There are expected to be a number of changes occurring with the Toronto Maple Leafs before training camp in September, an entirely new coaching staff to work with head coach Randy Carlyle, possible changes to the scouting staff and potential trades and signings that could augment a significant portion of the roster.
While we are unlikely to see top liners Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, defenseman Morgan Rielly or goalie Jonathan Bernier go anywhere, everyone else could be moved depending on how dramatic Team President Brendan Shanahan and GM Dave Nonis’s desire for “culture change” is.
The Leafs need to take a cue from teams still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, who are playing not only because they have star players, but also because they have quality depth that can provide a physical aspect, kick in the occasional goal and play enough minutes not overburden top liners with heavy ice time.
The difference in the Rangers – Penguins series was the contribution that New York received from players like hard-hitting Derek Dorsett, big Brian Boyle(who scored the opening goal in Game 7) or former Leaf Dominic Moore, who registered two assists and played over 16 minutes in Game 1 against Montreal on Saturday.
Montreal has also been the beneficiary of depth forwards making significant contributions, as Brandon Prust, Dale Weise and Daniel Briere have tallied five goals, including Weise’s overtime winner in Game 1 of the Tampa series, his opening goal in Game 7 at Boston’s TD Garden last Wednesday and Briere’s power play goal late in the third.
In the Boston Globe on Sunday,
columnist Fluto Shinzawa points to the matchup of the Prust-Briere-Weise line against the vaunted “Merlot Line” of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell, and Shawn Thornton that made the difference in the outcome of the series.
“You look at their fourth line, they had a couple big goals,” Campbell said. “Sometimes that’s the difference. In years past, it’s been the difference for our team in a positive way for our line. Last year we were really good, and in the year we won. This year, I felt we left a little bit on the table.”
The Bruins success in recent years can be attributed in part to being able to play the Merlot Line more than other team’s energy lines. Thornton averaged nearly nine minutes per game during the regular season, with Paille and Campbell in excess of 11 minutes per night(due to playing as penalty killers), compare that to the Leafs Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren, who were both below six minutes per night.
Boston is recognizing that the trend in the league is going away from a bottom unit of enforcers and towards players who can play special teams and contribute offense and the Leafs have to follow suit.
Orr and McLaren have one more year left on two-year contracts signed after the 2013 lockout shortened season and could very well find their way to the Toronto Marlies next season, as younger and more skilled players like Jerry D’Amigo, Peter Holland or Josh Leivo take their place, but Nonis may also need to find a veteran or two to complement their young players.
One such option could be former Leaf Leo Komarov, who is currently playing for Finland at the IIHF World Championships in Minsk, Belarus and has indicated his intent to return to the NHL next season.
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Leafs defensive prospect and Guelph team captain Matt Finn was +3 in the Storm’s 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Memorial Cup in London, ON on Saturday.
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