There will be plenty of roster augmentations with the Toronto Maple Leafs between now and the opening of training camp in September and based on the comments of GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Mike Babcock, there is going to be an emphasis on adding players with size, toughness and physicality.
The club emphasized adding players with top end skating ability and skill (regardless of size) through the draft and free agency ever since Brendan Shanahan took over as Team President two years ago.
It now appears that the organization has enough depth to be able to bring in other players who can provide a different skill set.
Toronto already had former OHL scoring champion Connor Brown in the fold, acquired winger Brendan Leipsic from Nashville, signed free agent KHL winger Nikita Soshnikov and added William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Jeremy Bracco, Dmytro Timashov and Travis Dermott in the last two drafts, none of whom you would describe as physically imposing.
The Leafs were at a distinct size disadvantage most of the year, especially after James van Riemsdyk was lost for the season with a broken foot and veterans Dion Phaneuf, Roman Polak, Daniel Winnik and Shawn Matthias were traded.
Lamoriello and Babcock are not making a clarion call for pugnacity, testosterone and truculence, but they are hoping to add grit along the lines of Luke Glendening and Justin Abdelkader in Detroit that can alleviate Soshnikov, Nazem Kadri or Leo Komarov from having to be physical on top of being an irritant.
Toronto is guaranteed to add a skilled forward with size in Auston Matthews, Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrik Laine or Matthew Tkachuk at the top of the 2016 NHL Draft, but in free agency or the trade market, you could see Lamoriello bring back Polak to be veteran defender with sandpaper or try to acquire young forwards with size like Dmitrij Jaskin, Tom Wilson, Adam Lowry or Marcus Foligno, who are restricted free agents.
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Stanley Cup Predictions - First Round
Eastern Conference
Florida over NY Islanders in 6
Tampa Bay over Detroit in 6
Washington over Philadelphia in 6
NY Rangers over Pittsburgh in 7(made before Lundqvist went down)
Western Conference
Dallas over Minnesota in 5
Chicago over St. Louis in 6
Anaheim over Nashville in 7
Los Angeles over San Jose in 6
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Listen to "The Convo" with myself and CTV's Norman James, as we discuss the contract extensions of Morgan Rielly and Nazem Kadri:
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