Toronto Maple Leafs

[2014olympicgold]

I've always liked Dzierkals, but seems like his biggest knock is just the Leafs have a lot of contracts. Might not be an NHLer, but he should be in the AHL at least, but likely goes back to the QJMHL

[lucafen4]

Like Wang last year... Tortora should get an invite to the Rookie Camp in Sept before the main camp.

Unlike some other players who might be hurt a bit by going back to Junior... I think Dzierkals could benefit from it. Be nice to see him go dominate as an overager and push 100pts.

Bobylev doesn't surprise me... him, Brooks and Jack Walker I thought were all spectacular later round picks in last years draft.

Bracco, Piccinich, Brooks - that's some solid punch coming to the Marlies next season.

Liljegren I'm still convinced he's going to be a stud... no one seems to talk about it, all the focus is on Makar, but maybe, just maybe, the Leafs got the most offensively talented Dman in this years draft.

I can now see the Leafs holding off on a potential Dman trade until start of the season. I think they're going to utilize the wait and see approach with Dermott. They might just have their top 4 Dman in house, already and leave the door open for him to grab it.

[2014olympicgold]

Mike Babcock on signing Ron Hainsey:
“We feel Rielly’s a real, real good player. We want him to be upper echelon in the league so we needed a partner for him”.

Top 4 will start as then likely:
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev

[havanablast21]

Mike Babcock on signing Ron Hainsey:
“We feel Rielly’s a real, real good player. We want him to be upper echelon in the league so we needed a partner for him”.

Top 4 will start as then likely:
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev

So this tells me neither Reilly nor ole man Hainsey are top line D.

[2014olympicgold]

So this tells me neither Reilly nor ole man Hainsey are top line D.

It tells me it'll be a lot of 18-22min D-men on the team. Or everyone has a shot at more minutes.

[The Black Panther]

Maple Leafs place D Marchenko on waivers

[DCHockey]

Need some insight on Kapanen. Does he make the team this year in a full time role? And if so will he be fantasy relevant?

[Mr. Guru]

Projected Maple Leaf Lines have to look something like this.

JVR - Bozak - Marner
Hyman - Kadri - Brown
Marleau - Matthews - Nylander
Komarov - Moore - Martin

Kapanen, Rychel, Soshnikov, Leivo....will all be fighting for spots that just aren't available. Competition is good I guess.

[Polecon]

Projected Maple Leaf Lines have to look something like this.

JVR - Bozak - Marner
Hyman - Kadri - Brown
Marleau - Matthews - Nylander
Komarov - Moore - Martin

Kapanen, Rychel, Soshnikov, Leivo....will all be fighting for spots that just aren't available. Competition is good I guess.

The order of precedence here prior to camp would seem to be Kapanen-Leivo-Soshnikov-Rychel. You expect Leivo to be traded before roster deadline (guessing with Fehr to Vegas for pick + prospect) if no other reason to open up some contract flexibility. Rychel is not waiver eligible so he may be lost as well.

[Mr. Guru]

I agree.

Soshnikov could start the year in the AHL for sure.

We also have Bracco and Johnson coming to the Marlies this year. Id keep my eye on those two.

Lots of prospect depth for sure

[Axeman33]

The Leafs are quickly facing the same issues the Jets are facing; too much good young talent up front and no room to put them all and not much for D depth coming up the pipe.

[The Black Panther]

The Leafs are quickly facing the same issues the Jets are facing; too much good young talent up front and no room to put them all and not much for D depth coming up the pipe.

That's why it's called a rebuild.

[The Black Panther]

Projected Maple Leaf Lines have to look something like this.

JVR - Bozak - Marner
Hyman - Kadri - Brown
Marleau - Matthews - Nylander
Komarov - Moore - Martin

Kapanen, Rychel, Soshnikov, Leivo....will all be fighting for spots that just aren't available. Competition is good I guess.

Got to believe Komarov is still with Kadri , no?

[Mr. Guru]

Perhaps.

Either way the top 12 looks set.

[Axeman33]

That's why it's called a rebuild.

Most good teams build from the backend out. Not the front to back. D and G take longer to develop so you need them around as you rebuild. Right now the Leafs, don't have much for D coming down the pipe anytime soon.