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What Will The Leafs Do With Their Glut Of Forwards??

July 12, 2016, 6:05 PM ET [562 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have a number of new faces when they open the 2016-17 regular season, with rookie forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander likely on the opening night roster.

The chances of 2015 top pick Mitch Marner making the club is trending upward after making a good impression at the Development Camp last week, but the fate of other young forwards who played at the end of last season is far from certain.

Nikita Soshnikov and Zach Hyman are not prototypical rookies with experience in the KHL and NCAA. The pair fit in right away after being called up from the Toronto Marlies after the deadline and showed the ability to play in the NHL.

Former OHL scoring champion Connor Brown scored at nearly a point-per-game pace during a March call up and the recently acquired Kerby Rychel could be as a fourth line energy forward. The problem is if these youngsters beat out veterans making significant salaries, can GM Lou Lamoriello create space to have them play regularly.

Toronto did not have to sign a group of short-term free agents to fill out their roster as they did last summer, taking on the contracts of Colin Greening, Brooks Laich and Milan Michalek in deals for Dion Phaneuf and Daniel Winnik.

The trio takes up over $11 Million in cap space for next season, which makes it unlikely that they can be moved until later in the year when clubs are looking for veterans with expiring contracts or if the Leafs retain salary.




Toronto currently has nine forward slots accounted for; Matthews, Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak and Laich up the middle, James van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov and free agent signing Matt Martin on the left side, and Nylander and Michalek on right wing.

That would leave four spots (not including Marner) open if Toronto kept 13 forwards.

There does not appear to be a spot for Byron Froese (unless Laich is shifted to the wing) who would have to clear waivers to go down to the AHL, as would RFA Josh Leivo when he is signed to a new contract. Peter Holland filed for salary arbitration after a mixed season that saw the 25-year-old Toronto native shifted around from center to wing.

Veteran Joffrey Lupul’s status remains shrouded in mystery, as the 32-year-old forward has another two seasons remaining at $5.25 Million. A buyout does not appear viable this summer with $9 Million still owed on his current deal and his durability remains in question after another injury plagued season.

If Marner does make the Leafs out of training camp, the Leafs will have nine forwards (Froese, Lupul, Leivo, Holland, Greening, Soshnikov, Hyman, Rychel and Brown) fighting for three spots.

Lamoriello may be able to reduce this list during the summer (possibly trading an extra forward to get a backup goalie), but similar to last season, the young forwards may have to wait until March when pending UFA’s Laich, Greening and Michalek are moved out to get consistent playing time.


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The Leafs arbitration hearings : Peter Holland – July 25, Frank Corrado – July 26, Martin Marincin-August 2.

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