Maple Leafs management focused a great deal of their attention the summer to revamping the depth of their forward corps, not only due to the inadequacy of their fourth line(which barely averaged five minutes per game) or because their top-six group had to pull double duty on regular shifts and special teams, but also because they received no consistent offensive production from any line other than the first unit of James van Riemsdyk,Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel.
Toronto’s top-six(Kessel, JVR, Bozak, Joffrey Lupul, Nazem Kadri and Mason Raymond scored 63.6% of the club’s goals last season(147 of 231). Defenseman Jake Gardiner scored 10 goals, but no other forward or blueliner reached double figures.
The Leafs should get more of a contribution with the addition of free agents Mike Santorelli, David Booth, Daniel Winnik and Petri Kontiola, Leo Komarov and Matt Frattin returning after playing elsewhere last season and with youngster Peter Holland to start the season, but with the departure of Raymond to Calgary, one of this group may have to step into a second line role.
Veteran David Clarkson is projected to be the winger on the second line, but that trio did not gel when they played together last season and it is questionable whether Clarkson’s penchant for using his strength to cycle the puck would work with Lupul and Kadri’s speedy offensive antics.
Frattin is a possible option to play on that line, as he scored regularly in the AHL with Kadri as his center. The former University of North Dakota sniper scored 33 goals in 57 AHL regular season and playoff games for the Toronto Marlies, but has yet to prove he can be an effective scorer in the NHL, with only 17 goals in 126 games with the Leafs, Kings and Blue Jackets.
Santorelli scored 10 goals in 49 games with Vancouver before an arm injury ended his season, but would appear to be a better fit for a bottom six role, while Booth has the pedigree and skills necessary to play a top-six role(three-time 20+ goal scorer), but has primarily played left wing throughout his career, which would force Lupul to move to the right side.
A long shot would be 2014 top pick William Nylander, who is blessed with top end speed and puck handling ability, but may need a year of experience in Sweden or the AHL to prepare him for the challenge of playing in the NHL. Expecting an 18-year-old selected eighth overall pick to step into the primary role in the Leafs lineup may be asking too much.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
For Those on Twitter:
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information
click here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»