In spite of having 41 players on their training camp roster with eight days to go before the start of the regular season, the picture of what the Toronto Maple Leafs will look like for their season opener next Wednesday is coming into focus.
The club plays their sixth of eight exhibition games in Buffalo on Tuesday night with a lineup bereft of long shots Nikita Soshnikov, Viktor Loov and Zach Hyman, but with three forward lines that could be facing the Montreal Canadiens on October 7.
James van Riemsdyk-Tyler Bozak-Brad Boyes, Shawn Matthias-Nazem Kadri-Joffrey Lupul and a fourth line of Michael Grabner-Nick Spaling-PA Parenteau are units that have veterans on long-term deals or one-way contracts with a year remaining.
Add a potential checking line of Daniel Winnik, Peter Holland and Leo Komarov, along with extra forwards Mark Arcobello and Richard Panik and the Leafs have 14 forwards that does not include youngsters Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen or 2014 top pick William Nylander.
Nylander has shown growth in his second training camp and will play on Tuesday with AHL rookie scoring leader Connor Brown and veteran Rich Clune, but head coach Mike Babcock indicates the 19-year-old must improve on his consistency to reach the next level.
"You got to do it every day.”
Babcock said. Your wingers can’t starve because you forgot to play tonight. It doesn’t work like that."
The tandems of Matt Hunwick and Dion Phaneuf, Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly are once again playing together and with veterans Roman Polak and Stephane Robidas near locks to make the squad, newcomers Martin Marincin and Scott Harrington are likely battling for the last blueline spot.
While getting solid goaltending from Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer and improvement on the blueline cannot be minimized in importance, the factor that will determine whether the Leafs will be within striking distance of the playoffs is their offense.
The Leafs finished 24th in the NHL with 211 goals last season and traded scoring leader Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh in July.
Toronto’s projected lineup is heavy on competent NHL depth players who will work hard and battle, but it is lacking in star quality and finishers. The goal-scoring gap created by the departure of Kessel will have to be filled by a combination of van Riemsdyk and Bozak maintaining their 20+ goal totals, Lupul staying healthy and tallying more than 20 goals, increased production by Kadri and players like Boyes and Matthias adding secondary offense.
If any of those things fail to happen, Toronto will likely find themselves at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and NHL standings.
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The Maple Leafs freed up room under the league's 50 professional player contract limit by trading five players to the NY Islanders for Michael Grabner. The club used one of those spots to sign defenseman Andrew Campbell on Tuesday to a two-year, two-way contract on Tuesday.
Per Sportsnet's
Chris Johnston, the deal is for $575,000/$250,000 the first year and $575,000/$400,000 in the second year.
Campbell had been signed to an AHL contract in July after playing 33 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season and may have drawn interest from another NHL club looking for blueline depth.
The 27-year-old is expected to start the season with the Toronto Marlies.
See Previous Columns
Leafs Release Fraser, Signs With Sens, Radio Ruination (Update)
Leafs Sign Boyes, Release Setoguchi, Glencross, Send Marner Back To Junior
Lamoriello Looking To Bring In Familiar Faces; Leafs Vs Habs
Reasons Nylander Will Not Make The Team, Leafs Vs. Sabres; Leaf Buzz
Out With The Old, In With The New?
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