The shortest week of August is over and with only four Top 25 posts revealed we have a somewhat shorter recap today.
#20 - Mikko Kokkonen, D, Jukurit - Liiga
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Top 25 Under 25: #20 Mikko Kokkonen
Kokkonen is poised to spend at least one more year in the Liiga; hopefully he can help Jukurit ascend from second-last in the league to something a little more respectable. It’ll be a bit before we get to see him in North America, but he’s certainly worth keeping an overseas eye on.
Random Comment:
Seven years and the exact same “why don’t you vote this way?” unsolicited comments.
This is my blogging legacy.
Posted by clrkaitken
#19 - Adam Brooks, C, Toronto Marlies - AHL
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Top 25 Under 25: Adam Brooks falls to #19, is he running out of time?
So where does this put Brooks? Well, he’s right at the age where he isn’t young for a prospect anymore. His coach loved him, Babcock likes the look of him, but he still needs to take another big step to his game. I think you can read his quote above and guess that he knows it too. He needs to get a bit faster, a bit better at shooting, a bit better with the puck, and all that good stuff.
Random Comment:
You know what misconception I always liked? The blind justice scales holding lady. She was originally created as satire for justice. Now it’s held up as some sort of impartiality.Justice is not (and really can not be) blind.
Posted by SydDave
#18 - Pierre Engvall, C/LW, Toronto Marlies - AHL
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Top 25 Under 25: Pierre Engvall at #18 is the Marlies best goal scorer
One thing that makes Engvall so good at scoring from distance is his length and the power he can generate from his legs and stick. He almost has the frame of a defenseman (remember Cody Franson’s shot?) but can pull it off from the slot while moving backwards or spinning. He has a really good eye for the net and gets there a lot because he’s not afraid of taking the puck to the dangerous areas.
Random Comment:
The phrase “even for his advanced age” still seems weird when talking about a 23 year old to me… Doubly so coming from not norm
Posted by SlickWill
#17 - Ian Scott, G, Prince Albert Raiders - WHL
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Top 25 Under 25: Ian Scott has a breakout season and makes the list at #17
The issue with Scott seems to be that consistency can still be a problem. The longer the playoffs went on, and the tougher the competition he faced, Scott would have pretty dramatic swings in his performance. In the finals alone, he gave up 12 goals in Prince Albert’s 3 losses, and only four goals in their 4 wins including two shutouts.
Random Comment
I think it’s well worth ranking Scott in the top 20. Scott had a full breakout season and carried it through to a hot playoffs, winning a WHL championship and playoff MVP award. This does not appear to be a fluke, as one might conclude was the case with Antoine bibeau whom I believe had a hot playoffs one year in the q but hasn’t really panned out since. Scott I remember being quoted as saying that he was on board when the Marlies went on their Calder cup run in 18, and that experience profoundly affected his approach to the game. Although he may need to develop some better consistency, his hard work and dramatic improvement portends a potentially bright future. The leafs seem to have two really solid goalie prospects in him and Woll. This coming season is going to be a fun watch.
Posted by Matmarwill
And now, the second installment of the community ranking:
#20 - Nicholas Robertson, C/LW, Peterborough Petes - OHL
Highest Rank: 6 (2 votes)
Lowest Rank: 25 (10)
Number of Votes: 264/424
2018 Community vote: Not Ranked
The first player to be voted on by half of the people casting ballots, and the Leafs first pick in the 2019 drat, Robertson cracks the top 20 in his first year of eligibility. He hasn’t appeared o our top 25 rankings yet; how apart is he from the official list?
#19 - Adam Brooks, C, Toronto Marlies - AHL
Highest Rank: 2 (1 vote)
Lowest Rank: 25 (11)
Number of Votes: 284/424
2018 Community vote: #16
Brooks fell three spots in your opinions this year - he fell down to #19 on the official list as well - getting farther from the top of the list as he works to make a name for himself among most Leafs fans. Training camp will be a big year for him as mentioned above.
#18 - Mason Marchment, LW, Toronto Marlies - AHL
Highest Rank: 2 (1 vote)
Lowest Rank: 25 (8)
Number of Votes: 290/424
2018 Community vote: #24
Marchment jumped up six spots(!) in the community voting. That’s a huge step up for a player who had one less point in the AHL than he did the previous season. Marchment stagnated on our list, just hanging on to his spot in the top 25 at #23.
#17 - Pierre Engvall, C/LW, Toronto Marlies - AHL
Highest Rank: 7 (1 vote)
Lowest Rank: 25 (15)
Number of Votes: 295/424
2018 Community vote: #20
Another Marlies player who moved up in your eyes, Engvall is fighting with Adam Brooks for the front office’s attention and eyeing a spot on the main roster this fall. We were higher up on him, with Engvall just missing out on the top 15.
Our mystery box winner has been contacted and John from Barrie is our winner! As long as he denounces the Colts in favour of the IceDogs, he’ll be receiving his box just as soon as I finish gathering up the items.
Once it’s in the mail I’ll reveal what our lucky winner is receiving.
With Monday a regular boring day and not a holiday (for some) we’ll be back to five posts a week until the Top 25 is over.
Enjoy your weekend folks!
