Leafs Make Final Cuts

The Toronto Maple Leafs finalized their opening right roster this morning by sending down four players to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.

Forwards Luca Caputi, Christian Hanson, Nazem Kadri and goaltender Jussi Rynnas were all demoted, while Danny Richmond, Jay Rosehill and Mike Zigomanis were placed on waivers by the Leafs. Upon clearing waivers, Richmond and Rosehill are expected to be assigned to the Marlies. Speculation continues to persist that Mike Zigomanis has earned a spot with the big club.

Off season acquisition Matt Lashoff continues to rehabilitate from an injured shoulder, but will likely be placed on waivers once he is healthy.

The official roster can be found here.

Final Rookie Camp Thoughts

The Leafs official training camp is already underway, but I wanted to post my final thoughts on the annual Rookie Tournament that took place last weekend.

• Jussi Rynnas has a very projectable frame and covers a substantial amount of the net. His lateral movement and positioning are his key assets. Look for him to earn a few call ups to the Leafs this season.
• Ben Scrivens is also a sizeable goaltender who impressed with a sound butterfly style in his only appearance. He still needs at least one season in the minor leagues.
• Andrew Engelage had a tough break against the Ottawa Senators in the Leafs final game of the tournament. Looks like a future number one goaltender in the AHL.
• Jesse Blacker was one of the Leafs best defenseman and impressed me with his outstanding work ethic and puck moving skills.
• Simon Gysbers and Korbinian Holzer will both play in the AHL next season, but are potential top four studs in the NHL down the road. Both have great size.
• Former seventh round pick Barron Smith is a project but a potential steal from the later rounds. Has raw skills and willing to get physical in the corners.
• Drew Paris drew some attention as a tryout player.
• Brad Ross is the next coming of Darcy Tucker. Skill, grit and heart.
• Dale Mitchell and Sam Carrick both had good speed and weren't afraid to drop the mitts.
• Newly signed Marcel Mueller and late round pick Sondre Olden remind me of Viktor Stalberg and both could get a shot at a top nine role for Toronto in the future.
• Greg McKegg and Jerry D'Amigo are both only one year away from full time roles in the NHL.
• Brayden Irwin owns a big league shot, but his skating deficiencies with limit him from making an impact with the Leafs.
• Hate to say it, but Mike Liambas is an effective fighter and deserves a shot in the AHL or ECHL. Challenged Jay Rosehill to a fight in the Leafs main camp.
• Finally, Nazem Kadri showed flashes of brilliance but didn't dominate play. Possibly he was giving a sneak peek of what he would display at the Leafs official training camp.

Let the games begin!

Previewing the Leafs Rookie Tournament

After another missed opportunity last season that led to an extended off season, the Leafs are back in action tonight with their annual Rookie Tournament. The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at 7:00 pm the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont. Along with the Leafs and Blackhawks, the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins are also participating in the tournament.

The Leafs prospects practiced this morning, which was followed by the Penguins facing off against the Senators, who kicked off the tournament today at 2:00 pm. The Leafs will also take on Pittsburgh tomorrow at 7:00 pm and Ottawa on Tuesday at 7:00 pm.

The annual tournament gives teams an opportunity to watch their top prospects compete against other teams’ top prospects. It also gives players a chance to impress the coaching staff and potentially vie for a spot in the National Hockey League.

Recently signed Finn Jussi Rynnas, who posted a 14-13-1 record in the SM-Liiga last season, will start in net for Toronto. All three goalies will see action during the tournament, with Ben Scrivens expected to start tomorrow night’s game against Pittsburgh and Andrew Engelage to play on Tuesday against Ottawa. Rynnas is expected to split time with James Reimer on the Toronto Marlies this season, while Scrivens and Engelage need seasoning in the East Coast Hockey League.

Perhaps the most heralded prospect in this weekend’s tournament is Nazem Kadri, who will play in front of the hometown fans in London tonight. After bulking up to 188 pounds in the off season, Kadri will be back with a vengeance and vying for a spot on the Maple Leafs out of training camp.

Recent draft picks Bradley Ross (2010 Draft, 43rd overall) and Greg McKegg (62nd overall) with dress for the Leafs, while member of the German Olympic Team Marcel Mueller will also skate for Toronto. Former Erie Otter Michael Liambas, who performed the vicious hit on Kitchener Rangers defenseman Ben Fanelli last season, was invited to the Leafs training camp in hopes of playing in the American Hockey League this season. Jerry D’Amigo, Brayden Irwin and Kenny Ryan will also play for the blue and white.

On defense, Jesse Blacker and Korbinian Holzer are the more prominent names, while Keith Aulie, who was expected to play, is opting out of the tournament to continue to rehabilitate his injured shoulder. He is still practicing with the team on game days.

The Chicago Blackhawks also boast an impressive lineup, led by former first round pick Kyle Beach, along with Jeremy Morin, who was acquired in the Dustin Byfuglien swap. Former Leaf Chris DiDomenico will also suit up for tonight’s game.

Following the game, the Leafs prospects will be signing autographs for 30 minutes on the main floor of the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont.

The Leafs complete roster can be found here and the full tournament schedule here.

If you’re not attending tonight’s game, but are still interested in watching the tournament, tune into Rogers TV or MapleLeafs.com at 7:00 pm. The game will also be replayed on Leafs TV at 11:00 pm. Visit www.leafsnationonline.com following the game for a recap of what happened and analysis of the game.

I’ll be in attendance at tonight’s game, where I’ll be providing updates on the game and sharing my thoughts on each player throughout the contest. Follow us on Twitter @leafsnationweb for the latest throughout the weekend.

Rookie Tournament Coverage

The Maple Leafs official training camp doesn’t get under way until September 16th, although the future will be showcased when the Leafs annual rookie tournament begins this Saturday at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. The team of Leafs prospects – which includes former first round pick Nazem Kadri, newly signed Marcel Mueller, Jussi Rynnas, Jesse Blacker, Keith Aulie, Ben Scrivens, Brayden Irwin, Jamie Devane, Kenny Ryan, Bradley Ross, Greg McKegg, Sam Carrick and Josh Nicholls – will participate in three games over the four-day tournament.

The Leafs prospects open the tournament against the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:00pm on Saturday night. Following that, they faceoff against the Pittsburgh Penguins next Sunday and Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. The four-team tournament is an annual event held by the Leafs that gives the organization an indication of where their prospects are at on the developmental track and how they match up against other team’s top prospects. Some of the players participating in the camp will have the opportunity to display their talents to bid for a bigger role at the main camps.

Leafs Nation Online will have exclusive coverage of the event, with pre-and-post game coverage of all three Leaf games, exclusive player profiles, game photos, and instant updates throughout the tournament. I'll be in attendance for Saturday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks and will be posting live tweets throughout the game with thoughts on each player. If you haven’t already, be sure to follow us on Twitter @leafsnationweb to recieve updates throughout the weekend.

The full tournament schedule and complete Leafs roster can be found here. Last minute tickets can be purchased at the John Labatt Centre Box Office, by calling (866) 455-2849 or visiting online at http://www.johnlabattcentre.com/.

Stay tuned for updates this week leading up to the tournament.

Saturday Morning Coffee

Good morning everyone! Welcome to the first edition of Saturday Morning Coffee; where we bring you links to the most interesting blogs, videos and interviews from around the web. This will be a weekly column aimed at giving fans a summary of the previous week and something to read on a Saturday morning while drinking your favourite beverage (for those wondering, the Leafs mug above is currently listed on eBay). For casual fans who are interested in following the team, but would rather have a summary of what has happened, this column will provide you with that. Without further ago, here are your links in a headache-resistant neon blue:

• Maple Leafs Hotstove's Joe Cino takes a look at the Marlies Forward Prospects in 2010.
• SkinnyFish over at Pension Plan Puppets is tired about the constant hate for Mikhail Grabovski.
• Maple Stir-up approves of the Clarke MacArthur signing and answers some questions surrounding the Leafs.
• Leafs HQ summarizes the Leafs recent transactions, takes a look at some of the happenings around the league and is giving away Leafs jerseys.
• The NHL and NHLPA have agreed on new contract rules and approved Ilya Kovalchuk's 15 year, $100 million contract with the New Jersey Devils.
• The Toronto Star showcases the top prospects - including Nazem Kadri - who posed for their 2010-11 rookie hockey cards. The Star also takes a look at Tyler Bozak's off season and expectations for the upcoming season.
• Newly opened Real Sports Bar and Grill, located next to the Air Canada Centre, was named America's Best Sports Bar by ESPN (yes, I voted two to three times a day).
• The Leafs unveiled a new centre ice design with Canadian flags along the centre red line.
• Leafs President and GM Brian Burke had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of flying in a Snowbird with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Here is a Maple Leafs 2010-11 Season Preview video created by gmc1331 to get you energized for the new season. Unfortunately, it does not fit in the column and therefore shows that we're always thinking outside of the box.


THE FAN 590's Howard Berger interviewed the likes of new-Leaf Clarke MacArthur, blue and white hopeful Nazem Kadri, Phil Kessel and interview with Tyler Bozak and Mike Komisarek. Some interesting tidbits from those interviews about each player's training in the off season and expectations for the upcoming season.

That's it for the first edition of the Saturday Morning Coffee. Feel free to send a link to your blog or video if you think it should be featured in this column. Send your link to info@leafsnationonline.com, message it to us on Twitter or post it in the comments section below. Enjoy your Labour Day Weekend!