Updated line up - Pre Training Camp with taxi squad

[Buds17]

I wonder how things would have went last season if Kadri never vetoed that trade with Calgary which would have seen Toronto get Brodie 1 season earlier. Although the wild card would have been Mike Babcock and we saw what he did to Tyson Barrie's game.

A number of changes happen. Jankowski is acquired instead of Kerfoot. Brown goes to Calgary instead of Ottawa. The team saves on cap but takes a step back offensively. The defensive impact is a wild card. I'm not sure that the team ends up being better. I think I'll take what transpired.

 

[LeafsNation75]

A number of changes happen. Jankowski is acquired instead of Kerfoot. Brown goes to Calgary instead of Ottawa. The team saves on cap but takes a step back offensively. The defensive impact is a wild card. I'm not sure that the team ends up being better. I think I'll take what transpired.

Was Connor Brown really supposed to be apart of the Kadri trade if he went to Calgary? That's the first time I'm hearing about it.

 

[nofehr]

It will create a goalie hoard which is why I think you will see some more clarification on this issue yet ... the teams and goalie's, especially vets, do not want to get thrown around da league for hoarding either ... but teams will be constantly striving to upgrade back and 3rd tenders if waivers are required every time ... a guy like Dell could switch between 5-10 teams over a season as he gets moved between roster and taxi squads

I knew you could do it!

 

[Buds17]

Was Connor Brown really supposed to be apart of the Kadri trade if he went to Calgary? That's the first time I'm hearing about it.

That's what I've read. Reportedly, the deal was to be Kadri and Brown for Brodie and Jankowski.

 

[LeafsNation75]

That's what I've read. Reportedly, the deal was to be Kadri and Brown for Brodie and Jankowski.

I just looked that up and you were right. Now the story from Yahoo uses a Steve Simmons report so that's why his name is being mentioned.

Report: Kadri blocked trade from Maple Leafs to Flames.

Before the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche shook up the hockey world with their Canada Day blockbuster, Nazem Kadri reportedly blocked a trade that would have kept him in Canada.

Confirming an earlier report from Pierre LeBrun, the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons claims Kadri nixed a move to the Calgary Flames. Simmons reports the agreed-upon trade would have sent Kadri and Connor Brown to Calgary in exchange for defenceman T.J. Brodie and forward Mark Jankowski.

 

[meefer]

I like this. Or atleast a look here and there. Tavares is one of those guys that that can be a perfect bridge between those two type of players who dig in for pucks. The only thing I worry about is none of those guys on the 1st. Line sticking up for eachother.

Something I had not considered. I'd ask if that is as much required today as yesterday? Would playing them with Muzz or Bogo on D help keep things in check? Could refs ignore abuse against that line? Things to consider. Regardless, you've raised a valid concern.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

21

$81,500,000

$80,933,491

$0

$0

$566,509

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Delete Signed Player

Buyout

Add to Trade

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Roster

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Mikheyev, Ilya $1,645,000 LW, RW UFA - 2	Matthews, Auston $11,634,000 C UFA - 4	Nylander, William $6,962,366 RW, LW UFA - 4
Hyman, Zach $2,250,000 LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 1	Tavares, John $11,000,000 C NMC UFA - 5	Marner, Mitchell $10,893,000 RW UFA - 5
Barabanov, Alexander $925,000 RW, LW UFA - 1	Thornton, Joe $700,000 C NMC UFA - 1	Simmonds, Wayne $1,500,000 RW, LW NTC UFA - 1
Vesey, Jimmy $900,000 LW, RW UFA - 1	Kerfoot, Alexander $3,500,000 C, LW UFA - 3	Spezza, Jason $700,000 C, RW UFA - 1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Muzzin, Jake $5,625,000 LD NMC UFA - 4	Brodie, TJ $5,000,000 RD NMC UFA - 4	Andersen, Frederik $5,000,000 G M-NTC UFA - 1
Rielly, Morgan $5,000,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 2	Holl, Justin $2,000,000 RD M-NTC UFA - 3	Campbell, Jack $1,650,000 G UFA - 2
Dermott, Travis $874,125 LD RFA - 1	Bogosian, Zach $1,000,000 RD NTC UFA - 1	Dell, Aaron $800,000 G UFA - 1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Taxi Squad
Engvall, Pierre $1,250,000 ($175,000) LW, C RFA - 2
Boyd, Travis $700,000 ($0) C, RW UFA - 1
Robertson, Nicholas $821,667 ($0) LW RFA - 3
Anderson, Joey $750,000 ($0) RW RFA - 3
Lehtonen, Mikko $925,000 ($0) LD UFA - 1
Sandin, Rasmus $894,167 ($0) LD RFA - 2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Golden_Jet]

21

$81,500,000

$80,933,491

$0

$0

$566,509

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Delete Signed Player

Buyout

Add to Trade

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Roster

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Mikheyev, Ilya $1,645,000 LW, RW UFA - 2	Matthews, Auston $11,634,000 C UFA - 4	Nylander, William $6,962,366 RW, LW UFA - 4
Hyman, Zach $2,250,000 LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 1	Tavares, John $11,000,000 C NMC UFA - 5	Marner, Mitchell $10,893,000 RW UFA - 5
Barabanov, Alexander $925,000 RW, LW UFA - 1	Thornton, Joe $700,000 C NMC UFA - 1	Simmonds, Wayne $1,500,000 RW, LW NTC UFA - 1
Vesey, Jimmy $900,000 LW, RW UFA - 1	Kerfoot, Alexander $3,500,000 C, LW UFA - 3	Spezza, Jason $700,000 C, RW UFA - 1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Muzzin, Jake $5,625,000 LD NMC UFA - 4	Brodie, TJ $5,000,000 RD NMC UFA - 4	Andersen, Frederik $5,000,000 G M-NTC UFA - 1
Rielly, Morgan $5,000,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 2	Holl, Justin $2,000,000 RD M-NTC UFA - 3	Campbell, Jack $1,650,000 G UFA - 2
Dermott, Travis $874,125 LD RFA - 1	Bogosian, Zach $1,000,000 RD NTC UFA - 1	Dell, Aaron $800,000 G UFA - 1

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Taxi Squad
Engvall, Pierre $1,250,000 ($175,000) LW, C RFA - 2
Boyd, Travis $700,000 ($0) C, RW UFA - 1
Robertson, Nicholas $821,667 ($0) LW RFA - 3
Anderson, Joey $750,000 ($0) RW RFA - 3
Lehtonen, Mikko $925,000 ($0) LD UFA - 1
Sandin, Rasmus $894,167 ($0) LD RFA - 2

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Does that include Phil Kessel, I don’t see him and his 1.2 million.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Does that include Phil Kessel, I don’t see him and his 1.2 million.

I assume it does as I did it on Cap Friendly but not really sure how it works

 

[jaric1862]

I hope that Simmonds and Bogosian are in the lineup more often than not.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I assume it does as I did it on Cap Friendly but not really sure how it works

I’d assume opposite if not listed, guess one way to check is add up all the numbers

 

[LeafsNation75]

I’d assume opposite if not listed, guess one way to check is add up all the numbers

Right now on the Maple Leafs CapFriendly page they list the Leafs projected cap currently at $82,549,325 and I assume that includes Kessel's $1.2 million retention.

 

[horner]

Hey, if it were up to me, i'd move Kerfoot and his salary. We have plenty of bottom 6 forwards. We have 14 bottom 6 forwards who could play on the team.

Same here

See if mik can snap back before the injury

Engvall see if he can get back to pre contact skill . After the contract he sucked.

 

[jaric1862]

Am I the only one that thinks they should go 7 D for most of the year?? An extra defender, Especially one who can PK, is way more important than a 4th line winger. The Leafs pretty much only roll 3 lines as well, so it doesn't hurt to have Matthews/Tavares/Nylander/Marner take the odd shift with Thornton or Spezza on the 4th line.

 

[zeke]

I would start by addressing our apparent biggest weakness - the third line.I would use our best non-stars to make the best 3rd line possible.

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
​

That's a 3rd line with great speed and defense, a good amount of offensive skill, and size and grit on the wings. That's closer to a solid 2nd line tbh.

Then I'd rely on two stars to carry each of the top two lines. Matthews Tavares Marner Nylander. Doesn't really matter which winger goes with which center.

Then I'd let all the rest of the more one dimensional forwards fight it out for those two complementary top line roles, with the losers battling it out for the 4th line spot.

I might try these to start, but really would let the players decide the answer based on their play:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Vesey - Tavares - Marner
​

Thornton who is slow and doesn't shoot, gets paired up with two fast dominant possession guys, both of whom can retrieve and control the puck, go hard to the net, and both who can snipe of his setups.

Vesey brings some a decent all around size/speed/finish skillset with the fewest weak spots to complement Tavares and mitch with the safest but least sexy option. He's have a shot at 20 goals on that line. Robertson would be the sexier option but I'm not sold he's ready yet. But I'd love to see him win that spot.

That would leave Spezza and Simmonds on the 4th line to start, with all of Robertson Engvall barabanov Boyd Anderson fighting for the last spot.

But really, I could see any of those guys as a potential fit on those top two lines as well. So I'd keep an open mind there.

An interesting option for the 4th line would be Anderson-Engvall-Barabanov. 3 guys who can skate and who bring size and/or grit and a bit of offense too. I could see that being a 3rd line quality 2-way line even this year. But that would require either injuries or sitting more than one of vesey/spezza/simmonds which im not sure would happen.

The one guy I'm least excited to see is Simmonds. I sure hope he has some magic health turnaround because otherwise he's pretty much unplayable and shouldn't be in the lineup.

The coolest outcome would be if both old man Thornton and young Robertson could legit earn those scoring spots:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Robertson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
Vesey - Spezza - Simmonds
Barabanov - Engvall - Anderson​

 

[LeafChief]

I would start by addressing our apparent biggest weakness - the third line.I would use our best non-stars to make the best 3rd line possible.

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
​

That's a 3rd line with great speed and defense, a good amount of offensive skill, and size and grit on the wings. That's closer to a solid 2nd line tbh.

Then I'd rely on two stars to carry each of the top two lines. Matthews Tavares Marner Nylander. Doesn't really matter which winger goes with which center.

Then I'd let all the rest of the more one dimensional forwards fight it out for those two complementary top line roles, with the losers battling it out for the 4th line spot.

I might try these to start, but really would let the players decide the answer based on their play:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Vesey - Tavares - Marner
​

Thornton who is slow and doesn't shoot, gets paired up with two fast dominant possession guys, both of whom can retrieve and control the puck, go hard to the net, and both who can snipe of his setups.

Vesey brings some a decent all around size/speed/finish skillset with the fewest weak spots to complement Tavares and mitch with the safest but least sexy option. He's have a shot at 20 goals on that line. Robertson would be the sexier option but I'm not sold he's ready yet. But I'd love to see him win that spot.

That would leave Spezza and Simmonds on the 4th line to start, with all of Robertson Engvall barabanov Boyd Anderson fighting for the last spot.

But really, I could see any of those guys as a potential fit on those top two lines as well. So I'd keep an open mind there.

An interesting option for the 4th line would be Anderson-Engvall-Barabanov. 3 guys who can skate and who bring size and/or grit and a bit of offense too. I could see that being a 3rd line quality 2-way line even this year. But that would require either injuries or sitting more than one of vesey/spezza/simmonds which im not sure would happen.

The one guy I'm least excited to see is Simmonds. I sure hope he has some magic health turnaround because otherwise he's pretty much unplayable and shouldn't be in the lineup.

The coolest outcome would be if both old man Thornton and young Robertson could legit earn those scoring spots:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Robertson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
Vesey - Spezza - Simmonds
Barabanov - Engvall - Anderson​

Welcome back, man!

 

[LeafsNation75]

I would start by addressing our apparent biggest weakness - the third line.I would use our best non-stars to make the best 3rd line possible.

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
​

That's a 3rd line with great speed and defense, a good amount of offensive skill, and size and grit on the wings. That's closer to a solid 2nd line tbh.

Then I'd rely on two stars to carry each of the top two lines. Matthews Tavares Marner Nylander. Doesn't really matter which winger goes with which center.

Then I'd let all the rest of the more one dimensional forwards fight it out for those two complementary top line roles, with the losers battling it out for the 4th line spot.

I might try these to start, but really would let the players decide the answer based on their play:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Vesey - Tavares - Marner
​

Thornton who is slow and doesn't shoot, gets paired up with two fast dominant possession guys, both of whom can retrieve and control the puck, go hard to the net, and both who can snipe of his setups.

Vesey brings some a decent all around size/speed/finish skillset with the fewest weak spots to complement Tavares and mitch with the safest but least sexy option. He's have a shot at 20 goals on that line. Robertson would be the sexier option but I'm not sold he's ready yet. But I'd love to see him win that spot.

That would leave Spezza and Simmonds on the 4th line to start, with all of Robertson Engvall barabanov Boyd Anderson fighting for the last spot.

But really, I could see any of those guys as a potential fit on those top two lines as well. So I'd keep an open mind there.

An interesting option for the 4th line would be Anderson-Engvall-Barabanov. 3 guys who can skate and who bring size and/or grit and a bit of offense too. I could see that being a 3rd line quality 2-way line even this year. But that would require either injuries or sitting more than one of vesey/spezza/simmonds which im not sure would happen.

The one guy I'm least excited to see is Simmonds. I sure hope he has some magic health turnaround because otherwise he's pretty much unplayable and shouldn't be in the lineup.

The coolest outcome would be if both old man Thornton and young Robertson could legit earn those scoring spots:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Robertson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
Vesey - Spezza - Simmonds
Barabanov - Engvall - Anderson​

Would you think about maybe switching Nylander on Tavares line and Marner on Matthews line for this reason. Last season it looked like Tavares and Nylander had good chemistry both helped each other in the goals and points department.

Plus this is an example of what Matthews and Marner have done together when playing on the same line at 5v5.

 

[IPS]

The one guy I'm least excited to see is Simmonds. I sure hope he has some magic health turnaround because otherwise he's pretty much unplayable and shouldn't be in the lineup.

I don't think he was paid $1.5M to be "unplayable".

 

[LeafChief]

I think Simmonds will impress some people around here. He had been dealing with nagging injuries for some time and has now had the chance to get relatively healthy.

 

[Ziggdiezan]

I would start by addressing our apparent biggest weakness - the third line.I would use our best non-stars to make the best 3rd line possible.

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
​

That's a 3rd line with great speed and defense, a good amount of offensive skill, and size and grit on the wings. That's closer to a solid 2nd line tbh.

Then I'd rely on two stars to carry each of the top two lines. Matthews Tavares Marner Nylander. Doesn't really matter which winger goes with which center.

Then I'd let all the rest of the more one dimensional forwards fight it out for those two complementary top line roles, with the losers battling it out for the 4th line spot.

I might try these to start, but really would let the players decide the answer based on their play:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Vesey - Tavares - Marner
​

Thornton who is slow and doesn't shoot, gets paired up with two fast dominant possession guys, both of whom can retrieve and control the puck, go hard to the net, and both who can snipe of his setups.

Vesey brings some a decent all around size/speed/finish skillset with the fewest weak spots to complement Tavares and mitch with the safest but least sexy option. He's have a shot at 20 goals on that line. Robertson would be the sexier option but I'm not sold he's ready yet. But I'd love to see him win that spot.

That would leave Spezza and Simmonds on the 4th line to start, with all of Robertson Engvall barabanov Boyd Anderson fighting for the last spot.

But really, I could see any of those guys as a potential fit on those top two lines as well. So I'd keep an open mind there.

An interesting option for the 4th line would be Anderson-Engvall-Barabanov. 3 guys who can skate and who bring size and/or grit and a bit of offense too. I could see that being a 3rd line quality 2-way line even this year. But that would require either injuries or sitting more than one of vesey/spezza/simmonds which im not sure would happen.

The one guy I'm least excited to see is Simmonds. I sure hope he has some magic health turnaround because otherwise he's pretty much unplayable and shouldn't be in the lineup.

The coolest outcome would be if both old man Thornton and young Robertson could legit earn those scoring spots:

Thornton - Matthews - Nylander
Robertson - Tavares - Marner
Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Hyman
Vesey - Spezza - Simmonds
Barabanov - Engvall - Anderson​

I don't see any chance Hyman isn't in the top 6. Also think the Matthews/Nylander pair are very used to having a quick forechecker like Hyman on their line so they would have to change a lot to accommodate a slow Thorton on the line.

I imagine Hyman/Mikheyev will be given the top 6 spots to start the season. However I think Mikheyev will have a fairly short leash with so many bottom 6 wingers in the mix. Vesey is an intriguing player/option though.

 

[Coachcorner]

I think Simmonds will impress some people around here. He had been dealing with nagging injuries for some time and has now had the chance to get relatively healthy.

I'm bout that sire. Loving life and thugs. Y'all knew that Simmonds has been one of the most powerplay points scoring players in the world during these last like 7 years? That's some hard dirt right thurr too sire. It's not like he gon be in ours first unit, but still. The man knows, the man knows.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I think if you put Thornton with Matthews and Marner, they would do a lot of their scoring while he was still trying to get out of our end.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I’m just going to say it even though it’s very unlikely because of waiver exemptions. I would like to see Robertson/Matthews/Marner
Hyman/Tavares/Nylander in our top 6 to start out.
Having Mikheyev’s blinding speed in the bottom six would be a defensive/possession/offensive dimension that parallels what any team in the Canadian division can throw out there.
Lets say, Mikheyev/Kerfoot/Barabanov. Lots of speed and defensive awareness for a third line there. If they get defensive zone faceoffs after a icing we would need Kerfoot to really work on winning them draws. Malhotra is the man for practicing that with Kerfoot. Spezza can teach some things to Kerfoot on the dots too.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Am I the only one that thinks they should go 7 D for most of the year?? An extra defender, Especially one who can PK, is way more important than a 4th line winger. The Leafs pretty much only roll 3 lines as well, so it doesn't hurt to have Matthews/Tavares/Nylander/Marner take the odd shift with Thornton or Spezza on the 4th line.

It will be a thing but Keefe plans on using it as see’s fit. It will definitely happen against our toughest opponents. It will be based on matchups

 

[tmlfan98]

I just looked that up and you were right. Now the story from Yahoo uses a Steve Simmons report so that's why his name is being mentioned.

Report: Kadri blocked trade from Maple Leafs to Flames.

Before the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche shook up the hockey world with their Canada Day blockbuster, Nazem Kadri reportedly blocked a trade that would have kept him in Canada.

Confirming an earlier report from Pierre LeBrun, the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons claims Kadri nixed a move to the Calgary Flames. Simmons reports the agreed-upon trade would have sent Kadri and Connor Brown to Calgary in exchange for defenceman T.J. Brodie and forward Mark Jankowski.

Interesting, I wonder what the sweetener would have been in the Zaitsev trade if Brown hypothetically moved in this deal instead. Or maybe the Sens just wouldn't have given us a 3rd rounder. Jankowski instead of Kerfoot though, yikes our 3C problem last year would have been even worse.