Leafs prospects Matthew Knies, Ryan Tverberg named to World Juniors camp rosters

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Well, not quite yet, but for two Toronto Maple Leafs prospects, their World Junior Hockey Championship dreams are a lot closer to coming true. American Matthew Knies, Toronto’s 2021 2nd round pick, and Canadian Ryan Tverberg, Toronto’s 2020 7th round pick, were both named to their respective nation’s World Juniors preliminary camp rosters.
For Matthew Knies, this was not a surprise whatsoever. While he has yet to play for the United States at a major international tournament, Knies is expected to be a major contributor in the USA’s top six. He starred for the United States at the World Junior Summer Showcase in August, scoring four goals and seven points in five games. Factor in his excellent play so far at the University of Minnesota, where he has 15 points in 16 games as a freshman, and Knies was a no-brainer pick for this roster.

Always follow your shot for the rebound, right @GopherMBB ?@Matthew_Knies pic.twitter.com/MN8KB6nxlc
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) November 20, 2021

The question for Knies is who he will play with, rather than will he make the final roster. With his combination of size ( …

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Author: Kyle Cushman / The Leafs Nation

TLN Trivia: The William Nylander Quiz

 
It’s time for another edition of TLN Trivia, the series that tests your knowledge of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the first TLN Trivia, we looked at the departed 2020/21 Leafs players and where they are playing this season. There were some gimmes, such as Zach Hyman who came in at a 99.1% success rate. But there were some tricky ones as well, such as Ben Hutton who just 25.6% of you got correct.
Today, we’re back on the current Maple Leafs roster, keying in none other than William Nylander.
Nylander’s time has been tumultuous in Toronto, to say the least, but his play in the 2021 playoffs and into the beginning of this 2021/22 season has begun to turn even some of the biggest Nylander haters into fans. So today, we’ve got 15 questions ranging from his junior days through his Leafs career to determine just how much you really know about Willy Styles.
As always, be sure to share your results with us on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comments below. Please note you may have to scroll back up to see your results. All answers are accurate as of November 26, 2021.
Good luck!

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Author: Kyle Cushman / The Leafs Nation

Kyle Lowry talks departure from Raptors, legacy in Toronto in interview

Kyle Lowry talks departure from Raptors, legacy in Toronto in interview

For the first time in almost a decade, Kyle Lowry suited up for an NBA team not named the Toronto Raptors, as his reign north of the border came to an end thanks to a sign-and-trade move that sent him to the Miami Heat. Even after he made the move, Toronto remains on his mind. […]
Kyle Lowry talks departure from Raptors, legacy in Toronto in interview – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Toronto Raptors: 3 players who could have a career year in 2021-22

Toronto Raptors: 3 players who could have a career year in 2021-22

For the first time since 2013, the Toronto Raptors were left watching the NBA playoffs from the sidelines after finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season. But hope springs anew, and it’s not inconceivable to think the Raptors can get back to the postseason in 2022. On a team heavy on young […]
Toronto Raptors: 3 players who could have a career year in 2021-22 – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Brian Swane / Raptors HQ

It looks like 2022-23 will be the cap hell we’ve been promised for years

In this the magical time where newspapers and sports radio are freaking out about a USports goaltender sitting on the bench, and trying to manufacture salary cap concerns for this season, I feel like getting a jump start on their freakout for next season, where it looks like our long promised cap hell will actually come to fruition.
We’ve been through one of these before. Paying a first round pick to have Patrick Marleau’s contract taken off the books, so the Leafs could turn around and throw a blank cheque at Mitch Marner certainly seems to fit with cap hell, but it also demonstrates that the Leafs have been able to wriggle their way out of bad situations as well, even if I’m not sure I’d use this as an example that left Leafs fans feeling particularly happy.
Toronto will have $67.8M committed to the salary cap for next season. If the cap stays flat (thankfully we’re hearing it won’t) that would leave Toronto with $13.7M to spend on filling a minimum of six roster spots. That leaves the with $2.28M for each spot available open. On the surface that doesn’t seem to …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

The TLN Three Stars: Shesterkin spoils Matthews’ return, Leafs fall to Rangers in OT

For the first time since what feels like the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Leafs faced a non-Canadian team tonight, welcoming the New York Rangers to Scotiabank Arena. It was a refreshing break from the monotony of the last 66 games: while last season’s North Division had some initial charm and ignited some hostilities between Canadian franchises, it quickly became overkill playing the same six teams over and over again for months. Let’s honestly never do it again. Variety is the spice of life.
Speaking of the overdue arrival of Americans, the Leafs also welcomed Auston Matthews back to their lineup for the first time this season after wrist surgery, and boy he came to play.
Recap
Before we get into a recap, a quick disclaimer: I watched the first period on any extremely pixelated treadmill television while chugging through a 5k run, so my recollections of the first 20 minutes are hazy.
Toronto got an early opportunity to break the ice when William Nylander was high-sticked by Barclay Goodrow during the second shift of the game. Our first glimpse of the new-look powerplay featuring Matthews was encouraging as the unit zipped the puck around, opening Matthews up for …

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Author: Mark Norman / The Leafs Nation

Auston Matthews returns as the Toronto Maple Leafs play an American team for the first time in over a year

For the first time since August 2020, the Toronto Maple Leafs are set to play an American NHL team and they have their own star American returning to the lineup to celebrate the occasion. With Marner and Tavares being snakebitten through the team’s first three games of the season, failing to find the back of the net despite creating plenty of great scoring opportunities, the NHL’s reigning Rocket Richard trophy winner is arriving at the perfect time.
Despite the team’s first line struggling to score, the Maple Leafs still hold a 2-1 record thanks in part to Jack Campbell’s phenomenal netminding and some fantastic contributions from lower in the lineup. If players like William Nylander, Michael Bunting, Alex Kerfoot, and Jason Spezza can continue their hot start as Matthews looks to defend his goalscoring title, this Leafs team could get exceptionally dangerous very quickly with scoring threats on all four lines.
Their opponents tonight are none other than the New York Rangers, a team that Toronto recently usurped as the NHL’s most valuable franchise. After a shaky start to the season, the Rangers were able to grab their first win on Saturday in a 3-1 victory …

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Author: Filipe Dimas / The Leafs Nation

Raptors: Assist-turnover ratio proves how pro-ready Scottie Barnes is

Raptors: Assist-turnover ratio proves how pro-ready Scottie Barnes is

The Toronto Raptors wasted no time getting Scottie Barnes acclimated to the professional game, choosing to let the rookie get as many reps as possible before they open the season against Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards. For a player who came into the league a touch raw as a shooter, that’s a wise strategy […]
Raptors: Assist-turnover ratio proves how pro-ready Scottie Barnes is – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Take a deep breath. Relax. The Leafs marathon is about to begin

82 games is a long time. 82 games is especially long when you know the Leafs are a good enough team to fall on the playoff side of the equation even if they half ass it throughout the year and don’t particularly have anything to prove in the regular season. Instead this year is all about playoff success. That’s going to make for an interesting regular and one that could feel pretty pointless at times. That’s probably not the best way to hype a season that others are calling the last dance for this Leafs core, but let’s start with how that narrative is downright goofy anyway.
For one, the comparison to the Bulls last dance ignores the fact that Bulls were going for their sixth championship of a dynasty. The Leafs are trying to end 5 year streak of being out in the first round, and 17 year drought of not seeing the second round of the playoffs. That seems like where the ridiculousness of this comparison needs to stop. Of course the Bulls last dance also had no chance of the band staying together. Pippen was heading for free agency, Phil Jackson had essentially received his walking papers, …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Report from the Rock: Growlers Training Camp Opens

For the first time since March of 2020, the Newfoundland Growlers now officially have a roster of players.
The team has announced the initial training camp roster for the 2021-22 season and in addition to the seven players signed to ECHL deals last month the roster includes 11 AHL-contracted players from the Toronto Marlies (two of whom being St. John’s locals Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power), two players loaned to the team from the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, a local player (Kyle McGrath) on a Professional Try-Out, and newly un-retired Captain James Melindy.

#GouldsRulezhttps://t.co/P55Qu5ml4t
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) October 1, 2021

Aside from O’Brien and Power, notable players assigned to the Growlers from Toronto are goaltender Keith Petruzzelli, who will likely become the team’s starter in light of the unfortunate injury to Maple Leafs prospect Ian Scott during NHL preseason, winger Jeremy McKenna, who TLN’s Nick Barden says has genuine NHL-upside and could become the Growlers’ leading scorer if he continues to make positive strides.
The third player of note is Noel Hoefenmayer, a 22-year old left-shot defenceman who played in 18 games for the Marlies last season and is projected to …

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Author: Dylan Murphy / The Leafs Nation