Toronto Maple Leafs prospect report: Who’s signed, who needs to sign now, and who can wait

Good Morning Maple Leafs fans!

Today instead of pointing out who scored what we’re going to focus on which players the Maple Leafs need to make a decision on.

From my understanding of the current CBA players who are drafted from Major Junior leagues (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) have a two year window to sign before they go back into the draft.

Section 8.6:

Subject to the provisions of Sections (b), (c), (d) and (e) below, such registration shall establish for such selecting Club the exclusive right of negotiation for the services of each Player selected and registered as against all other Clubs up to and including June 1 of the next calendar year following the date of his selection.

(ii) Subject to the provisions of subsection (iii) below and Sections (b), (c) and (d) below, if, on or before June 1 of the calendar year next succeeding the Entry Draft, the claiming Club makes a Bona Fide Offer (as defined below) to its claimed Player of an SPC, the Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for the services of such Player up to and including the second June 1 following the date of his selection.

(iii) Notwithstanding anything set forth in subsections (i) or (ii) above, if a Player is drafted for the first time at age 20 and re-enters the Entry Draft at age 22, the Club that selects him as a re-entry may retain the exclusive negotiating rights to the Player for only one (1) year and may not acquire exclusive negotiating rights to the Player for a second year by extending a Bona Fide Offer; provided, however, this provision shall not apply to a Player drafted from a club outside North America for the first time prior to the 2013 Entry Draft whose rights, under all circumstances, shall continue to be governed by Section 8.6(a)(ii).

Any college students who sign are given a window of four years or so to sign. If the NCAA picks are not signed by the August 15th after their class graduates, they become unrestricted free agents, like the Vesey watch from last summer.

What about kids like Bracco and Piccinich, who left NCAA teams to join the CHL? Once you leave college the numbers becomes a hard four.

Section 8.6 b

(i) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19 is a bona fide college student at the time of his selection in the Entry Draft, or becomes a bona fide college student prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation of his college class. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to retain such rights.

(ii) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19 is a bona fide college student at the time of his selection in the Entry Draft, or becomes a bona fide college student prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, and does not remain a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain exclusive rights for the negotiation of his services until the later of: (a) the fourth June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, or (b) thirty (30) days after NHL Central Registry receives notice that the Player is no longer a bona fide college student; provided that if the Player ceases to be a bona fide college student on or after January 1 of an academic year and the Player: (1) is in his fourth year of college and has commenced his fourth year of NCAA eligibility, or (2) is in his fourth year of college and is scheduled to graduate from college at the end of his fourth year, then in the circumstances described in (1) or (2), the Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for such Player's services through and including the August 15 following the date on which he ceases to be a bona fide college student. The Club need not make a Bona Fide Offer to such Player to retain such rights.

(iii) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide Offer in accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona fide college student prior to the second June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft and remains a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain the exclusive rights of negotiation for his services through and including the August 15 following the graduation of his college class.

(iv) If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide Offer in accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona fide college student prior to the second June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft and does not remain a bona fide college student through the graduation of his college class, his drafting Club shall retain exclusive rights for the negotiation of his services until the later of: (a) the fourth June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft, or (b) thirty (30) days after NHL Central Registry receives notice that the Player is no longer a bona fide college student; provided that if the Player ceases to be a bona fide college student on or after January 1 of an academic year and the Player: (1) is in his fourth year of college and has commenced his fourth year of NCAA eligibility, or (2) is in his fourth year of college and is scheduled to graduate from college at the end of his fourth year, then in the circumstances described in (1) or (2), the Club shall retain the exclusive right of negotiation for such Player's services through and including the August 15 following the date on which he ceases to be a bona fide college student.

So yeah. Four years. How many prospects are in a sign or lose situation? Three are. In the CHL Nikita Korostelev and Stephen Desrocher need entry level deals or they go back into the draft this summer. In the NCAA Dominic Toninato’s program ends this year, and he’ll become a free agent on August 15th unless he’s signed.

What are the odds of any of these players getting signed? I want Korostelev to be a part of the Leafs organization going forward. However, with Korostelev being advised to get traded to a contender (which he did), it seems like there’s more of a show off going on for the upcoming draft.

Stephen Desrocher has been quietly guarding the blueline for the Frontenacs. The few games I’ve seen of him this year, he was a wall there not letting much by (but the IceDogs are bad). He’ll be an interesting case when it comes to decision making time.

Toninato could go the route of former team mate Tony Cameranesi. Cameranesi went free agent this summer and signed a two way deal with the Marlies, and split time this season in Toronto and Orlando.

Ontario Hockey League

JJ Piccinich (F) / Nicolas Mattinen (D)
No Points / 0G, 1A
London Knights - 36-9-3-4 - x

Piccinich:
Drafted: 2014
From: USHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2018

Mattinen:
Drafted: 2016
From: OHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2018

February 8th: @ Flint Firebirds
W 4-3 SO - No Points / 0G, 1A
February 10th: @ Kitchener Rangers
W 5-2 - No Points / No Points

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Stephen Desrocher (D) - 0G, 2A, -2
Kingston Frontenacs - 24-20-5-3

Drafted: 2015
From: OHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2017

February 10th: vs Sudbury Wolves
W 4-1 - 0G, 2A, +1
February 12th: vs Owen Sound Attack
L 5-0 - 0G, 0A, -3

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Jeremy Bracco (F) - 2G, 2A, +1
Windsor Spitfires - 33-13-5-3

Drafted: 2015
From: USNTDP
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2019

February 9th: vs Oshawa Generals
W 7-1 - 0G, 2A
February 11th: @ Hamilton Bulldogs
L 6-3 - 0G, 0A, -1
February 12th: @ Erie Otters
L 5-4 SO - 2G, 0A, +2

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Nikita Korostelev (F) - 0G, 1A, -2
Peterborough Petes - 32-16-2-3

Drafted: 2015
From: OHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2017

February 8th: @ Ottawa 67’s
W 3-1 - 0G, 1A, -1
February 9th: v Sudbury Wolves
W 2-1 - 0G, 0A, -1
February 11th: @ Barrie Colts
W 4-1 - No Points

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Keaton Middleton (D) - No Points
Saginaw Spirit - 20-26-6-2

Drafted: 2016
From: OHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2018

February 8th: @ Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
L 3-1 - 0G, 0A, -1
February 11th: @ Mississauga Steelheads
L 3-2 - 0G, 0A, +1

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Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Martins Dzierkals (F) - 0G, 3A, -1
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies - 32-14-2-5

Drafted: 2015
From: QMJHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2019

February 9th: @ Gatineau Olympiques
L 3-2 OT - 0G, 1A
February 10th: @ Blainesville-Broisband Armada
L 4-3 - 0G, 2A, -1

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Western Hockey League

Adam Brooks (F) - 1G, 4A, +1
Regina Pats - 40-6-6-1

Drafted: 2016
From: WHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2018

February 8th: @ Calgary Hitmen
W 4-0 - 0G, 1A
February 10th: @ Edmonton Oil Kings
W 5-2 - 0G, 1A
February 11th: @ Red Deer Rebels
W 4-3 OT - 1G, 2A, +1

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Jack Walker (F) / Vladimir Bobylyov (F)
0G, 0A, -1 / No Points
Victoria Royals - 31-22-4-0

Both Players:
Drafted: 2016
From: WHL
Rights Expire: June 1st, 2018

February 7th: vs Seattle Thunderbirds
L 3-1 - 0G, 0A, -1 / 0G, 0A, -1
February 8th: vs Seattle Thunderbirds
L 5-4 - No Points / Did Not Play
February 10th: vs Kamloops Blazers
W 2-1 SO - No Points / 0G, 0A, +1
February 11th: v Kamloops Blazers
L 3-1 - No Points / No Points

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NCAA

Joseph Woll (G) - 22sv, 28sh, 0.786sv% (70:06)
Boston College Eagles
Overall: 18-11-2 / Conference: 13-4-1

Drafted: 2016
From: USNTDP
Rights Expire: August 15th, 2020

February 6th: vs Boston U
L 3-1 - 22sv, 25sh, 0.880sv%
February 10th: vs Merrimack
L 6-3 - 0sv, 3sh, 0.000sv% (pulled after 10:06)

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JD Greenway (D) - 0G, 0A, -2
Wisconsin Badgers - 15-10-1

Drafted: 2016
From: USNTDP
Rights Expire: August 15th, 2020

February 10th: vs Penn State
L 6-3 - Did Not Play
February 1th: vs Penn State
L 5-2 - 0G, 0A, -2

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Dominic Toninato (F)
U-Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
Overall: 18-5-5 / Conference: 12-4-2

Drafted: 2012
From: USHL
Rights Expire: August 15th, 2017

No games were played last week.

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Dakota Joshua (F) - 2G, 0A, +2
Ohio State Buckeyes
Overall: 14-8-6 / Conference: 5-6-1

Drafted: 2014
From: USHL
Rights Expire: August 15th, 2019

February 10th: vs Minnesota
W 5-4 - No Points
February 11th: vs Minnesota
L 6-5 - 2G, 0A, +2

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Nolan Vesey (F) - 1G, 0A, -3
Maine Black Bears
Overall: 10-7-3 / Conference: 4-13-1

Drafted: 2014
From: USHL
Rights Expire: August 15th, 2018

February 10th: vs Notre Dame
L 3-2 - 1G, 0A, -2
February 11th: vs Notre Dame
L 4-2 - 0G, 0A, -1

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