Ranking Prospects Post-Matthews

[Highlander]

I wouldn't mind them taking extra time with Engvall and Lindgren because I think they'll be useful depth at minimum.

Lindgren looks more promising of the two due to position and bearing all the skill markers that I'm looking for in defensemen. He narrowly missed out on making the WJC team of stacked defenders.

I know highlight reels make anyone look great, but Engvall is #3 in U21 scoring and is 6'4".  Looks like he has the scoring touch and skates straight up ice fast. He is certainly going to fill out to at least 220-230 and why not leave him in Sweden for another year and then a year or two with the Marlies.
Lindgren sounds like a bit of a Stralman clone, which works well in the Clone Wars.

[herman]

A passing remark by Lou has set the hype train going...
https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/05/03/travis-dermott-next-in-line-on-the-maple-leafs-blue-line/

Dermott progressed in an almost trial by fire, learning to adjust to the AHL pace and increased physicality of the AHL. His strength is a dynamic skating ability combined with heads up playmaking skill, and he exhibited those with timely, simple outlets and complicated stretch passes. Skating skills should allow for more rushing and puckhandling, however, he seemed to conform more to a team concept of moving the puck up ice, and supporting the rush when he could. Struggled initially with some of the AHL physicality at times, but learned to use escape maneuvers (good edges, timely passes and clear avoidance) and teammates as options to move the play along instead of absorbing physical play. Showcased his skillset enough to warrant a potential graduation to the Leafs in 2017-18. Player to watch.
– Scouting report by Gus Katsaros (@KatsHockey)

In the above scouting report submitted to MLHS, Gus Katsaros mentioned Dermott’s ability to adjust to the physical rigors of the AHL. Not the tallest defenceman, Dermott is sturdy (5’11, 215 pounds) and has surprised many opponents with his strength at a tender age, whether that’s winning battles along the boards, laying hits on bigger forwards, or dropping the gloves on two occasions. The physical maturity is there.

Dermott is a tank. A smart, maneuverable, patient tank.

[Nik]

Bracco just had a gorgeous assist to put Windsor up late.

[L K]

Bracco just had a gorgeous assist to put Windsor up late.

Somewhat of a disappointing OHL season from him but he has been great for Windsor in the Memorial Cup.

3G 5A P in 4 games

[herman]

Bracco finished the game with 1G 2A.

Congratulations to Jeremy Bracco for winning the 2017 Mitch Marner Award for best upstaging of Dylan Strome.

— The Leafs Nation (@TLNdc) May 29, 2017

www.twitter.com/TLNdc/status/869012239688269825

Leafs prospect Bracco hits the junior trifecta. U18 WJC gold, U20 WJC gold, and a Memorial Cup.

— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) May 29, 2017

www.twitter.com/coreypronman/status/869010875730071555

[herman]

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2017/5/28/15707860/leafs-prospect-jeremy-bracco-caps-off-perfect-season-with-memorial-cup

On the ice, Bracco was magic.

“He's just one of the best players I've played with,” said Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor's top defencemen, of his teammate.

[...]

It wasn't always easy though. Bracco cooled off after his trade from the Kitchener Rangers to the Spitfires at the OHL's deadline.

“When we first acquired him, he was two points a game,” said Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel, who became Bracco's billet father in Windsor. “We had to adjust him and he was cheating a bit. And Bracco was great on the boards tonight. Bracco has been great.”

“Warren took me into his home with his family and I’m grateful for that,” Bracco noted.

The players struggled to adjust to Bracco's style too.

“To be honest with you, at first we couldn't do anything,” Sergachev said. “We couldn't connect with him on the ice because he was just so much different. He’s another level of player. And now he played his best and our team played its best.”

That being said, I would trade Bracco for Sergachev in a heartbeat.
Cool that he lived with Kerby's family though.

[herman]

More Bracco:

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/05/29/leafs-links-barnaby-marek-gush-over-jeremy-bracco-after-first-star-performance-in-memorial-cup-win-offseason-gameplan/

Kitchener Rangers assistant coach Matthew Barnaby:

We had to make that decision to trade Jeremy and give him that opportunity to help a team win. There were a lot of teams that were looking for his services, trust me. He’s the best passer in the CHL in junior hockey, bar none, and no one is even close. When he opens up into his 10-2, his skill level is off the charts.

The scorefest continues, and it's Aaron Luchuk who gives the Spitfires the lead.

Stream #MCMemorialCup: https://t.co/zUZwk4wTAx pic.twitter.com/ELJYxAKvl8

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 29, 2017

www.twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/869002089375989760

At the beginning of the clip on this Memorial Cup winning goal, you can see Bracco freezing the defender with his 10-2 skating (also called heel-to-heel, Mohawk, or spread eagle turning | video).

Jeff Marek explains:

Such a highly-skilled player. You look at that goal that ended up being the game winner. He starts off that mohawk style skating around the blue line, and no one does it better in the CHL than Jeremy Bracco. He may be the most creatively gifted playmaker in the entire CHL, with all due respect to Mathew Barzal. When you look at that 10-2 skating style — the Jeff Skinner, Ulf Dahlen style of skating — there is no one better than Jeremy Bracco right now. It confuses the defencemen because you don’t know which way he’s going to go. You don’t know what he’s going to do; you don’t know if he’s going to accelerate or decelerate, or if he’s going to shoot or pass.

Crosby also likes to use this when swinging back up to the slot from down low as it keeps his body as a shooting and passing threat for the entire trip (video). Jeff Skinner uses it for shortening turn times (wraparounds) from his figure skating training. I don't know many others that actually do it for neutral zone transition down the ice though; Bracco uses it for picking up speed the way others are taught to do linear crossovers.

[herman]

Invalid Tweet IDwww.twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/869612796534824961

Lindberg was underwhelming this year, mostly due to being hampered by injuries. Defensively responsible lefthand shot that can play both wings... should get a shot winning a spot on the big club in a couple of years when we part ways with JvR, Komarov, (and Martin, pls), and shift Hyman to RW. He's just behind the Rychel/Leipsic/Aaltonen tier of older LW, with the more promising Johnsson/Timashov/Grundstrom/Dzierkals group.

[CarltonTheBear]

#Leafs didn't sign any of the three. Korostelev going back in the draft, Desrochers and Herzog are UFAs https://t.co/wDXe3EODri

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) June 2, 2017

www.twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/870617531693895680

The Leafs had until yesterday to sign this trio before they lost their rights. No real losses there. Desrocher and Korostelev were the Leafs last 2 picks in the 2015 draft. Korostelev was viewed as a potential steal in the 7th round at the time, but his D+1 year was pretty disappointing as he fell below the PPG mark. He got back over it in his D+2 but that obviously wasn't enough. Herzog was all the way back in the 2013 draft and has been playing in Europe the past 3 seasons after going to the Q for his D+1 year.

Not signing Desrocher is maybe a little bit surprising, but the Marlies are looking to have quite the LOGJAM of lefties on their blueline next season, so he'd be pretty far down the depth chart there. I wouldn't be completely surprised to see him ink an AHL deal though and start in the ECHL.

[bustaheims]

Not signing Desrocher is maybe a little bit surprising, but the Marlies are looking to have quite the LOGJAM of lefties on their blueline next season, so he'd be pretty far down the depth chart there. I wouldn't be completely surprised to see him ink an AHL deal though and start in the ECHL.

Losing Desrocher completely would be disappointing. He's definitely a longer-term project type prospect, but there's definitely something intriguing about a guy his size who has puck skills and good instincts. There's potentially concerns with his mobility at the NHL level, but, I'd still like to see the team give him some time in the system to see how much of an impact that might actually have.

[CarltonTheBear]

Stephen Desrocher is going to Columbus' prospect and development camp this summer as a free agent invite. Probably hoping to score a NHL deal. Maybe he'll consider a AHL-only deal here if that doesn't work out.

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Stephen Desrocher is going to Columbus' prospect and development camp this summer as a free agent invite. Probably hoping to score a NHL deal. Maybe he'll consider a AHL-only deal here if that doesn't work out.

I'm still surprised he didn't get a closer look, hopefully an AHL deal transpires. 

[CarltonTheBear]

Stephen Desrocher is going to Columbus' prospect and development camp this summer as a free agent invite. Probably hoping to score a NHL deal. Maybe he'll consider a AHL-only deal here if that doesn't work out.

I'm still surprised he didn't get a closer look, hopefully an AHL deal transpires. 

Admittedly I don't really think we're missing out on anything, but it's a little odd because I'm not sure what else he needed to do to earn a contract. His most recent season probably went about as well as anybody could have expected. And he was of course a long-term project pick to begin with.

[Highlander]

How is he going to fit in with all our Swedes, God I wish we could clone Salming. 

[L K]

Stephen Desrocher is going to Columbus' prospect and development camp this summer as a free agent invite. Probably hoping to score a NHL deal. Maybe he'll consider a AHL-only deal here if that doesn't work out.

I'm still surprised he didn't get a closer look, hopefully an AHL deal transpires. 

Admittedly I don't really think we're missing out on anything, but it's a little odd because I'm not sure what else he needed to do to earn a contract. His most recent season probably went about as well as anybody could have expected. And he was of course a long-term project pick to begin with.

It's especially odd to me given that The Leafs started employing the "draft oversteer who aren't great because they have untapped potential" model.  I know not every draft pick gets signed or even has any organizational success but super drafter Mark Hunter already has two non-signed draft picks.