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Nonis, Leiweke Preview Season; Roster Decisions Imminent For Leafs

September 25, 2013, 12:05 PM ET [510 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis and MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke held a town hall meeting with the club's season ticket holders at the Air Canada Center Wednesday night to preview the team and their goals for the 2013-14 season and the future. Here are a few highlights courtesy of the Mapleleafs.com website:

Nonis on the club's expectations:



Nonis on the Leafs defense:



Nonis on the goaltending:



Nonis on making trades:



Note: More than likely, the player that the Leafs GM is referring to about having gotten the MLSE Board's approval on was Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo, who had $48 Million left on his contract.

Nonis on the Kadri contract and status on Cody Franson:




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The Maple Leafs lost their first preseason game in regulation Tuesday night, as a two goal third period outburst by Jim O’Brien and Colin Greening gave the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory at the Air Canada Center.

Zack Smith also scored for Ottawa, while James van Riemsdyk and Dion Phaneuf scored for Toronto.

James Reimer had another excellent performance with 34 saves and was practically the only reason that the game stayed close, as Toronto was extremely disorganized in their own zone for most of the game.

Rookie Morgan Rielly took a slight step backward in his bid to make the Maple Leafs, as the 19 year old and defense partner Paul Ranger were on the ice for all three Senators goals.

The Leafs are currently at 31 players(including RFA Cody Franson) and are expected to make a roster reduction before the two final preseason games; a home-and-home with the Detroit Red Wings, at the Joe Louis Arena on Friday and at the ACC on Saturday night.

The easy decisions are Drew MacIntyre, Trevor Smith and Troy Bodie, who were expected to be veteran components of the AHL Toronto Marlies, but the suspension of David
Clarkson for the first 10 games of the regular season, as well as nagging injuries to Colton Orr,Dave Bolland and Frazer McLaren have clouded the picture of what the Leafs lineup for the season opener next Tuesday in Montreal will look like.

Toronto have 10 defenseman on the roster, with Phaneuf, Carl Gunnarsson, Mark Fraser and Jake Gardiner as certain starters. Veteran Paul Ranger appears to have performed well enough to make the team, but the sixth blueliner is up for grabs with the absence of Franson. Rielly has shown flashes of being a top talent, but it may be too soon to expose him to the challenges of the NHL when the option of playing in the WHL, another World Junior Championships and AHL after his junior year is open.

TJ Brennan has been solid yet unspectacular during training camp, but does have the benefit of NHL experience last season with Buffalo and Florida, as well the benefit of a low salary($600,000) for a team close to the $64.3 Million salary cap.

Both Korbinian Holzer and John-Michael Liles have seen limited action in the preseason and appear not to be in the mix for Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. Holzer appears to be the same defenseman who was exposed during a 22 game stint with the Leafs last season.

Liles came to training camp in excellent shape, but with the likes of Gardiner, Ranger, Phaneuf, Rielly and potentially Franson as offensive minded defensemen, his talents as a puck mover and power-play quarterback will likely not be utilized. With the Franson situation still unresolved and Toronto having less than $1 Million under the salary cap after signing Mason Raymond, Nonis may be trying to trade the defenseman to a team like Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary or Anaheim in need of stability or a healthy body on the blueline.

Youngsters Jamie Devane and David Broll only appear to have a chance to make the Leafs if Orr and/or McLaren are not ready to start the regular season, as both can play a fourth line physical role and have salaries under $700,000.

There may not be space for both Carter Ashton and Joe Colborne on the roster and most observers believe that Ashton has outplayed the former Bruins first round pick in training camp. There are complications if the Leafs decide to keep the former Tampa Bay first rounder, as his cap hit is $440,000 more than Colborne’s $600,000 salary. Ashton is also still on his entry level deal and does not have to clear waivers to be sent down to the Marlies, whereas Colborne has to go through waivers to be demoted and would likely be claimed.

Who do you think the Leafs will cut???

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