Toronto Maple Leafs invite Brady Vail, Spencer Machacek, and Stefan Della Rovere to training camp on tryouts
Late Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced their 2014-2015 training camp roster.
#TMLtalk news: #Leafs announce 64-man training camp roster http://t.co/oAfFxgXOua #NHL pic.twitter.com/uRK64erseH
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 17, 2014
In detail, here’s the roster, including 19 players who just played in the Leafs Rookie Tournament:
| NAME | POSITION |
| SPENCER ABBOTT | F |
| CARTER ASHTON | F |
| TYLER BIGGS | F |
| TROY BODIE | F |
| DAVID BOOTH | F |
| TYLER BOZAK | F |
| DAVID BROLL | F |
| CONNOR BROWN | F |
| SAM CARRICK | F |
| DAVID CLARKSON | F |
| STEFAN DELLA ROVERE | F |
| JAMIE DEVANE | F |
| BRETT FINDLAY | F |
| MATT FRATTIN | F |
| FREDERIK GAUTHIER | F |
| PETER HOLLAND | F |
| NAZEM KADRI | F |
| PHIL KESSEL | F |
| LEO KOMAROV | F |
| PETRI KONTIOLA | F |
| BRANDON KOZUN | F |
| JOSH LEIVO | F |
| JOFFREY LUPUL | F |
| SPENCER MACHACEK | F |
| GREG MCKEGG | F |
| FRAZER MCLAREN | F |
| CARSON MCMILLAN | F |
| WILLIAM NYLANDER | F |
| COLTON ORR | F |
| BRAD ROSS | F |
| MATT RUPERT | F |
| RYAN RUPERT | F |
| MIKE SANTORELLI | F |
| TREVOR SMITH | F |
| JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK | F |
| CARTER VERHAEGHE | F |
| FRANCIS WATHIER | F |
| PATRICK WATLING | F |
| DANIEL WINNIK | F |
| BRADY VAIL | F |
| CODY DONAGHEY | D |
| MATT FINN | D |
| CODY FRANSON | D |
| JAKE GARDINER | D |
| PETTER GRANBERG | D |
| KORBINIAN HOLZER | D |
| ERIC KNODEL | D |
| VIKTOR LOOV | D |
| ANDREW MACWILLIAM | D |
| KEVIN MARSHALL | D |
| BRENDAN MIKKELSON | D |
| TOM NILSSON | D |
| STUART PERCY | D |
| DION PHANEUF | D |
| ROMAN POLAK | D |
| MORGAN RIELLY | D |
| STEPHANE ROBIDAS | D |
| HENRIK TALLINDER | D |
| JONATHAN BERNIER | G |
| ANTOINE BIBEAU | G |
| CHRISTOPHER GIBSON | G |
| CAL HEETER | G |
| JAMES REIMER | G |
| GARRET SPARKS | G |
Mar 16, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The entrance to the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room prior to a game against the Winnipeg Jets at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
*roster courtesy of Toronto Maple Leafs website
In addition to the pro tryouts for Cal Heeter (discussed here), Brendan Mikkelson (discussed here), and Henrik Tallinder (here), three forwards on tryouts are worth monitoring.
Let’s take a quick look at each.
Leafs have invited Brady Vail, a Habs pick (4th rd in ’12) from the Windsor Spitfires that Montreal declined to sign.
— Kevin McGran (@kevin_mcgran) September 17, 2014
Vail posted 83 points in 67 games for the Windsor Spitfires and was voted the OHL’s best defensive forward as well. The former Montreal Canadiens fourth round pick also caused some buzz in the Hurricanes prospect development camp and appears to have a shot at the third line centre job for the Marlies.
Former Atlanta Thrasher (and there’s fewer and fewer of those) is Spencer Machacek is will be in Leafs camp
— Kevin McGran (@kevin_mcgran) September 17, 2014
During the past three years, Machacek hasn’t escaped the AHL. Between St. John’s, Springfield, and Wilkes-Barre, he posted 122 pts in 192 GP – a .64 ppg. Hockey’s Future described the utility winger this way:
"“Machacek is the prototypical, two-way winger with the size and strength to cause opponents problems in their own end. At the same time, he plays a responsible game in his own end of the ice.”– Hockey’s Future description of Spencer Machacek"
Destined for the Toronto Marlies, the 26 year-old energy forward may see time with the Leafs if a rash of injuries strike but he’s a low ceiling plugger.
Stefan Della Rovere gets an invitation from the #Leafs as well.
— Kevin McGran (@kevin_mcgran) September 17, 2014
Della Rovere has spent time in the St. Louis Blues system, not really doing much of anything. Check for yourself. But, the 24 year-old’s description on Hockey’s Future is interesting to note.
Here it is, in full:
"“Della Rovere will score goals, but he’s best known for his chippy, bordering on dirty, play. At the NHL level, he’d likely be a fourth-liner.”– Hockey’s Future on Stefan Della Rovere’s “truculence”"
Interesting stuff. Della Rovere sounds like the type of skater that Brian Burke might have been proud to bring in when he was GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This young, “chippy” forward has a good deal of AHL experience and may find a spot at the bottom of the depth chart in the AHL.
What do you think, Leafs fans? Could any of these skaters make some noise in training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs this week?