The Toronto Maple Leafs opened the 2016 Rookie Tournament in London, ON with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Budweiser Gardens on Friday, but more important than the score of the game were the first impressions made on the majority of the club’s management who were in attendance.
Team President Brendan Shanahan, GM Lou Lamoriello, Asst GM’s Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter all were present to view a number of the club’s prospects and standouts on the first night were 2015 fifth rounder Dmytro Timashov, college free agent Trevor Moore, defenseman Rinat Valiev and goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo.
Timashov opened eyes at training camp last season as an 18-year-old and showed growth in his game with Quebec/Shawinigan of the QMJHL and Sweden at the World Junior last December. The winger was the offensive catalyst on a line with 2013 first rounder Frederik Gauthier and Moore and bounced back quickly after a hard hit from Sens defenseman Andreas Englund.
“(Timashov) is a good player. It’s fun to play with him, we are kinda similar, he sees the ice well.” Moore said after the game. “When you’re open, he is going to find you.”
Moore played three years at the University of Denver and was signed after impressing at the club’s rookie development camp in July. The 21-year-old winger showed good speed throughout the night and scored the Leafs only regulation goal at 17:33 of the first period and nearly repeated the process in the third.
Valiev, who played his first full professional season last year that included a 10-game NHL stint, was the standout on a Toronto blueline that consisted of players signed to AHL contracts (Nikolas Brouillard, Ty Stanton, Jon Jutzi) and unsigned draft picks likely heading back to the OHL (Stephen Desrochers and Nicolas Mattinen).
The Russian defenseman was solid in his own end and also posed a threat at the other end of the ice. Valiev’s best moment came during the five minute three-on-three, as he controlled the puck deftly for a long stretch and nearly scored just prior to Colin Smith’s breakaway overtime winner.
Kaskisuo, who played two years at Minnesota-Duluth and signed with Toronto near the end of the regular season, faced 21 Ottawa shots and allowed only Stephen Harper’s tally late in the third. The 22-year-old controlled rebounds well and displayed a calm demeanor throughout the game.
With 2016 top pick Auston Matthews in Toronto for the World Cup of Hockey, the focus of the weekend is clearly on Mitch Marner and his bid to make the Leafs as a 19-year-old.
In his first appearance at the rookie tournament last September, the 2015 fourth overall pick had moments but was clearly adjusting to playing against stronger and more experienced opposition.
After a phenomenal OHL season and winning the Memorial Cup last season and getting stronger physically over the summer, the expectation was for Marner to dominate play in his home OHL barn in London.
The 19-year-old had a few scoring chances, displayed elusiveness and did not shy away from contact, but also made some questionable decisions in the offensive zone that led to counterattack opportunities for Ottawa.
“(Marner)’s a guy who knows how to use his body well.” Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe indicated after the game. “He separated some guys, won some loose pucks for his linemates and that’s part of the package. I’m not so sure that’s new for him.”
The evaluation of Marner will be a lengthy process, but he will have to put forth a better showing through training camp and possibly nine regular season games to make a case for staying in the NHL and not returning to Budweiser Gardens this season.
Toronto will face the Montreal Canadiens rookies on Saturday night and will play Pittsburgh for the final game of the tournament on Sunday afternoon.
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Box Score
SOG...........1....2....3....OT....F
Toronto......12..12...6.....2...32
Ottawa.......7....5....6.....3...21
1st
1. (TOR)Trevor Moore (Dmytro Timashov-Ty Stanton)
2nd
No Scoring
3rd
2. (OTT)Stephen Harper(Blake Tatchell-Filip Chlapiik)
Overtime
3. (TOR) Colin Smith (Unassisted)
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Listen to the season premiere of "Off The Post" with Russ Cohen, Anthony Mingioni and myself discussing the Rookie Tournament in London and the World Cup of Hockey.
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