James van Riemsdyk grew up a fan of baseball's most popular team. So joining one of the NHL's most beloved franchises suits him just fine.
"It's like playing for the New York Yankees of the NHL," said the newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hours after the 2012 NHL draft came to a conclusion, Brian Burke made his boldest move of the off season - trading Luke Schenn to Philadelphia for James van Riemsdyk.
It was a deal that was first discussed during the season and was brought up again Friday when Flyers GM Paul Holmgren and Burke got together in Pittsburgh.
"There's a lot of great players in Toronto and I'm just hoping to be a piece of the puzzle to help get things going in the right direction," said van Riemsdyk in a conference call Saturday night.
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds van Riemsdyk will be one of the bigger forwards on the Leafs.
"He brings size, foot speed and skill," said Brian Burke. "This is a guy we think can make a difference in our hockey team.
"This is not a big banger. He uses his size to create offensive opportunities. This is not a guy who will put people through the glass. This is a skill player with size. This is not a black and blue player. This is not a plowhorse, this is a thoroughbred."
He also brings with him a long injury history- a concussion and broken left foot limited him last season to 43 games (11 G, 13 A). The second overall pick in 2007 has 47 goals and 52 assists for 99 points in 196 regular-season games.
He was also the name most often mentioned when talk turned to the Flyers making a trade.
"Early in the year you hear these rumours. I'm lucky enough to have a good support system around," said van Riemsdyk. "I think I learned a lot going through those different injury issues. I think it's made me a better person and player. I've learned to deal with adversity and it will only help me in the long run."
van Riemsdyk can play on the wing or centre, although Burke made it clear he sees him on the wing.
"I ensivion him mostly on the wall," Burke told a Saturday night conference call. "From my perspective we are not big enough.. He's a big body with skill and those players are hard to find."
It's easy to see why van Riemsdyk said he was "excited" about joining Toronto.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Toronto Maple Leafs fail to make immediate improvements
Brian Burke has an answer as to why the Toronto Maple Leafs weren't able to acquire Jordan Staal.
"We didn't have a brother named Staal and that was part of the problem," the Toronto Maple Leafs GM explained - somehow doing so with a straight face.
It was a quiet draft weekend for the Leafs, other than dealing goalie Jonas Gustavsson to Winnipeg for a conditional 7th round pick next year.
So while teams like the Hurricanes got better, and the Penguins appear to have cleared cap space to make a push for Ryan Suter and/or Zach Parise in free agency the Maple Leafs stood pat. None of the players they drafted are expected to be in Toronto's lineup next season. But Burke had this to say to an anxious and concerned Leafs nation.
"First off, what's the date today, the 23rd of June?" Burke asked. "We're not starting for a while so I'd say it's a work in progress and we need to do some things. This (draft) is a starting point for the summer; not an ending point."
Burke feels he has improved the team's depth this weekend- especially on the blueline.
Picking up Guelph Storm defenceman Matt Finn continues a trend started Friday when he drafted Morgan Rielly from Moose Jaw.
Finn was 6th in scoring among Ontario Hockey League defencemen (10 G, 38 A) and is a Toronto kid who grew up a fan of the Leafs.
Among the more interesting picks; feisty winger Ryan Rupert of the London Knights. His twin brother Matt wasn't drafted but has been invited to Leafs rookie camp where he will be given a chance to make an impression. The Rupert twins are - in the words of Burke - "junkyard dogs."
"They don't let their size (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) hold them back from anywhere they have played," said Burke. "They only have one gear and it's high. They only have one attitude and it's surly. I like players like that."
Burke has been looking to improve his team through trades. He insists the asking prices are too high. According to Burke, every team asks for Jake Gardiner and Burke says "he's not going anywhere."
He did make it clear he would like to improve his goaltending, but again the price has to be right.
"If you can get a goaltender who makes you better and it costs you 15 first round picks, would you do it? No. So somewhere between 15 first round picks and something that makes sense. We're not there yet. I'm not going to overpay to upgrade at that position. Rather than strip the organization to fill one positional need, we'll go with what we have."
That means James Reimer, returning from a neck injury that he struggled with for much of the season, and Ben Scrivens who spent most of the year in the American Hockey League, could start the season as the Leafs netminders.
"We are encouraged by the medical reports for James Reimer," said Burke after the draft was over. "He has a clean bill of help and he's working out like a madman. He has made it very clear to us that he has no intention of giving up the net and that has changed our thinking a little bit."
Burke also wants to get bigger up front. By adding prospects to what appears to be a deep group of defenceman in the organization, Burke does have assets he can use to address that area.
"We're prepared to trade to do it," Burke said. "I think for the first time since I have been here we have assets that people want. We have young assets and we're in a position to upgrade if we decide to do it."
Buckle up Leafs nation for what could be an interesting few weeks ahead.
"We didn't have a brother named Staal and that was part of the problem," the Toronto Maple Leafs GM explained - somehow doing so with a straight face.
It was a quiet draft weekend for the Leafs, other than dealing goalie Jonas Gustavsson to Winnipeg for a conditional 7th round pick next year.
So while teams like the Hurricanes got better, and the Penguins appear to have cleared cap space to make a push for Ryan Suter and/or Zach Parise in free agency the Maple Leafs stood pat. None of the players they drafted are expected to be in Toronto's lineup next season. But Burke had this to say to an anxious and concerned Leafs nation.
"First off, what's the date today, the 23rd of June?" Burke asked. "We're not starting for a while so I'd say it's a work in progress and we need to do some things. This (draft) is a starting point for the summer; not an ending point."
Burke feels he has improved the team's depth this weekend- especially on the blueline.
Picking up Guelph Storm defenceman Matt Finn continues a trend started Friday when he drafted Morgan Rielly from Moose Jaw.
Finn was 6th in scoring among Ontario Hockey League defencemen (10 G, 38 A) and is a Toronto kid who grew up a fan of the Leafs.
Among the more interesting picks; feisty winger Ryan Rupert of the London Knights. His twin brother Matt wasn't drafted but has been invited to Leafs rookie camp where he will be given a chance to make an impression. The Rupert twins are - in the words of Burke - "junkyard dogs."
"They don't let their size (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) hold them back from anywhere they have played," said Burke. "They only have one gear and it's high. They only have one attitude and it's surly. I like players like that."
Burke has been looking to improve his team through trades. He insists the asking prices are too high. According to Burke, every team asks for Jake Gardiner and Burke says "he's not going anywhere."
He did make it clear he would like to improve his goaltending, but again the price has to be right.
"If you can get a goaltender who makes you better and it costs you 15 first round picks, would you do it? No. So somewhere between 15 first round picks and something that makes sense. We're not there yet. I'm not going to overpay to upgrade at that position. Rather than strip the organization to fill one positional need, we'll go with what we have."
That means James Reimer, returning from a neck injury that he struggled with for much of the season, and Ben Scrivens who spent most of the year in the American Hockey League, could start the season as the Leafs netminders.
"We are encouraged by the medical reports for James Reimer," said Burke after the draft was over. "He has a clean bill of help and he's working out like a madman. He has made it very clear to us that he has no intention of giving up the net and that has changed our thinking a little bit."
Burke also wants to get bigger up front. By adding prospects to what appears to be a deep group of defenceman in the organization, Burke does have assets he can use to address that area.
"We're prepared to trade to do it," Burke said. "I think for the first time since I have been here we have assets that people want. We have young assets and we're in a position to upgrade if we decide to do it."
Buckle up Leafs nation for what could be an interesting few weeks ahead.
Friday, 22 June 2012
Leafs draft Morgan Rielly
Since Brian Burke was named the GM of the Toronto
Maple Leafs, he has constantly said he likes to build his team from the
blueline.
So it should come as no surprise that Burke used the
5th overall pick in the NHL draft on Friday to select Morgan Rielly,
an offensive minded defenceman from Moose Jaw of the WHL.
“Our scouts are ecstatic,” said Burke moments after
the pick. “We had this player rated first overall. I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t
true.”
Rielly suffered a torn ACL early this season, and didn’t play for much
of the campaign. But the 6 foot, 190 pound native of West Vancouver, BC
returned to action late in the season where he scored 3 goals and had 15
assists in 18 regular season games.
“I think the injury set him back on some team’s
lists,” said Burke. “We’ve checked out the injury and we are not concerned
about it.”
“High compete level, good skater, hard worker, I’ll
do anything to help the team,” Rielly said when he was asked to list his
qualities as a hockey player.
What this pick does more than anything is give the
Leafs plenty of depth in the organization on the blueline.
Burke now has plenty of assets now with Jake
Gardiner (17th overall pick in 2008 coming off a 7 G, 23 A season
with Toronto), Stuart Percy (Toronto’s 1st
round pick, 25th overall in 2011), Jesse Blacker (58th
overall pick in 2009) and Korbinian Holzer (111th overall pick in
2006) who at 24 years of age is primed to be a regular in the NHL next season.
Oh, and we didn’t mention 22 year old Luke Schenn
who is entering his 5th NHL season this fall.
Burke has some depth to possibly make a move – maybe
for Roberto Luongo.
Or Rick Nash.
Maybe Tim Thomas.
But that is for another day. This night belonged to Morgan Rielly, a
player one scout told me is “dynamic” and is a tremendous playmaker.
“This is a guy you don’t have to tell to work hard,”
said Burke. “He is probably going to be fast tracked but we’re not expecting him
to pay this year (in Toronto).”
“He is mature in terms of his decision making.”
The coolest thing about the Leafs picking Rielly was
his father’s reaction. When Morgan’s
name was called, Andy Rielly couldn’t hide his delight. You would have thought
he won the lottery.
“He’s a big Leafs fan. I’m not surprised,” Morgan Rielly said.
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