2011 Maple Leafs DRAFT
Possibilities of the Leafs trading up are there and Sean Couturier and Gabriel Landeskog are 2 players the Leafs would like a shot at drafting. More on trade up possibilities and credible rumor, click here. As for the Leafs current positions, 24th overall and 28th, the Leafs have some good picks, but no for sure NHL players. Although this is a weak draft, this means that there could be several late bloomers who could be left over by the later picks as there isn't any top players outside the top 5. No projected stars are in the draft, but we know there will be a few.
Matt Puempel: Peterborough (OHL). Matt is a 6 foot LW who weighs in at 190 lbs. Puempel, an Ontario native, scored 34 goals in 55 games this season with the Petes, and had 69 points in his second year in the OHL. Puempel is an OHL career +/- -35, going a minus 33 last season. Peterborough finished 2nd last in the Ontario Hockey League, winning only 20 games.
Niklas Jensen: Oshawa (OHL). Niklas is a 6 foot 3 LW who weighs 186 lbs. Jensen scored 29 goals and 58 points in 61 games this season with the Generals. Jensen finished the season a +/- 14 and helped his team in the playoffs scoring 7 times in 10 games, adding 4 assists.
Jonathan Miller: USA U-18. Jonathan is a 6 foot 1 C who weighs 198 lbs. Miller, a USA native, scored 11 times and added 26 assists in 46 games this season. He added 76 PIM's and was ranked in the top 15 near Christmas. As he has fallen, the potential is there and will likely go in the late first round.
If the Maple Leafs stay in their current draft spots, look for 2 of these forwards to be selected. Leafs draft 24th and 28th, and the 3 players listed are in order of their likely draft position, Puempel and Jansen may go back to back in selections, between the 20-25th seed. Miller will go late first round, 26-29.
New Jersey Devils lost their 3rd round pick this season, and a first round pick anytime between this season and 2014. The Devils won't give it up this season, as they are sitting in the 4th spot in this years draft.
INTERESTING DRAFT NOTE: Projected that no goaltender will be drafted in the 1st round this season.
Leafer
23/04/2011
Matt Puempel: Peterborough (OHL). Matt is a 6 foot LW who weighs in at 190 lbs. Puempel, an Ontario native, scored 34 goals in 55 games this season with the Petes, and had 69 points in his second year in the OHL. Puempel is an OHL career +/- -35, going a minus 33 last season. Peterborough finished 2nd last in the Ontario Hockey League, winning only 20 games.
Niklas Jensen: Oshawa (OHL). Niklas is a 6 foot 3 LW who weighs 186 lbs. Jensen scored 29 goals and 58 points in 61 games this season with the Generals. Jensen finished the season a +/- 14 and helped his team in the playoffs scoring 7 times in 10 games, adding 4 assists.
Jonathan Miller: USA U-18. Jonathan is a 6 foot 1 C who weighs 198 lbs. Miller, a USA native, scored 11 times and added 26 assists in 46 games this season. He added 76 PIM's and was ranked in the top 15 near Christmas. As he has fallen, the potential is there and will likely go in the late first round.
If the Maple Leafs stay in their current draft spots, look for 2 of these forwards to be selected. Leafs draft 24th and 28th, and the 3 players listed are in order of their likely draft position, Puempel and Jansen may go back to back in selections, between the 20-25th seed. Miller will go late first round, 26-29.
New Jersey Devils lost their 3rd round pick this season, and a first round pick anytime between this season and 2014. The Devils won't give it up this season, as they are sitting in the 4th spot in this years draft.
INTERESTING DRAFT NOTE: Projected that no goaltender will be drafted in the 1st round this season.
Leafer
23/04/2011
