Leafs fans are at one of the most exciting parts of their fandom in Toronto, as the team seems in one of the best positions it’s ever been in – but it’s not great for everyone.
Whenever a team is able to stockpile a lot of prospects and organizational depth, it often means that some players who could be good enough to contribute at the NHL level don’t get the opportunities they probably deserve. Over the past couple of years, just in Toronto people have seen this happen to players like Josh Leivo and Brandon Leipsic.
At the AHL level and below, it’s difficult to say who deserves what other than the stats, but apparently Leafs prospect Martins Dzierkals thinks he deserves more opportunity in Toronto. He spoke to Sportacentrs in Latvia and had this to say (Translated from Latvian):
"I have a contract for four seasons and still can’t talk to other NHL clubs. This could happen after this season. I also asked for a change because I was not satisfied with the terms of the contract, but the [Leafs] said that they liked me and did not want a change”
So, clearly it sounds like the Leafs won’t move Dzierkals, but he has left for the KHL anyways. On Tuesday, it was announced that he will play for Dinamo Riga this season.
Last season, he spent most of his time in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears. He ended up playing only four games at the AHL level and didn’t score a point. He was drafted in the third round in 2015, but it remains to be seen if he’ll have an opportunity to return to the NHL in the future.
Other Leafs prospects are already in Toronto practicing and there’s not going to be NHL room for all of them out of the gates, so the next few weeks could be a big opportunity for some of the younger guys.
