Stuart Percy knows what he wants to do next.
“Hopefully crack the (Toronto) Marlies lineup,” said
the 2011 Toronto Maple Leafs 1st round pick. “I want to continue to
develop my game (in the American Hockey League) and try to become a regular in
that lineup.”
Percy - a puck moving defenceman - was captain of the Ontario Hockey League
Mississauga Steelheads last season and played in all 68 games and had 13 goals
and 32 assists on a young team that struggled to score goals.
It was a good year for Percy, who struggled the
previous season with a variety of knee and head injuries.
In a game against Kitchener on December 11, 2011,
Percy got hit by a pair of Rangers. He landed awkwardly against the boards and
missed time with a concussion.
It was the second concussion he suffered in a short
time. The other occurred in September of 2011 at the Leafs prospect camp. He
suffered a knee injury a month later.
In 2011-2012 in Mississauga, Percy played just 34
games (5 goals, 20 assists).
Having played in every game last season was
something the Leafs wanted to see and he doesn’t think the concussions have
hurt his development.
“It helped my mentally and physically,” said the 20
year-old Percy. “It made me pay attention more off- ice and getting warmed up
and ready to play and aware and alert when I’m out there.”
“You also realize in a split second you can get
hurt. You pay more attention when you are on the ice.”
Percy is considered by Leafs management an “intelligent
player” who is a solid puck mover and has an offensive flair to his game. He
needs to get bigger and more physical.
Percy also realizes the Leafs have a number of
high-end defense prospects in the system, led by 2012 first round pick Morgan Rielly.
“I think anywhere you go there’s going to be tonnes
of defenceman and guys fighting for spots, so there’s really nothing negative
about that,” said the 6-foot-1, 193 pound Percy. “It’s good to have competition
and that just means everyone will be paying well when they get to the Leafs. It’s
a good healthy competition and guys are always pushing each other and all the
guys are great. We all get along and that makes it easier as well.”
Percy played 4 games for the Marlies in the AHL
playoffs a few months ago, and scored a goal and had 2 assists. He hopes to be
a regular with the Marlies this season.-
David Broll has heard all the comparisons to Colton
Orr. One day he may draw comparisons to
another Leaf, David Clarkson.
The 20 year-old Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick was
one of 34 players in Toronto this week at the annual Maple Leafs prospect camp.
“I can play in the NHL one day, but it’s up to me,”
said the 6-foot-3, 235 pound left- winger, who played in the Ontario Hockey
League Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the last three seasons.
Broll – who is nicknamed Brolldozer for his physical
play – got involved in a number of fights his first time at the Leafs prospects
camp. This year there would be no fights as the Leafs want him to work on
improving his all-around game.
“I want to show my other assets as well, and not be
labelled as just a guy that can fight,” said Broll. “My goal is pretty much
every kid’s goal: to make the Leafs.”
Former Leafs GM Brian Burke used to say Broll was
one of the few Leafs prospects in junior who could step up to the NHL right
away because of his size and aggressive play.
“Obviously to hear that it’s a good thing for your
confidence level,” said Broll, who was drafted by Toronto in 2001 in the 6th
round (151 overall). “No (NHL) spots are giving. Every day you have to get a
little bit better.”
Broll has worked hard at his game – he scored just 8
goals in 2011-2012 but last season scored 17 goals while seeing time on the
penalty kill.
“Randy Carlyle likes hard-nosed guys and I feel I
can step in and do that,” said the Mississauga, Ontario native. “I like to
compete. I’m ready to do whatever it takes.”
The plan is for Broll – who cut down his fighting
majors from 7 in 2011-2012 to 3 last season – to start the year with the American Hockey
League’s Toronto Marlies. If he can make an impression like he did this week at
the prospects camp, he could be up in the NHL sooner rather than later.
“He has the ability to possess the puck on the cycle
situations and he crates offence out of that,” said Leafs director of player
development, Jim Hughes. “He buys time and space and he has the ability to make
plays. So he was sort of dominant (at the camp).”
He may not have the polished skills some of the
prospects in the Leafs system have, but his size and his toughness may have him
in the NHL soon.
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