When the Toronto Maple Leafs gather in late September for training camp, the battles for spots at forward will not only be to make the roster and play on the fourth line, they will be for primary positions on the top scoring lines and power play units.
At the end of the rookie development camp in July, head coach Mike Babcock indicated that 2016 first overall pick Auston Matthews will be paired with William Nylander to start training camp, which means the 20-year-old Swede will be moved from center to right wing.
There have been preliminary indications that Babcock would prefer to start Matthews on a lower line and not in a primary offensive role, which would mean that big center would not start out with James Van Riemsdyk on his wing.
Van Riemsdyk saw time last season with veterans Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadri and will likely play with one of them on the top line to start the campaign.
The factors that could have ripple effects on the lineup will be whether rookie Mitch Marner can make the club and if Joffrey Lupul is in the Leafs plans and will be healthy enough to contribute.
Coming off a superb year with the London Knights, Marner would have to prove in training camp that he is strong enough to match up against other top line NHL wingers, since GM Lou Lamoriello will not burn a year of Marner’s entry-level deal playing the 19-year-old in a bottom six role.
If Marner makes the club, he could conceivably fit on the top line with JVR and Kadri. If the 2015 top pick is not ready and gets sent back to the OHL, winger Leo Komarov displayed enough offensive ability to be an adequate placeholder in the top six.
Lupul’s status is up in the air after another injury-shortened season and there are questions whether the 33-year-old fits into the Leafs plans. If the veteran winger is healthy, it is possible that the club will try to get him to play at least part of the season, so that he will qualify to be exposed in the expansion draft next June.
If Lupul is traded before the season or waived/sent home as defensemen Stephane Robidas and Jared Cowen were last season, it could open up a spot for Marlies forwards Zach Hyman, Nikita Soshnikov or Connor Brown, who all showed promise in a small sample at the end of last season.
What potentially will have the least impact but could be the most intriguing battle will be for the last two or three forward spots. Babcock is expected to give veterans Brooks Laich, Milan Michalek and possibly Colin Greening a chance to contribute and provide the young group with leadership and experience, but it is uncertain if it will be at the cost of Hyman, Soshnikov or Brown.
Youngsters that are exempt from waivers can be sent to the American Hockey League to bide time until pending free agents are moved out closer to the trade deadline, but where the Leafs are vulnerable to losing someone is with forwards such as Peter Holland, Josh Leivo and Byron Froese, who would have to clear waivers.
If Holland or Leivo play well in training camp, Toronto could opt to send Lupul or Greening down, as they are unlikely to be claimed with their big salaries.
And there is possible addition of Jimmy Vesey......but that will be discussed this weekend and early next week.
*******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.*******
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or 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:
»