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Leafs Prospect Watch; Owuya Sent To Vegas

December 13, 2012, 12:18 PM ET [516 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Here is a progress report on the Leafs prospects in the CHL, Europe and the NCAA:

2012 Draft Picks

Morgan Rielly D - Moose Jaw Warriors [WHL] 33 GP, 7 G,21 A, 28 Pts, 5 PIM

The highly regarding defensive prospect continues to play impressively, as he scored the winning goal and an assist in Moose Jaw’s 4-3 victory over Spokane last Saturday. According to the Moose Jaw Times Herald, the sub.500 Warriors have received inquiries from Memorial Cup contenders about Rielly, but “NHL labor negotiations have limited the interest….With the potential of Rielly being called into camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs and possibly staying up with the team at a moment's notice, the interest in a deal is maybe not what some people would perceive.” The young blueliner is a virtual lock to make Team Canada for the upcoming WJC in Ufa, Russia and is expected to play on the club’s top defensive pairing with Bruins prospect Dougie Hamilton. Toronto GM assured Hockey Canada that Rielly would not be pulled by his club during the tournament, if a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

Matt Finn D - Guelph Storm [OHL] 26 GP,9 G, 12 A, 21 Pts, 16 PIM

The young blueliner returned after missing six games with a bout of mononucleosis and had a goal and an assist in Guelph’s 8-0 thrashing of Erie last Saturday. Finn is tied for the club lead in goals by a defenseman with nine.

Dominic Toninato F - Fargo Force [USHL]23 GP, 9 G,14 A, 23 Pts 20 PIM

The young forward scored his ninth goal of the season in overtime on Friday to give Fargo a 4-3 victory over Tri-City. A native of Duluth, MN, Toninato recently signed a letter of intent to attend his hometown University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

Connor Brown RW - Erie Otters [OHL] 32 GP,17 G, 21 A, 38 Pts, 27 PIM

The 18 year old Otters captain continues to produce offensively, as he scored a goal and an assist in Erie’s 6-2 victory over the Ottawa 67’s. The win was the first for new Otters coach Kris Knoblauch, who replaced former NHL coach Robbie Ftorek and promises to play a much more offensive brand of hockey. Brown continues to lead the club in scoring with 38 points, one ahead of 15 year old phenom Connor McDavid.

Ryan Rupert C - London Knights [OHL] 22 GP, 1 G, 11 A, 12 Pts, 42 PIM

The feisty Rupert has had his share of bad luck so far this season. While brother Matt(who was invited to the Leafs rookie camp last July) is only behind Seth Griffith and Max Domi with 16 goals, the Leafs sixth rounder scored his first of the season into an empty net in Friday’s 5-2 victory over Niagara. He just returned to the London lineup after separating his shoulder and suffered a dislocated finger in practice yesterday, which makes his status for the upcoming weekend in doubt.

Viktor Loov D - Sodertalje SK [Swe-1] 18 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Pts, 8 PIM

Toronto’s seventh round pick was suspended over the weekend for three games(commuted down to two games and a fine) after receiving a match penalty for a head hit.

2011 Draft Picks

Tyler Biggs RW – Oshawa Generals[OHL] 32 GP, 15 G, 17 A, 32 Pts, 42 PIM

Biggs continues to score regularly, his 32 points has him second on the Generals behind Columbus second rounder Boone Jenner. The hulking 19 year old winger was chosen for the US selection camp for the upcoming World Juniors in Russia and is expected to make the club.

Stuart Percy D - Mississauga Steelheads [OHL] 30 GP, 7 G, 12 A, 19 Pts 16 PIM

Percy scored a goal in the Steelhead’s 5-3 loss to Sudbury last Friday, but his club has slumped recently as they are winless in the last five games.

Joshua Leivo LW - Sudbury Wolves [OHL] 26 GP, 13 G, 14 A, 27 Pts, 26 PIM

Leivo has been out of the lineup since November 24th with post-concussion symptoms and is being given extra time off for precautionary reasons. The Leafs 2011 third round pick received a glowing endorsement of his future from Wolves GM Blaine Smith in Lance Hornby’s article from the Toronto Sun last week:

“I think the Leafs have quite a prospect,” Smith said. “Many nights he is carrying our offence. We’re having some trouble there (2.8 goals a game), but he and Chad Thibodeau are our only 19-year-old and Josh is playing with a 17-year-old in Dominik Kahun. He doesn’t have Michael Sgarbossa (102 points last year) to work with anymore.”


Tom Nilsson D - Mora Jr. [Sweden] 26 GP,1 G, 2 A, 3 Pts 14 PIM

The Leafs fourth rounder has been selected for Team Sweden’s selection camp for the upcoming World Juniors and is expected to make the final cut.

Tony Cameranesi C - U. Minnesota-Duluth 16 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 Pts, 10 PIM

Cameranesi is tied for second in most points among rookies in NCAA Division I hockey with 15 points. He is considered to be a “world class skater” according to his USHL coach P.K. O’Handley and Bulldogs assistant r Derek Plante(former NHLer) says“Tony is great at holding onto the puck and then making a play. He’s relentless….” - Duluth News Tribune

David Broll LW - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds [OHL] 33 GP, 10 G, 15 A, 25 Pts, 42 PIM

Broll scored an overtime goal last night to give the Greyhounds a come from behind 4-3 victory over Plymouth. He has already surpassed his goal totals from last season, having scored 10 goals in 33 games.

Dennis Robertson D - Brown University [ECAC] 12 GP, 1 G, 7 A, 8 Pts 34 PIM

The 21 year old junior scored his first goal of the season in a 4-3 loss to Yale on December 1. The Fort St. John, BC native is second on the club in scoring with 8 points and leads the club with 34 penalty minutes.

Garret Sparks G - Guelph Storm [OHL] 31 GP,18-7-3 2.70 GAA, .920 Sv%

Sparks leads the OHL in minutes played with 1,731 and posted his fourth shutout of the season against Erie last Saturday. The 19year old was selected along with draft classmate Tyler Biggs to the Team USA selection camp, but the Americans chose only three netminders, so Sparks is guaranteed to make the trip to Russia later this month.

Max Everson D - Edina H.S. (Minn.) 7 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Pts 4 PIM

According to a report in The Crimson, Harvard’s college newspaper, Everson and three other players have been removed from Harvard's official roster, with speculation that the reason may be related to an academic scandal that swept the university late this past summer.

*******

Goaltender Mark Owuya has been sent to the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. Owuya was third on the depth chart behind Ben Scrivens and Jussi Rynnas, but was kept with the Marlies due to Rynna's being injured. In four games, the 23 year old was 2-2-0, with a 3.79 GAA and .833 save percentage.

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