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Marlies look to sweep, Rasanen signs in KHL, prospect update

May 25, 2018, 5:01 PM ET [81 Comments]
Mike Augello
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The Toronto Marlies will look to finish off the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Eastern Conference Final in Allentown, PA on Friday, after a dominating 5-0 performance on Wednesday.

The Marlies have won their last eight games in a row after two road losses in their first round series against Utica, winning the deciding game against the Comets, sweeping the Syracuse Crunch and winning three straight against the Phantoms.

The top line of Miro Aaltonen, Carl Grundstrom and Andreas Johnsson and team captain Ben Smith for the second game in a row were the scoring stars for the Marlies.

After the top line scored the tying and winning goals in their overtime win on Sunday, Grundstrom opened the scoring 61 seconds into the game on Wednesday and Johnsson extended the lead early in the second period.

Smith scored the opening goal in Game 3 and iced the game in the third with a pair of power play goals, thanks to Phantoms goalie Alex Lyon’s five minute major and ejection for kicking Mason Marchment while lying in the crease.



Lyon was not suspended by the AHL for the incident and is expected to get the start for the Phantoms, while Garret Sparks, who faced only 16 shots in his second shutout of the playoffs, will get the start for Toronto.

If the Marlies win, they will face the winner of the Texas – Rockford series in the Calder Cup Final (likely to start next weekend, depending on how long either series lasts). Both series could end tonight, as the IceHogs staved off elimination with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 on Thursday.

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While most hockey observers are focusing on the upcoming Stanley Cup Final, teams are looking forward to next week’s NHL Combine in Buffalo and putting the last touches on their preparations for the 2018 Draft in Dallas on June 22-23 and also squaring away prospects who have not yet been signed.

2017 second round pick Eemeli Rasanen has been practicing with the Marlies after completing his season with the Kingston Frontenacs, but the big Finn will not be signing an entry-level contract with the Leafs or going back to the OHL.

The 19-year-old blueliner has signed a two-year deal with Jokerit of the KHL.

Normally, a team retains the rights of a player selected from a CHL club for two years after his draft year, but according to Cap Friendly, if the Leafs made a “bona fide” offer to Rasanen in the last year, they will retain the 6’7”, 209 lb defenseman’s rights until 2021.

Rasanen does not turn 20 until March 2019, which means he will get the benefit of playing against adults in a professional league for two seasons, as well as potentially playing for Finland at the 2019 World Junior in Vancouver next December.

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The Leafs have their draft rights expire on forward JJ Piccinich (4th-2014), defensemen Keaton Middleton (4th- 2016) and Nicolas Mattinen (6th – 2016) if they are not signed to an entry-level deal by June 1.

Piccinich, who played two seasons with London, won a Memorial Cup with Mitch Marner in 2016, signed a two-year AHL contract with the Leafs last summer and scored 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists) for the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL last season. The 21-year-old is expected to honor the second year of that deal.

Middleton had 24 points (4 goals, 20 assists) for the Saginaw Spirit in his fourth OHL season, but Toronto is not expected to offer the 6’5”, 235 lb. blueliner an ELC according to reporter Dhiren Mahiban , which means the 20-year-old will re-enter the draft next month.

Mattinen was traded from Flint to Hamilton in the OHL this season and is currently playing for the Bulldogs in the Memorial Cup. His agent told Mahiban that discussions about a contract with the Leafs will be held next week and before the June 1 deadline.

The path of another prospect appears to be going in the wrong direction. Defenseman J.D. Greenway (3rd -2016) has decided to leave the University of Wisconsin after two seasons and will play for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints this season.

The 20-year-old has two years of NCAA eligibility and according to Todd Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal, this move is usually done to transfer to another school and conspicuous after Greenway was scratched for the first 21 games of the Badgers season for a reason that has never been revealed.


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