Toronto Raptors: All 3 possible outcomes for Kyle Lowry this season

Toronto Raptors: All 3 possible outcomes for Kyle Lowry this season

Kyle Lowry is entering the one-year deal of his contract and the Toronto Raptors have to decide what they’ll want to do with him this season. Before you say anything, yes, I love Lowry and wouldn’t want to trade him for anything. His number will be on a banner one day and he is the […]
Toronto Raptors: All 3 possible outcomes for Kyle Lowry this season – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Alexandro Fidanza / Raptors HQ

Prospect Roundup: Amirov update, Prospect on pause, Akhtyamov gets the call

While Kyle Dubas and his staff have been hard at work reshaping the Maple Leafs roster and adding veterans such as TJ Brodie, Wayne Simmonds, and Zach Bogosian to the fold, several of the organization’s younger talents have continued their work towards staking their own claim to a Leafs roster spot in the future. In this, the strangest of fall seasons in which there is barely any high level hockey taking place in North America, it’s exciting for Leafs fans to have so many of the organization’s prospects playing overseas while we await the next NHL season. Let’s get to it.
Rodion Amirov – LW/RW – Salavat Yulaev Ufa
The Leafs’ most recent first round selection has predominantly played right wing on Ufa’s first line in the early part of the season but found himself on the left side of the third line for yesterday’s game. Just barely 19 years old, Amirov has been playing big minutes in a prime role against more mature players and has not looked out of place. His three goals and three assists through the first 14 games of the KHL season have already tripled his output from the 21 games he played …

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Author: Nick Richard / The Leafs Nation

The Leafs sign Zach Bogosian to a 1-year, $1 million contract

Hours after Kyle Dubas said he was looking to add physicality on the blueline, he did just that by signing a recent Stanley Cup champion.

Welcome to Leafs Nation, Zach!
We’ve signed Zach Bogosian to a one-year contract. #LeafsForever
Details: https://t.co/DMGoBfo66E pic.twitter.com/5k5WCoSlV5
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 11, 2020

According to the Leafs, the deal has an average annual value of $1 million for the 2020-21 season.
More to come.

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Author: Michael Mazzei / The Leafs Nation

Marlies sign Riley McCourt

Kyle Dubas wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity to bring in an OHL overage defenseman who went undrafted this week.

#Marlies have signed D Riley McCourt to a two-year AHL contract. The 20-year-old was fifth in OHL scoring among defencemen last season with 62 points in 63 games for Flint. #Leafs
— Terry Koshan (@koshtorontosun) October 8, 2020

So that’s a lot of points for the 5’11 defender. And it savvy move by the GM in adding him. While the deal is an AHL one, you can likely expect to have McCourt spend most of his season in Newfoundland for the Growlers.

SEASON
TEAM
LEAGUE
GP
G
A
TP
PIM
+/-

2014-15
 Niagara North Stars U16 AAA
SCTA U16
8
0
0
0
0

2015-16
 Niagara North Stars U16 AAA
SCTA U16
33
9
11
20
20

 Ridley College
CISAA
6
1
7
8
6

 Ridley College
MPHL
2
0
0
0
0

 St. Catharines Falcons
GOJHL
2
0
1
1
2

2016-17
 Ridley College
CISAA
3
0
1
1
4

 St. Catharines Falcons
GOJHL
42
10
22
32
54

 Hamilton Bulldogs
OHL
9
1
0
1
6
2

2017-18
 Hamilton Bulldogs
OHL
26
1
8
9
12
-2

 Flint Firebirds
OHL
30
4
9
13
16
-11

2018-19
 Flint Firebirds
OHL
47
6
26
32
36
-38

2019-20
 Flint Firebirds
OHL
63
18
44
62
44
-4

data from eliteprospects.com

Odds are this won’t be the last deal we see like this in the coming days. Restocking the AHL/ECHL rosters might not be a priority, but it’s something that …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Highlights from Kyle Dubas’ Big Week media availability

When Kyle speaks, we listen. Whether or not we agree remains to be seen, but we certainly listen and have thoughts on what he says. It’s in that spirit that we’ve gathered the highlights of his media availability and we can start seeing what he has in the works for this week. It will be a busy one. It might not be sign Pietrangelo, Hall, and trade a core player big, but it seems reasonable to expect we’ll have a new prospect that we like and shiny new defensemen, and from the sounds of it, some tough guys to cheer for as well.
On the Draft:

Kyle Dubas, on whether the #leafs will use No. 15 pick or trade it: “It’s really all sort of on the table right now.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 5, 2020

So this is a stance that I’ve become increasingly comfortable with as the draft approaches. As much as I’m giddy over prospects, the reality is the Leafs are best served by getting players who can help them now. Trading a first round pick definitely does that, but so does drafting a NHL ready player. And there is also the issue of the …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Will the Toronto Raptors consider trading Kyle Lowry this Offseason?

Kyle Lowry has 1 year and $30.5 million left on his contract before he becomes a free agent in 2021. After a heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics in game 7, it is time for the Toronto Raptors to decide what to do with their many free agents and current players on their roster. Masai […]
Will the Toronto Raptors consider trading Kyle Lowry this Offseason? – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Jack Long / Raptors HQ

Overage standouts in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft

When Kyle Dubas was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in July 2014, he made clear that his draft philosophy was one of exploiting inefficiencies. He was not in charge of the draft at that point, but it seemed pertinent that Brendan Shanahan’s first major hire was eager to go against conventional draft logic.
In the 2015 NHL draft, the Leafs targeted undersized and European skaters that they felt provided greater value than what should have been available at that point. Travis Dermott and Dmytro Timashov were the successes of that strategy, Jeremy Bracco and Nikita Korostelev the failures at this point.
In the 2016 NHL draft, they targeted overage players such as 20 year old Egor Korshkov at 31st overall. They also selected Adam Brooks and Jack Walker from the WHL, both of whom had been through the 2 previous drafts, plus Nikolai Chebykin and Vladimir Bobylev who were 19.
In the drafts since they have selected Vladislav Kara (19), Sean Durzi (19), Mac Hollowell (19), Pontus Holmberg (19), and Nicholas Abruzzese (20). The Leafs have selected an overage player every draft since Dubas was hired, and there is no reason to believe that should stop now. Draft experts may say this is not a great year for …

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Author: Earl Schwartz / The Leafs Nation

Toronto Raptors: Norman Powell is most likely starter if Kyle Lowry is out for Game 1

With Kyle Lowry still uncertain if he’ll be ready for Game 1 against the Celtics, the Toronto Raptors might have to look at Norman Powell. The Toronto Raptors will be looking to square off their series against the Boston Celtics, but it might be without their All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry. Lowry is listed as […]
Toronto Raptors: Norman Powell is most likely starter if Kyle Lowry is out for Game 1 – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Alexandro Fidanza / Raptors HQ

What do the Leafs have in prospect Filip Hallander?

We all knew changes were coming and Kyle Dubas wasted little time getting to work reshaping the Leafs roster. On Tuesday, he made his first move of the offseason and shipped Kasperi Kapanen back to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Leafs and Penguins exchanged multiple pieces in the deal but the key components of the trade were Kapanen for Pittsburgh, and the Penguins 2020 first round pick along with Swedish prospect Filip Hallander for Toronto. We’ll have to wait and see what the Leafs decide to do with that pick. Do they use it in another trade to add help on the blue line or do they keep the pick and add to their prospect pool with the 15th selection in what many analysts have referred to as a deep draft?
While we aren’t sure what will become of that draft pick in the coming weeks, months, or even years, Filip Hallander is more of a known quantity even at just 20 years of age. He’s a player that the Leafs have kept close tabs on going all the way back to before he was selected by Pittsburgh in the second round of the 2018 draft. 
Dubas …

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Author: Nick Richard / The Leafs Nation

Toronto Raptors: Should Kyle Lowry Retire as a Raptor?

The Toronto Raptors have a great player in Kyle Lowry on their team right now, however, after next season, he is in need of another contract. The Toronto Raptors have a potential future Hall of Famer on their team right now in Kyle Lowry, however, at the end of this season, the 3-year deal he […]
Toronto Raptors: Should Kyle Lowry Retire as a Raptor? – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Joseph Zita / Raptors HQ