Toronto Maple Leafs: Marlies Forward Grades Part Three
As the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in danger of a brief postseason run, the Toronto Marlies prepare to embark upon a deep run of their own.
And before said run begins, we must reflect upon what yesterday’s victory over the Belleville Senators confirmed as the Marlies’ second most successful regular season in franchise history.
So, without further adieu, allow me to present part three of the Toronto Marlies forward corps report cards. We’re almost there, folks!
Enjoy.
Kyle Baun
Grade: C+
Aside from his surname, nothing concerning Kyle Baun is flashy.
He’s not an offensive threat, a particularly gifted skater, and doesn’t possess a booming shot. What Baun is, however, is a reliable two-way forward capable of adding some sandpaper to a decidedly skilled lineup.
As outdated as that mantra may be in the current hockey landscape, the Marlies were in dire need of some muscle. Jeremy Bracco‘s not going to rattle cages anytime soon.
Coming over from Laval in late-February as part of the Tomas Plekanec trade, Baun joined a Marlies team reeling from depth depletion. In the midst of adjusting to life without Kasperi Kapanen and Nikita Soshnikov up front, Rinat Valiev had since vacated the back end.
No matter how you cut it, those are sizeable losses. At that point in the season, the Marlies were vulnerable, making Baun’s arrival a welcome one.
On a team packed with offensive punch, no one expected Baun to contribute much in that regard. Over his 15 games with the Marlies, the 25-year-old has amassed just one goal and five assists. Now, his six points are far from terrible production. Although, it’s not enough to move the needle in either direction.
Instead, Baun has carved out his niche as an effective defensive forward. Logging the occasional PK stint, he’s since formed one-third of the Marlies shutdown line alongside Frederik Gauthier and Colin Greening.
If this were baseball, Baun would top out as a 0 WAR player. He won’t hurt his team, but he won’t make them markedly better either.
Playoff Outlook
Unfortunately for Baun, the late-season arrivals of Carl Grundstrom and Pierre Engvall have since cast his playoff status in doubt.
In fact, the lineup the Marlies iced when taking on the Belleville Senators this past Friday night will likely be the one they’ll ride into the playoffs with.
And, as you can see, Baun is nowhere to be found.
Obviously, this is subject to change. Sheldon Keefe may very well turn to Baun in an effort to counteract a physical push from their first-round opponent Utica, or beyond. Although, it’s hard not to look at the lineup above and marvel at its punishing depth.
In all, Baun has been exactly what the Marlies expected him to be from the moment he crossed the Ricoh Coliseum threshold. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Adam Brooks
Grade: B-
If you were to write a book chronicling the rookie campaign of Adam Brooks, it would be titled “A Tale of Two Seasons”.
Prior to March 14th, Brooks amassed a paltry seven points in 44 games, primarily operating in a fourth line role. He looked completely outmatched, barely keeping his head above water against competition both bigger and stronger than he’d ever previously faced.
Brooks has always been a late bloomer, passing through unselected in both the 2015 and 2016 NHL Entry Drafts before Toronto finally took a chance on the over-ager in the fourth round of 2017.
And yet, no one expected a 0.15 points-per-game from him either, regardless of his rookie status.
Reeling from a disastrous start, Brooks was one of the few players actually looking forward to the trade deadline. With Kerby Rychel shipped off to Montreal and Andreas Johnsson a full-time Leaf, ice time became readily available. And Brooks made the most of it.
Changes Abound
In 12 games following the aforementioned March 14th, Brooks has gathered 10 points, all while exuding more confidence and poise than the previous 44 games combined.
Briefly centring an all-rookie line between Mason Marchment and Jeremy Bracco, the trio fed off of each other, adding an element of speed which had been lacking from the Marlies lineup ever since Johnsson’s promotion.
Further fuelling his uptick in production was Keefe’s decision to slot Brooks onto the top line, stationing him on the wing next to veterans Ben Smith and Chris Mueller.
When asked how these changes impacted his game, Brooks answered:
Obviously, whenever you get put into situations like that you’re going to gain some confidence, and getting the chance to play with Smitty (Ben Smith) and Muells (Chris Mueller) for a little bit there was really big for me. Once again, playing with Bracs (Jeremy Bracco) and Mush (Mason Marchment), I feel like we have pretty good chemistry together, we go out, work hard and try to have some fun. Wherever guys play in this lineup is for their own benefit and the coaching staff knows what they’re doing.
Health Hurdles
While his game has undoubtedly taken off of late, that doesn’t negate how Brooks’s path to NHL employment remains a long and winding one.
Concerning prospect development, a “strong summer” is perhaps the most important variable around. The respective strides these young players take during the offseason can either significantly increase their career trajectory or burrow them into a sizeable hole.
For Brooks, his summer of 2017 fell closer to the latter.
Start of the year, you come in not really knowing what to expect, coming off a summer of mono which is always tough. But, I’m spending a lot of time in the weight room. Our training staff here is doing an amazing job and got us to a level where we could play regularly.
With hockey being such a cardio-centric sport, mono is a particularly deadly virus. It robs the body of all energy, significantly impacting the beholder’s stamina and endurance levels. You know, just some pretty vital factors for a hockey player.
While I’m far from a professional athlete, I have written about my struggles with mono in the past. Following my diagnosis at age 17, my body didn’t return to its normal functioning state until right around the time I became the legal drinking age in Canada.
Brooks, an established late bloomer, could ill afford another hurdle.
Outlook
The Marlies, and Leafs by extension, deploy a decidedly forecheck-heavy system of attack. This is perhaps best exemplified in former-Marlie Zach Hyman, who burrows himself into board battles with ill thought spent towards his own wellbeing.
Brooks attempts to carry this system out, although remaining held back from a noted lack of necessary strength and balance. Now, this likely stems from his earlier battle with mono, which forced him to bulk up as the season progressed.
Rounding into form now, the signs are looking up for the kid most call “Prarie Jesus”.
A summer free from the constraints of mono will likely determine Brooks’ timeline moving forward. If he enters camp “in the best shape of his life”, his path to the NHL within a noticeably centre-lacking organization likely clears.
For now, a strong playoff run is his proving ground.
Were Brooks to elevate his play as the months get warmer, numerous eyes, both within the Leafs organization and outside of it, will be forced open.
Frederik Gauthier
Grade: C-
It’s important to preface any judgement of Frederik Gauthier‘s 2017-18 season by commending him for the perseverance he displayed in returning so quickly from a grisly injury suffered during last year’s playoffs.
By all accounts, Gauthier shouldn’t have even resumed regular playing duty until late November. Thanks to a predatory hit courtesy of walking trash can Jake Dotchin, Gauthier’s hamstring muscles ripped completely off the bone.
In May, doctors estimated his recovery time at six months. Gauthier reported to Leafs camp as a full participant in September, four months after undergoing surgery.
Resiliency aside, Gauthier’s days as a member of the Leafs organization appear to be numbered. A strong start to the season earned him an NHL call-up in mid-January, with the results of his promotion all but sealing Gauthier’s fate.
In his six games with the Leafs, the former-first rounder posted an abysmal CF/60 at 5v5 of 38.2%. He consistently looked out of place, sorely lacking speed required for the level above. Not even Mike Babcock, a reported Gauthier fan, could find a silver lining amongst the wreckage.
Mercifully, Babcock sent the towering centre back to the Marlies on January 23rd, where he’s remained ever since.
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Aside from an initial stretch of six points in seven games following his demotion, Gauthier managed just four points in the next 24 games, spanning from February 16th until the present day.
While he’ll never be relied upon for offensive production, those numbers are downright gaudy, and unacceptable from a third-year-pro. Over the back half of the season, I found myself repeatedly muttering, “Oh, Gauthier’s playing? Huh.”
Without the lineup sheet in front of me, he’d likely pass by unnoticed.
Furthering the frustration of this ordeal is the notion that, on occasion, Gauthier’s skill shines through. He possesses a deceptively heavy shot while exhibiting some playmaking ability on occasion as well.
https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/947592661225148416
A shot like that doesn’t just happen by accident. Gauthier does indeed house some semblance of offensive ability within him. He just fails to display it on anything resembling a consistent basis.
Outlook
With the Leafs approaching the CBA’s 50 contract maximum, they’ll soon be forced into making some cuts.
As luck would have it, Gauthier happens to be an RFA at season’s end. This presents the Leafs with a difficult decision regarding whether or not to extend him a qualifying offer. As they weigh their options, a number of factors are at play.
Namely, new arrival Pierre Engvall requires a contract this summer as well.
A 2014 seventh round pick, Engvall has amassed an impressive eight points in nine games since coming to the Marlies from the SHL in late-March. By all accounts, including my own, the 21-year-old Swede has done nothing other than proven himself worthy of long-term investment from his organization. And, in order to invest, the Leafs must lock Engvall up prior to the August 15th deadline, when his rights expire.
In fact, this neglects to mention a number of other potential signees.
Brady Ferguson, signed to an ATO March 21st, has produced four points in five games with the Marlies. The former Robert Morris University alum looks noticeably comfortable at the AHL level, and were the Marlies to deem him worthy of returning, that’s yet another contract spot rendered unavailable.
Most importantly, it’s easy to forget how Gauthier stands as the final draft pick of a bygone regime.
A 2013 selection of Dave Nonis & Co., hindsight suggests he never should’ve gone in the first round at all, dooming him to years of unworthy expectations.
As the cupboard continues to fill with far more attractive options, a parting of ways may serve as the best course of action for both Gauthier and the Leafs.
Thanks for reading!