Kyle Dubas, Rasmus Sandin and the other draft picks meet the press on draft day

Rasmus Sandin

He talks about the Soo Greyhounds as a somewhat European-style team with their offensive focus. He was also very happy to be taken by the Leafs (of course).

As he says in his interview that he has a contract with Rögle for this season, and he will decide with Toronto now where he goes.

Bonus content:

Sandin on the way to the draft where he’s given the gears about his tie, and notes how hot it is. He tells an anecdote he claims is true about Jesse Puljujärvi, and someone with a better ear than me can say what exactly happened with the fruit and the handshake.

His interview after is almost the same as the English one. He mentions that Toronto is a hockey-city and he likes that, likes the city, and is happy the teams are full of Swedes. He does know William Nylander a little from summer training, and he’s going to decide later where he’s going to play.

Kyle Dubas

From Friday:

His main comment from his own chances to watch Sandin: “He plays the position the way we want it to be played.”

He says he did the deal to move down because they knew one of the players they wanted would be available. Interestingly, this is where Dubas says, “He has two years left of runway in junior.” However, it’s very clear that if Sandin goes to Rögle, he’ll be on the men’s team.

When pressed on that point, Dubas says it will be decided in September. But he makes the point that if you compare Travis Dermott to Sandin, Dermott was much older at his draft than Sandin is now, so assume that the path to the NHL might take an extra year for the newest Leaf.

Sean Durzi

Durzi, from Mississauga, won’t have to change his favourite team, as obviously he’s been a Leafs fan his whole life.

He was at the Leafs development camp last year, and he has nothing but praise for the experience. Then, he goes into a talk about decision making away from the puck, and is that Mike Babcock’s favourite song, or what?

He was a Bryan McCabe fan growing up.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

If you didn’t know he was the youngest player in the draft, well, you’d know. He’s an absolutely astonishing talent to be doing what he’s doing at his age.  He doesn’t turn 18 for three more months, and he’s completed two full OHL seasons.

Also, his super casual “Oh my friend plays on the Leafs...” is fantastic.  He watches the Leafs all the time, since he’s been playing in Canada, and guess who his favourite Leafs player is? Mitch Marner, of course. Der-Arguchintsev thinks he might get a little taller, but he doesn’t really sound like he believes it will happen. He does sound like he understands where he needs to improve.

He says he thought Sandin should be a first round pick after playing against him, too, so there’s another scouting report on that Leafs’ move.

Der-Arguchintsev is an amazing person, and man, is he going to be working hard at development camp as the translator for the other Russians who are there. I have a feeling he’ll enjoy it. He’s got that “everything is wonderful” enthusiasm about him that is just like Marner (and Dubas).

Zachary Bouthillier

Now, don’t be shocked here, but he was a Habs fan. The cure took, though. And he immediately talks about Felix Potvin like he’s always wanted to wear blue and white, sans rouge.

Kyle Dubas

From Saturday, Dubas speaks again, about Durzi and how they couldn’t have signed him last year with no contract space. He talks a lot about Durzi maturing, and so does Durzi himself. It is funny to hear Dubas call Durzi a big defenceman at six feet tall. The goalie Bouthillier is the only draft pick taller than him.

On free agency or trades, by the way, he says, “We can do whatever we want to do, at this point, nothing is going to stop us or hold us back.”

Paint that on the locker room wall.