Marlies Training Camp Thread

[Champ Kind]

The other day Eakins talked about how difficult it's going to be for some of the younger guys to crack this roster, especially since the team is more or less the same as the one that went to the Calder Cup finals. With that said, here's my guess as to what the line-up will be opening night:

Hamilton-Aucoin-Kadri
D'Amigo-Colborne-Ashton
Komarov-Zigomanis-Deschamps
Devane-Acton-Scott

Fraser-Holzer
Gardiner-Kostka
Gysbers-Blacker

Scrivens

The only two notable forwards missing from last years team are Dupuis and Mueller with Aucoin and Komarov coming in. The top-6 guys, Zigo, and Komarov are all likely locks to make the team. The remaining 4 spots will be battled over but Deschamps, Acton and Scott all have the advantage of having proven they can play those roles on a close-to-championship team already. It will take a huge effort for someone to knock them out of the line-up. There's one spot remaining that used to typically belong to an enforcer, which is why I think Devane has the best chance of taking it. McKegg, Ross, Carrick, Crescenzi, Ryan and Abbott can all remain and practice with the team as there aren't any roster limits in the AHL, but they'll likely also see some time in the ECHL.

Other than Holzer and Fraser, I'm not sure what the defence pairings will look like but those are very likely the 6 that will start the season. I know nothing about Dylan Yeo but he spent some time in the ECHL last season so I'd imagine he's on a level below those 6. Paul Ranger is an obvious wildcard here as it's impossible to know where his game is at right now.

Scrivens is obviously a lock to start in net. The choice for the back-up will be interesting though. Would the Leafs rather have their number 2 guy getting more starts in the ECHL or backing up in the AHL?

Call me crazy, but I have a feeling Paul Ranger come sin and earns a spot on the club.  He was a pretty darn good defenseman for the Lightning and, while he's missed something like 3 years of play, at 28 years old he should be in the sweet spot of his career.  Will be interesting to see how he comes back.

[Champ Kind]

I can recall quite a number of reporters and posters on this site and others lambasting Burke for selecting Jamie Devane in the third round a few years ago (if I recall, he and Baron Smith were the pariahs of that Leaf draft).  Devane really picked up his play last year as an overage in the OHL.  His 125pims are probably way lower than they will be this year (assuming he makes the Marlies) - apparently, he found it difficult to find guys who would fight him. 

Corn is right, he is definitely more than simply an enforcer.  I think the Rupp reference is a good one; Lucic is too much of a stretch and Andrew Peters would be, well, the epitome of false praise.  Let's hope for the best....

[Michael]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050

Kadri didn't exactly blow away the competition in on-ice testing. D'Amigo and Deschamps far stronger in the final test.
 

[Dr. Bobby Leafer]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050

Kadri didn't exactly blow away the competition in on-ice testing. D'Amigo and Deschamps far stronger in the final test.

Confused. Is that a knock on Kadri or in praise of D'Amigo and Deschamps?

[Michael]

Confused. Is that a knock on Kadri or in praise of D'Amigo and Deschamps?

I cannot speak for Siegel, but I suspect it is more surprise that Kadri (post Gary Roberts camp) is not the one blowing us away.

[Michael]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050
Not a great start for Kadri. Eakins says body fat registers among bottom 3-5 in camp. Skating tests "average".

So, the myth of Gary Roberts camps will die now?
 

[Dr. Bobby Leafer]

Down Goes Brown ‏@DownGoesBrown
So I guess we can add "the buffet" to the list of things Nazem Kadri's one toe-drag move can't get past at the pro level.

[Corn Flake]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050
Not a great start for Kadri. Eakins says body fat registers among bottom 3-5 in camp. Skating tests "average".

So, the myth of Gary Roberts camps will die now?

I don't know if it's a myth but seriously, what the heck??!! 

Maybe Kadri ate chips and beer for 2 weeks after Roberts camp.

[Sudafederov]

Hazemburgers anyone?

Very surprising, seeing as Eakins called him out on this same issue last year.

[Michael]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050
Eakins on Kadri: "His body fat today is probably in the bottom three to five guys in our whole camp and that’s unacceptable."
 
James Mirtle‏@mirtle
This is the real Kadri quote in that story. “To be honest after these tests are done I might treat myself to one burger,” he said.


Wow. Not what I expected.
 

[Potvin29]

Yeah what the?

Was Kadri just lying about Roberts getting him in shape?  This is odd.

[Michael]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050
Kadri says his body fat could've been lower, but overall he's "happy" with level of fitness at camp.
 
This concerns me even more. Same old Kadri. The coach says it is a big concern but hey, I know better, so I am happy.

[Potvin29]

There's also this counterpoint:

Cam Charron ‏@camcharron

Brought up in my post, but Eakins' fitness tests are pretty ambiguous, seem generally new, and he admitted he won't read too much into them.

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris

@camcharron True, but Eakins' main complaint seemed to centre on Kadri's body fat.

Cam Charron ‏@camcharron

@reporterchris It's a weird complaint for the first day of camp. Are you there right now?

[Snoop Lion]

Jonas Siegel‏@jonasTSN1050
Not a great start for Kadri. Eakins says body fat registers among bottom 3-5 in camp. Skating tests "average".

So, the myth of Gary Roberts camps will die now?

Well, earlier in the summer I heard that he had only been there at Roberts' camp for 2 weeks, as sort of a template for how he should spend the rest of his summer training.

I'm guessing he didn't follow through with that.

[lamajama]

Crap. I've been a big supporter of keeping Naz and finally handling a
propect right but Naz seems determined to torpedo his career. Even if he
thought a lockout was coming he knew he'd be placed on the Marlies.