick had a bit of a scare last week, as a faceoff scrum led to Nylander being accidentally kicked in the head by a teammate’s skate.



The injury did not end up being too serious and after missing only one game for MODO, Nylander returned to action on Thursday, scoring his sixth goal of the season and playing over 20 minutes in a loss to HV71.





Drafted in the third round by the Leafs in 2014 after going undrafted as an 18-year-old, the Russian-born Valiev suffered a knee injury prior to the rookie tournament and was sent back to the WHL’s Kootenay Ice to complete his rehabilitation in late September.

After a rough start, Valiev has rebounded quite well, averaging over a point-per-game in 13 games, including a five-point(1G, 4 A), +5 night against Lethbridge and has been invited to Team Russia’s training camp for the upcoming World Junior tournament.





The 18-year-old native of Paramus, NJ registered his first point in the NCAA assisting on teammate Matthew Lane’s goal in a 3-2 loss to Harvard on Tuesday. Boston U. was ranked #1 in the country prior to the loss to the Crimson and will likely be in the mix for a Frozen Four berth with freshman Jack Eichel leading the club with 19 points.



The Leafs 2014 fifth-rounder is leading the Sioux Falls Stampede with 19 points in his second season in the USHL. Joshua had a goal and three assists against Des Moines on November 14th.



The son of former NHLer Jim Vesey has three assists in 13 games as a freshman at the University of Maine, along with 23 penalty minutes.





The Leafs long line of Swede seventh rounders continues with Engvall, who has no points in seven games with the second-tier Oskarshamn IK in Sweden, but did make his SHL debut with Frolunda on October 28.

2013 Draft



Toronto’s 2013 first rounder sat out until late October due to a cracked rib suffered in the first game of the rookie tournament, but has four goals and three assists in 10 games for the Rimouski Oceanic thus far.

Gauthier was named team captain for the QMJHL’s squad for the Subway Series and has a good chance to make Team Canada’s squad for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in a defensive role, but could be left off if Canada wants to go with a more offensive-minded club.





After impressing at the Leafs ‘13 training camp and posting some great offensive numbers with the Niagara Ice Dogs last season, Verhaeghe did not stand out this September and has continued to struggle offensively, with 15 points in 23 games.
Verhaeghe had a goal and assist in the Ice Dogs 9-2 victory over Belleville on Thursday.



The 19-year-old Swiss-born Herzog is the youngest player on his club in the Swiss league and has started to produce against more experienced competition, with five goals in 24 games.



The reigning Rookie of the Year continues to use his quickness and skill to generate offense for the SHL leading Frolunda club. Johnson leads the team 11 goals, including a power play goal in a 6-1 victory over Brynas on Thursday. Imagine what it will look like in a couple years with Nylander and Johnson on the same line with the Leafs.

2012 Draft



Toninato continues to have a hot-hand in his sophomore season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, leading the club with nine goals(tied for third in the NCAA). The 20-year-old scored 28 seconds into the game in a 2-1 win over the Univ. of Minnesota on November 15, but his three-game goal streak was broken on November 21.

2011 Draft



The speedy Cameranesi has two goals and seven assists in his junior year with UMD and assisted on the game winning goal vs Minnesota on November 15, but the 21-year-old seems to be regressing after scoring 55 points in his first two seasons.

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