Maple Leafs Prospect Update: Mitch Marner will be a Maple Leaf

It was a slow week for the prospects, after opening the year dazzling us with big point totals, the players seem to be pacing themselves. Not having awful games, but not putting up those big multi point nights as much lately. Fabrice Herzog is still injured over in Switzerland and Nolan Vesey and Maine U. kept on winning games.

Mitch Marner is the exception, because of course he is, as he put up 8 points in 3 games over the weekend. He knows he has to do his very best to not get sent back to the OHL next season and I don't know who would argue for keeping him there as he is killing his competition.

Let's see the results of the past week.

Ontario Hockey League

Mitch Marner/JJ Piccinich (F) - London Knights
November 27: Owen Sound 1 @ London 6
Marner: 0G, 3A / Piccinich No Points
November 28: London 4 @ Owen Sound 1
Marner: 1G, 1A +1 / Piccinich 0G, 0A, +1
November 29: London 5 @ Windsor 3
Marner: 1G, 2A +1 / Piccinich 1G, 0A,
Week Totals: Marner: 2G, 6A, +1 / Piccinich: 1G, 0A, +1

Travis Dermott (D) - Erie Otters
November 26: Kitchener 2 @ Erie 3 0G, 0A, +2
November 27: Erie 3 @ Mississauga 1 0G, 1A
Week Totals: 0G, 1A, +2

Nikita Korotselev (F) - Sarnia Sting
November 26: Sarnia 1 @ Peterborough 3 0G, 0A, -1
November 27: Sarnia 1 @ Ottawa 4 No Points
November 29: Sarnia 1 @ Windsor 4 0G, 0A, -1
Week Totals: 0G, 0A, -2

Stephen Desrocher (D) - Kingston Frontenacs
November 25: Ottawa 6 @ Kingston 2 0G, 1A, -2
November 27: Guelph 1 @ Kingston 3 0G, 1A, +1
November 29: Sarnia 1 @ Windsor 4 0G, 1A
Week Totals: 0G, 3A, -1

Jeremy Bracco (F) - Kitchener Rangers
November 26: Kitchener 2 @ Erie 3 0G, 0A, -2
November 27: Barrie 1 @ Kitchener 3 1G, 1A, +2
November 29: Sault Ste. Marie 4 @ Kitchener 5 0G, 0A, +1
Week Totals: 1G, 1A, +1

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Dmytro Timashov (F) - Quebec Remparts
November 25: Quebec 5 @ PEI Fightin' Ice Taters 4 1G, 0A, +1
November 26: Quebec 4 @ Saint John 3 1G, 1A, +1
November 28: Quebec 2 @ Cape Breton 7 0G, 1A, -3
Week Totals: 1G, 2A, -1

Martins Dzierkals (F) - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
November 26: Drummondville 1 @ Rouyn-Noranda 4 0G, 0A, +1
November 27: Acadie-Bathurst 4 @ Rouyn-Noranda 7 No Points
Week Totals: 0G, 0A, +1

Cody Donaghy (D) - Halifax Mooseheads
November 24: Cape Breton 2 @ Halifax 7 0G, 1A, +2
November 29: Halifax 4 @ PEI Fightin' Ice Taters 2 0G, 1A, +1
Week Totals: 0G, 2A, +3

Western Hockey League

Andrew Nielsen (D) - Lethbridge Hurricanes
November 26: Kootenay 0 @ Lethbridge 9 0G, 1A, +1
November 27: Brandon 2 @ Lethbridge 4 0G, 0A, +1
November 28: Lethbridge 3 @ Kootenay 2 0G, 0A, +1
Week Total: 0G, 1A, +3

NCAA

Dominic Toninato / Tony Cameranesi (F) - U. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
No games this week

Dakota Joshua (F) - Ohio State Buckeyes
November 27: Ohio State 1 @ Omaha 3 0G, 1A, +2
November 28: Ohio State 4 @ Omaha 6 0G, 1A, +3
Week Total: 0G, 2A, +5

Nolan Vesey (F) - U. Maine Black Bears
November 27: Princeton 3 @ Maine 5 1G, 0A, +1
November 29: Princeton 2 @ Maine 3 0G, 0A, -1
Week Total: 1G, 0A

Europe

Andreas Johnson (F) - Frolunda Indians, SHL
November 24: Frolunda 4 @ Lulea 3 1G, 1A
November 26: Linkoping 2 @ Frolunda 3 OT No Points
November 28: Orebro 5 @ Frolunda 3 No Points
Week Total: 1G, 1A

Scott watched both the game against Lulea and the game against Linkoping. Here are his thoughts on Johnson's play:

On Tuesday, Johnson was a standout. He has slowed down (at least his production has) of late but he's still creating chances and he said as much after the mini breakout performance. He was excellent again against Linkoping, with a post and a breakaway to his credit. He also had a nice cross ice feed on a 2-on-1 in the OT win. He actually played better in the scoreless game than he did in the two-point game -- his goal was a soft one after he threw it out in front from the corner and the puck took a lucky bounce. His assist came off a nice neutral zone skate and entry, drawing attention to himself. In the last three years I've watched just one game where I've come away disappointed in Johnson's creation offensively. He's everywhere.

Jesper Lindgren (D) - MODO, SHL
November 24: MODO 4 @ Djurgården 2 No Points
November 26: Vaxjo 3 @ MODO 2 1G, 0A
November 28: MODO 4 @ Rogle 1 1G, 0A
Week Total: 2G, 0A

Scott also watched both of Lindgren's last two games. His thoughts:

Lindgren has really struggled to stay in the lineup and play regular minutes with MODO this season but his recent play should garner him more than the 10 minutes a night -- or less -- he's been getting. He's playing with a lot more confidence under a new coach and his first goal of the season showed it. He'd been sneaking up off the offensive zone blueline all game and this time a puck was put in a perfect spot for him to lean into it. The next game it seemed to carry over even if he wasn't playing any serious minutes again. The second goal was a bit of an odd one as his shot found its way through with Blue Jackets prospect Oscar Dansk screened in front. He needs to see more minutes if he's going to shine offensively. He's gifted enough to be an offensive option from the backend in the SHL but he needs to get stronger.

Pierre Engvall (D) - Mora IK, Allsvenskan
November 25: Timrå 4 @ Mora 2 No Points
November 26: Almtuna 1 @ Mora 5 No Points
November 28: Karlskoga 0 @ Mora 3 No Points
Week Total: No Points

Fabrice Herzog (F) - Zurich Lions, Swiss A
November 23: SCL Tigers 1 @ Zurich 2 Did Not Play
November 25: Ambri-Piotta 2 @ Zurich 5 Did Not Play
November 27: Lausanne 0 @ Zurich 2 Did Not Play
November 28: Zurich 4 @ Ambri-Piotta 1 Did Not Play
Week Total: Did Not Play

Our NHL points equivalency chart sees some action this week. JJ Piccinich is bumped out of the top five players, falling from 4th to 7th. Andrew Nielsen gets in there as he nears a PPG pace in the WHL. My fingers are too fat to operate a number pad correctly, and JJ has 30 points, not 20. That keeps him at 4th in NHLe with 9.60. Dakota Joshua hit the 1 NHLe point mark this week with a 2-point weekend, leaving just Nolan Vesey sitting below 1 NHLe point. If you take these numbers as accurate (which could be debated but hey, lets have some fun), Mitch Marner is ahead of Maple Leafs scoring leaders Dion Phaneuf and Tyler Bozak (14 pts each) with 15 points, and Timashov is sitting just outside the Leafs top 5, tied with Lupul at 11, one point behind Leo Komarov who has 12.

That's our round up. Getting into December we'll see some of these prospects stop playing halfway through the month as they get ready for the World Jr's.