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Which Consolation Callups Will Stick? |
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The Leafs made an important series of roster transactions starting at last season's trade deadline that would set the stage for the remainder of the season. On that day, they called up 4 rookies in William Nylander, Nikita Soshnikov, Zach Hyman, and Kasperi Kapanen (They also called up Ben Smith who was not a rookie and, since he is no longer with the team, will not be discussed here).
While most of them got off to a fairly decent start, with 3 of the 4 netting goals within their first few games, Kapanen would not have the same fortune, and got sent down to the Marlies after just 9 games with the team, to avoid burning the first year of his ELC. He was replaced by Connor Brown, who would play the next 7 before being sent down along with Hyman on March 31st.
Each of Nylander, Soshnikov, Hyman and Brown made an impact in their own way, and it remains to be seen how they have capitalized on this off-season. If they had a real "NHL summer", as Mike Babcock would phrase it, then any or all of them have the potential to make the team out of camp. This management group seems to subscribe to the mantra that meritocracy trumps contracts, and your level of play and professionalism will determine whether or not a spot opens up for you with the big club.
With that in mind, here are my projections for the 4 aforementioned rookies:
William Nylander
2015-2016 NHL stats: 22GP - 6G 7A 13P
2016-2017 projection: 71GP - 15G 34A 49P
Nylander showed plenty of the attributes that got him drafted 8th overall in 2014, that being an abundance of skill and hockey IQ. It was clear that his areas for improvement were getting stronger on the puck and a greater attention to the 200-foot game. Already, videos have surfaced showing Willy working on the former, while the latter will show through training camp and the beginning of this season. I feel that he will have a pretty good season, but that Babcock's insistence on a tight defensive game will take away from the full potential of his point production in his first full season, despite feeding the puck to Auston Matthews.
Zach Hyman
2015-2016 NHL stats: 16GP - 4G 2A 6P
2016-2017 projection: 24GP - 5G 5A 10P
Hyman showed perhaps the highest compete level of any of the rookies, going toe to toe with the league's best on a few occasions and often getting the better of the exchanges (Who can forget him stripping John Tavares of the puck at the blue line, simply outworking the big Isles pivot?). That said, he is exactly what Babcock would be looking for in your energy and PK players and, as it stands, the Leafs are looking to have more than enough of those to start the year. I foresee him getting an emergency callup for a couple of games early in the year, and then a permanent callup at the deadline, when the likes of Greening, Laich, Michalek, etc are moved out.
Nikita Soshnikov
2015-2016 NHL stats: 11GP - 2G 3A 5P
2016-2017 projection: 38GP - 8G 11A 19P
Soshnikov is responsible for hands-down the best first-goal celebration by a Leafs rookie last season, after he smashed the boards and let out a "WOOOO" that would make Ric Flair proud. Theatrics aside, Soshnikov showed that he has grit and is not afraid to agitate, while simultaneously possessing a shot that can beat goalies cleanly. I don't see Soshnikov making the team out of camp, but likely being the first callup when the likes of Lupul and Michalek are inevitably injured, and probable to get time alongside last season's linemates in Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri when he does. I feel he will do fine in that role.
Connor Brown
2015-2016 NHL stats: 7GP - 1G 5A 6P
2016-2017 projection: 79GP - 16G 29A 45P
Mike Babcock made no bones about the fact that Brown and Nylander should have been on last season's roster from day 1, and lost to the numbers game. This season, that won't be the case. Brown, in his limited time as a Leaf last season, netted almost a point-per-game (with 3 coming in the same game). While I don't foresee that torrid production continuing to the same degree, I do expect him to get modest minutes with quality linemates (even going so far as to play alongside Nylander and Matthews) and this will lead to point totals somewhere in and around the above. I expect him to rack up plenty of secondary assist points which will tilt his overall total in the same ballpark as Nylander's. The question mark with Brown will be how his body handles a full NHL season. Still, I feel like his best days are ahead and I look forward to seeing him in training camp.
How about you, Leafers? Do you agree with the projections? Feel the totals are too high? Too low? Leave your thoughts in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading!
Blogger •Atlantic Division Writer • 
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