The news since Saturday has been all about the NHL Draft Lottery and the Toronto Maple Leafs picking first overall for the first time since 1985. The prospect of selecting center Auston Matthews first overall is something that has the club’s passionate fan base feeling joy, hope and optimism for the first time in years, but there are other reasons to be encouraged about the future.
The Toronto Marlies dispatched the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in three straight in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs and open their second round series against the Albany Devils at Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday.
Draft choices Martins Dzierkals and Dmytro Timashov will be on opposite sides as Rouyn-Noranda and Shawinigan face each other in the QMJHL Championship starting Wednesday, while Mitch Marner and prospect JJ Piccinich’s London Knights take on the Niagara IceDogs in the opening game of the OHL Championship on Thursday.
The Maple Leafs 2015 top pick leads the Ontario Hockey League in playoff scoring with 37 points and on Tuesday was named the recipient of the 2016 Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year.
Mitch Marner is presented with the Red Tilson Trophy.#OHL Most Outstanding Player.
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) May 3, 2016
WATCH: https://t.co/sprulm32qg pic.twitter.com/ihU6HZ4XRD
The fourth overall selection finished third in OHL scoring behind Barrie’s Kevin Labanc and Knights linemate Christian Dvorak with 116 points(39 goals, 77 assists) in 57 games, scoring over 100 points for the second straight season and also had six points in five games for Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Helsinki, Finland.
“It’s a big award and an honor, but it wouldn’t have happened without my teammates,… Marner said in a press release. “Building upon the three years with the whole coaching staff and without the guys on the team this wouldn’t have happened. It’s a great award, but we still have a way to go.…
Marner is the second Toronto prospect to win the Red Tilson Trophy in the last three seasons, as current Marlie Connor Brown led the OHL in scoring and was the recipient of the award in 2014 and fifth in Leafs history (George Armstrong, Frank Mahovlich and Doug Gilmour).
“Mitch has shown his great passion, determination and skill throughout this entire Ontario Hockey League season and is very deserving of this distinction,… Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “The Maple Leafs organization is very proud of Mitch being named OHL Player of the Year and wish him, and the Knights, continued success in the playoffs.…
The 18-year-old forward could be on his way to the Memorial Cup in Red Deer, AB later this month, but the question ahead for Marner is whether he will be able to make the Maple Leafs lineup out of training camp in September. The Thornhill, ON native is not eligible to play in the American Hockey League next season, so the options are the NHL or another year in the OHL.
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The Toronto Marlies could have some lineup changes for Game 1 against Albany on Wednesday. William Nylander missed practice for the second straight day with an unspecified illness and team captain Andrew Campbell also did not take to the ice at Ricoh Coliseum.
Nikita Soshnikov skated prior to practice and head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that the winger’s injury has improved in recent days, but all three players will be game time decisions.
Keefe has also not named his starting goalie for Wednesday, but based on the end of the Bridgeport series, Garret Sparks should get the nod over Antoine Bibeau. Bibeau has a 3.27 GAA in two starts and allowed four goals on 12 shots before being pulled last Thursday, while Sparks has not allowed a goal in 88:08.
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Interesting info regarding the one-year contract to Russian defenseman Nikita Zaitsev from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
The 24-year-old entry-level deal includes performance bonuses that could total $850,000 and includes a European assignment clause, that if Zaitsev is demoted to the American Hockey League, he can ask to be assigned to the KHL instead.
Winger Leo Komarov chose to return to Dynamo Moscow rather than play with the Toronto Marlies during the 2012 NHL Lockout, but returned to play for the Leafs after the NHL and NHLPA reached an agreement, but it was not a contractual stipulation in his contract.
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Listen to my interview with former Leafs Assistant GM Bill Watters, as we discuss Toronto’s lottery win, Auston Matthews, Stamkos and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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