2017-18 Marlies

[herman]

Gauthier was starting to look better just prior to his injury; I hope the best for his recovery. I don't see him being a long term fit for the Leafs either way, unfortunately, as he's on the tail end of his growth potential and he was barely a 3rd line centre for the Marlies. This injury is only going to further hold back whatever strides he was making mobility-wise in an increasingly fast-paced game.

[RedLeaf]

Whats the sitch with Leivo next year? Marlies or Leafs?

He needs waivers to pass through, so he's pretty much not going to be a Marlie.

Cheers. Bench warmer until the first injury up front I suspect .

[herman]

Kristian Pospisil, development camp invitee and standout, has earned himself a two-way AHL contract.

Also: Alex Gudbranson has a two-way AHL deal as well.

[herman]

Martins Dzierkals, who has aged out of the CHL, has been signed to a one-year AHL deal with the Marlies. His NHL rights expire June 1, 2019, so we've got a bit of runway to assess his fit.

He plays with a physicality that our crop of small skilled forwards normally eschews. His body might not be quite large enough yet to make full use of it, but he looks to me to be a high-end digger type of player, a la Hyman, but slightly smaller and with better hands. Would be a fun LW option on a limited minutes skilled 4th line as he could just go maximum effort every shift.

[CarltonTheBear]

Martins Dzierkals, who has aged out of the CHL, has been signed to a one-year AHL deal with the Marlies. His NHL rights expire June 1, 2019, so we've got a bit of runway to assess his fit.

He was one of the extra picks the Leafs ended up getting after passing on Konecny and trading down in 2015 (along with Dermott and Bracco). Had a promising D+1 year but his point totals took a hit in his D+2 season which isn't a good sign (although he did deal with some injuries).

[herman]

He was one of the extra picks the Leafs ended up getting after passing on Konecny and trading down in 2015 (along with Dermott and Bracco). Had a promising D+1 year but his point totals took a hit in his D+2 season which isn't a good sign (although he did deal with some injuries).

Yeah, he played through a high ankle sprain and forced it for the World Juniors too. He's got that engine that Babcock goes on and on about and plays a 200-ft game with speed and skill. Thommie Bergman is also really high on him. The only knock is that he is slight of frame and generally unknown. Not having to spend an ELC on him (yet) but keeping him under team supervision and control is amazing.

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Not having to spend an ELC on him (yet) but keeping him under team supervision and control is amazing.

Yup, this was part of the vision Dubas had of really creating an MLB style development program here.

Some players won't go for it because it's usually less money and not how things are traditionally done, but for Toronto who can provide facilities, coaches, food even, it's a great opportunity for all parties.

[herman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O21QwKzb2Wg
Dzierkals highlight package.

[CarltonTheBear]

Justin Bourne, former Marlies video coach who used to be a hockey writer and is now a contributor to the Athletic, released his first article for the website today about what he learned after two seasons with the Marlies. It's a good look at the human element that a job like his had:

There’s little doubt that at some point during my tenure with The Athletic I’ll write something hyper-specific, like 1000-plus words on the unacceptable route of a back-checking forward who ends up having less than zero impact on a non-threatening rush.

It will, in due time, get fairly granular.

And, that sort of thing is easy. What isn’t, is figuring out where to start after spending two seasons with the Maple Leafs organization and getting to know the characters, the systems and everything in between.

So for this first week what I’d like to do is paint the view from the top of the CN Tower: what I learned in my transition to working on a coaching staff, what separates the players at the fringes of the NHL and AHL, how I learned to watch the game as a coach and a look at what life is like for a buried NHL player.

https://theathletic.com/84567/2017/08/15/bourne-what-i-learned-after-two-seasons-on-the-toronto-marlies-coaching-staff/

There's going to be lots of good stuff coming from Justin in the future I'm sure.

[herman]

There's going to be lots of good stuff coming from Justin in the future I'm sure.

Like the very next day!

https://theathletic.com/84966/2017/08/16/bourne-a-closer-look-at-who-makes-the-nhl-who-falls-short-and-why/

[herman]

Bourne sequels coming out like... hang on. I thought I had something for this. Ugh, this is going to bug me.

https://theathletic.com/85826/2017/08/17/bourne-what-life-is-like-for-a-former-nhler-playing-in-the-ahl/

This one is some tough insight to digest. Props to Colin Greening all day.

[herman]

A corollary to The Athletic article Coco-puffs posted in the Ranking Prospects thread,

Worthwhile note: Grundstrom not AHL eligible this upcoming season. But still, exciting prospect. https://t.co/MU1TqM4wMX

— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) August 22, 2017

www.twitter.com/jtbourne/status/900117774420389889

[herman]

Gauthier was starting to look better just prior to his injury; I hope the best for his recovery. I don't see him being a long term fit for the Leafs either way, unfortunately, as he's on the tail end of his growth potential and he was barely a 3rd line centre for the Marlies. This injury is only going to further hold back whatever strides he was making mobility-wise in an increasingly fast-paced game.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/08/24/leaf-prospect-gauthier-takes-comeback-a-step-at-a-time.html

As mentioned earlier in the off-season/playoffs by Mirtle, Gauthier's injury was horrifically bad.

His left hamstring detached. He had surgery to reattach it, and a long, gruelling summer of therapy and training — that began with the basics of learning how to walk again — was underway. He was unable to walk for six weeks while doctors waited for the hamstring to fully take hold.

He's back in skates now, but strength needs to be built back up from scratch. Maybe like Stroman, this is an opportunity for Gauthier's skating stride to be re-built from the ground up under Barb Underhill's watch.

[Bullfrog]

Anytime you use the word "detached" in concert with a human body part, it can't be good. Glad he's on the road to recovery.

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/116157/2017/10/02/marlies-cuts-set-to-bolster-solar-bears-roster-more-than-ever-before/

After Monday's round of cuts, instead of returning eligible draftees to their CHL clubs, the Marlies announced they would send them to the Solar Bears. Only Korostelev, of the drafted prospects, was released and will return to the Peterborough Petes.

https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-marlies/2017/10/2/16400186/toronto-marlies-training-camp-cuts-orlando-solar-bears-echl-ahl-bobylyov-korostelev

The logjam runs all the way through the organization, and the Solar Bears are being leveraged as an additional tier of development more closely tied to the big club than most affiliates.

It's very gummed up this season (didn't have to be; it is what it is right now), but there is hope on the horizon for these prospects with a healthy handful of expiring contracts on the Leafs.