(above) The Toronto Maple Leafs are after Tyler BozakFrom: Toronto Mail & Globe
by Tim Wharmsby
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed prospect Alex Berry, in the first of what they hope to be a handful of U.S. College players in the next month.
The U.S. College hockey scene is down to its final four weekends and the Leafs not only want to lock up some of their own prospects like Berry, a senior right wing with the University of Massachusetts, but they expect to be an active in the free-agent market.
Leafs general manager Brian Burke refused to divulge his strategy, but it is known that his club is in the race to sign prominent free agents Tyler Bozak, Matt Gilroy, Christian Hanson and Paul Crowder.
"I don't want to publicly discuss our strategy," Burke said.
Berry, 23, signed a two-year entry level contract. While he is a long shot to become a full-time NHL player, Colorado College centre Chad Rau, 22, is a competitive player who would give the Leafs depth in the system.
"If the Leafs could sign Bozak, he could be a pretty good second liner one day," said a NHL scout this week.
Bozak, a University of Denver second-year center, was overlooked in his draft year because of his size. Now almost every team in the 30-club NHL is after him.
"He's clearly the best guy, a real dynamic player and well-coached by [University of Denver's] George Gwozdecky," said another scout. "We all missed this kid when he was playing for Victoria [in the British Columbia tier II junior loop]. He had 128 points in his final year there, but he was only 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds."
The native of Regina is now listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and before suffering a season-ending knee injury, he had seven goals and 21 points in 18 games this year. Because Bozak is 23 years old, he would be required to sign a two-year entry level contract like Berry.
The way the NHL's entry-level system works is that the length of a player's first contract is determined by age. Twenty-one or younger is a three-year entry level deal, 22 or 23 is two years, 24 requires a one-year contract, while 25 or older has no restrictions.
by Tim Wharmsby
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed prospect Alex Berry, in the first of what they hope to be a handful of U.S. College players in the next month.
The U.S. College hockey scene is down to its final four weekends and the Leafs not only want to lock up some of their own prospects like Berry, a senior right wing with the University of Massachusetts, but they expect to be an active in the free-agent market.
Leafs general manager Brian Burke refused to divulge his strategy, but it is known that his club is in the race to sign prominent free agents Tyler Bozak, Matt Gilroy, Christian Hanson and Paul Crowder.
"I don't want to publicly discuss our strategy," Burke said.
Berry, 23, signed a two-year entry level contract. While he is a long shot to become a full-time NHL player, Colorado College centre Chad Rau, 22, is a competitive player who would give the Leafs depth in the system.
"If the Leafs could sign Bozak, he could be a pretty good second liner one day," said a NHL scout this week.
Bozak, a University of Denver second-year center, was overlooked in his draft year because of his size. Now almost every team in the 30-club NHL is after him.
"He's clearly the best guy, a real dynamic player and well-coached by [University of Denver's] George Gwozdecky," said another scout. "We all missed this kid when he was playing for Victoria [in the British Columbia tier II junior loop]. He had 128 points in his final year there, but he was only 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds."
The native of Regina is now listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and before suffering a season-ending knee injury, he had seven goals and 21 points in 18 games this year. Because Bozak is 23 years old, he would be required to sign a two-year entry level contract like Berry.
The way the NHL's entry-level system works is that the length of a player's first contract is determined by age. Twenty-one or younger is a three-year entry level deal, 22 or 23 is two years, 24 requires a one-year contract, while 25 or older has no restrictions.
1 comment:
Paul Crowder signed with the NY Rangers.
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