Toronto Raptors free agent profile: Clippers C/F Isaiah Hartenstein

Toronto Raptors free agent profile: Clippers C/F Isaiah Hartenstein

Even after their selection of Christian Koloko with the No. 33 pick in last week’s NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors will no doubt scour the free agent market for budget big men with the type of potential the Raps development staff is so good at tapping into. Enter Los Angeles Clippers youngster Isaiah Hartenstein. After signing […]
Toronto Raptors free agent profile: Clippers C/F Isaiah Hartenstein – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Tyler Hedmann / Raptors HQ

Leafs sign Liljegren up for two more years

The hangovers from the Stanley Cup Final haven’t even had a chance to grab hold of the Avalanche yet and the Leafs are already getting around to announcing some business.

We’ve signed defenceman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract extension. #LeafsForever
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 27, 2022

Liljegren is back and he’s back at a very team-friendly cap hit with a two year deal at $1.4M AAV.
So there’s nothing but positives to unpack here. The Leafs need good right side defensemen and they locked one in for two years at a bargain. They’ve set a very awesome comparable contract for their dealings with Rasmus Sandin, which had the potential of being more contentious. And that puts Toronto in a situation where they have they have around $7M of cap space to sign Sandin, Engvall, another forward, and a goaltender. That’s before any possible moves of Mrazek, Holl, and Kerfoot. The Leafs have the opportunity to do some interesting things this summer without panicking about the salary cap.
As for Liljegren, let’s recap his 2021-22 Season:
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
EV
PP
SH
S
S%
TOI
ATOI
BLK
HIT
61
5
18
23
15
14
4
1
0
79
6.3
1000
16:24
60
87
CF/60
CA/60
CF%
GF/60
GA/60
GF%
xGF/60
xGA/60
xG%
HDCF/60
HDCA/60
HDCF%
62.98
51.35
55.09
3.83
2.82
57.58
3.14
2.13
59.5
14.65
10.22
58.92
Not a bad first full-time year in the NHL, and the fact that he’s built some chemistry with both Giordano and Muzzin, Liljegren should get a realistic look at being the second pairing option. The Leafs are off to a strong start for the summer and now all eyes turn to Rasmus Sandin.
Data from Hockey Reference and Natural Stat Trick
More From TheLeafsNation.com

Nick Richard’s 2022 NHL Draft Rankings: Final Edition by Nick Richard

Ranking the Leafs prospects prior to the draft by Kyle Cushman, Nick Richard, Nick Barden, and Jon Steitzer

Offer sheets: Who is likely to use one and how it could affect the Leafs by Jon Steitzer

POINTSBET IS LIVE IN ONTARIO
PointsBet is live in Ontario. Get started here. …

Read More

Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

5 prospects with exclusive rights expiring to keep an eye on

Even with multiple teams still in action in the Stanley Cup playoffs, one of the first significant dates of the offseason is quickly approaching. June 1, this Wednesday, is the deadline to sign certain drafted prospects prior to their exclusive rights expiring.
For the most part, the June 1 deadline this year is the deadline to sign CHL prospects that were drafted in 2020 and for European prospects not based in Russia that were drafted in 2018. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen three prospects sign entry-level contracts that were set to become a free agent or re-entry draft eligible. Tampa Bay signed Jaydon Dureau, the Islanders inked Ruslan Iskakhov, and Vancouver locked up Linus Karlsson.
Even with three of the more notable prospects that were set to expire signing, there is still some intriguing talent whose exclusive rights are set to expire on Wednesday, leaving them either re-entry draft eligible if they are a 2002 birthdate in the CHL or a free agent if they are older.
Let’s look at five different prospects who could be of interest.
Ryan Francis
Drafted by the Calgary Flames in the …

Read More

Author: Kyle Cushman / The Leafs Nation

I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed in the Leafs

Before even getting started into any of this, I want to take a moment as the Managing Editor of The Leafs Nation to thank all of you that chose to read our site over the past year. Coming out of the Montreal series last year it seemed easy to quit on the Leafs, and instead, we saw our readership grow to record numbers over the past year and that has taught me that “The Passion” is an authentic thing with the Leafs fanbase.
I’d also like to take a moment to thank the wonderful contributors to TLN. We’ve produced a ton of content this year and in my opinion been the most interesting source for Leafs news on the world wide web. This group has a bright future, and the fact that this season for the first time in site history we had credentialed coverage of the Leafs, Marlies, and the Growlers is a first for the site that I am very proud of, but can’t take any of the credit for. Couple that with great coverage of Leafs prospect, CBA knowledge that is second to none, Toronto Six coverage, and the ability to break down all things Leafs, this group got it done, an …

Read More

Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

3 trade targets Raptors must avoid pursuing in offseason

3 trade targets Raptors must avoid pursuing in offseason

Even if the Toronto Raptors don’t go big-game hunting and try to acquire Rudy Gobert this offseason, Masai Ujiri will likely try to extend his feelers out into the NBA rumor mill to see who is available. The holes on this Raptors roster are evident, and Ujiri will need to get to work on fixing […]
3 trade targets Raptors must avoid pursuing in offseason – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Auston Matthews suspended two games for cross-check on Rasmus Dahlin

Not even 24 hours after Auston Matthews sent a cross-check to Rasmus Dahlin, the NHL has already come down with a ruling.

Toronto’s Auston Matthews has been suspended for two games for Cross-checking Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin. https://t.co/yZaJTAZHjv
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 14, 2022

The two got into it during the third period of Sunday’s Heritage Classic game in Hamilton. Both players each traded shoves before Matthews cross-checked Dahlin.

pic.twitter.com/O6jjyPqfi1
— Tony X (@soIoucity) March 13, 2022

This is Matthews’ first piece of supplemental discipline in the NHL since joining the league in 2016. According to TLN’s David Alter, the centreman will lose over $100K in the two-game suspension.

Auston Matthews will forfeit $116,402.50 in salary for his 2 game suspension. @reporterchris will tell you what that is in #Bitcoin
— David Alter (@dalter) March 14, 2022

The 24-year-old will serve his two games and won’t be able to return to the Maple Leafs’ lineup until their game on Saturday vs. Nashville.

Read More

Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation

DeMar DeRozan retells cool Kobe Bryant story from Raptors tenure

DeMar DeRozan retells cool Kobe Bryant story from Raptors tenure

Even a full two years after his passing, the memory of Kobe Bryant still burns brightly among fans and players all across the NBA landscape. Among active players, few of them can claim to be bigger Bryant fans than former Toronto Raptors sensation DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan tried to pattern large portions of his game after […]
DeMar DeRozan retells cool Kobe Bryant story from Raptors tenure – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Goalies are voodoo: A potential solution for Leafs’ goaltending

As is often the case in Leafs Nation, even on a good day, this team is utterly doomed. Or are they? Maybe. Who knows?
Goaltending is the one area of hockey that most people have the hardest time evaluating. I certainly don’t profess to be an expert in the field, but with both Petr Mrazek and Jack Campbell struggling lately, it’s a topic that should be addressed in some way prior to the Mar. 21 trade deadline.
This is not to say that Kyle Dubas should use his “one bullet” and take a big swing to improve at the goaltending position, because of how truly random the position is. Rather, a better move would be to fortify it marginally through addition without subtraction. Throw a rock at the problem instead of firing the only bullet.
One trade that has been suggested a lot is a Marc-Andre Fleury for Mrazek plus a draft pick and/or a prospect, but think about this: If one of the current tandem (or any potential post-deadline tandem) were to get injured, Joseph Woll or Michael Hutchinson is the next man up, how much confidence does that instil in the position?
Goaltenders are voodoo. This is a saying that’s been popularized among hockey fans for years, one that’s backed up pretty well by any numbe …

Read More

Author: Dylan Murphy / The Leafs Nation

Raptors fans made sure Goran Dragic heard boos in Nets win

Raptors fans made sure Goran Dragic heard boos in Nets win

The Toronto Raptors taking on the Brooklyn Nets had even more meaning behind it than your usual regular-season game between divisional rivals. After spurning the Raptors, Goran Dragic made his return to Canada to face a fanbase that becomes irritated at the very sound of his name. One of the two main pieces that came […]
Raptors fans made sure Goran Dragic heard boos in Nets win – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors mock draft has Toronto adding another Nebraska guard

Raptors mock draft has Toronto adding another Nebraska guard

Even as the squad makes preparations for what should be a very competitive fight to the finish in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, the Toronto Raptors mock draft prognosticators are hard at work trying to figure out who Masai Ujiri will add to this roster. The point guard position has been put in the spotlight […]
Raptors mock draft has Toronto adding another Nebraska guard – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Read More

Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ