Speculation: Next years New Players.

[Wafflewhipper]

Barabanov
Robertson
Lehtonen

Thats looking like three players we can assume will be new to the lineup. Still not seeing this jam we need. It is not absent from what little we see of Robertson. It’s not unheard of from Barabanov. Barabanov does go hard to the net and plays a good 200 ft game apparently very well. We still have to see that to be objective. I was thinking what if Hallander comes in and shows he can play the defense center we need. Its a question mark but again to be objective we are allowed to wonder.

That’s potentially 4 new players with three at forward. We have only lost Kappy so far. Everyone has a player or two or Three they don’t want back. Personally I don’t see Malgin,Gauthier or Engvall playing for us next year. I’m guessing of course.

Thing is, where are we going to have room for possibly a Perry or Simmons or Clifford or Maroon type that will give some heavy play and presence! Spezza is pretty respected on here too. Can we find room for Spezz!

Looks pretty clogged right now and it is so early and so much speculation of us moving out players in trades. I’m still having a hard time trying to grasp where this regroup we seen starting with the move of Kappy and clearing cap is going.

I will personally be concerned if this goes all skill again with all the additions. Lehtonen doesn’t concern me. I think he plays a solid defensive game to go with his good point shot and all that. He a good package i think.

Is it time for Robertson and Johnsson possible to be our left wingers with our top four and Hyman drop to the bottom six where the intent is to grind teams into the ice bottom Six.

What’s everybody thinking they would like to see changed and do you think it will shape up your preferred way. After signing Mikheyev and Dermott as Dubas eluded to having to get done, I’m not sure we are going to see much change to the style or composition of this team.

I want Clifford and hopefully at least one of the heavy players i listed. It’s hard to see there being room. We might see all not soft but not anywhere close to heavy all throughout the lineup again.

How do you see this roster shaping up for next season personally leafers. Strictly speculation but I’m curious.

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[Wafflewhipper]

Robertson/Matthews/Marner
Hall/ Tavares/Nylander
Hyman/@@@@@/ Perry
Mikheyev \?????????\Barabanov

How will we get grittier on forward? What if he signs Taylor Hall for top line left wing and Moves out all the contracts of the third line of Kerfoot,Johnsson and the already gone Kappy! Then he goes with the young defense and adds maybe a gudas or Dillon to fill it out.

To many options to figure right now.

Edit lol, I don’t think anyone picked up that i had Taylor Hall on the left side second line haha. What if Dubas goes after him and does so by moving out all of Kappy,kerfoot and Johnsson plus others on the bottom end,plus Andersen etc

 

[mulefarm]

Justin Schultz

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Lots of talk on whatvwe need to do,( myself included) then you sit down and try inserting who you would like in the lineup and its tough to do.
Might be many different faces but to try guessing who is crazy. I don’t think Spezza can come back. Not the way it looks right now anyway. I want him back.

 

[bodechek]

Roberson is 18 and has plenty of time, I don't see why they would burn a year off of his RFA to put him on the roster for next season. If you can get Spezza on the cheap, bring him back the team needs more of a veteran presence than youth. As for Lehtonen and Barabanov, maybe they will make the team?

 

[The Iceman]

Loved the way Dillon played in the playoffs...exactly what we need in Toronto

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Loved the way Dillon played in the playoffs...exactly what we need in Toronto

Dillon is a nasty piece of work and 20 minute guy thats defense first approach really works for his style. Would definitely work for us. I like him more than Gudas knowing full well he’s a LHD. Would really like his character and solid play in our lineup

Edit: he doesn’t cost us the first round pick we have either. I like that pick

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Dudas should be prepared to hold on to Johnsson if the offers are not market value. He will come back and score us 40 points or better healthy and works hard. He’s a valuable asset. Value contract and he came back healthy with a entire off season to train normally.

Not getting a good deal we should keep him.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Justin Schultz

He’s kind of high cap hit. I’m kind of more no on him

 

[thewave]

Dudas should be prepared to hold on to Johnsson if the offers are not market value. He will come back and score us 40 points or better healthy and works hard. He’s a valuable asset. Value contract and he came back healthy with a entire off season to train normally.

Not getting a good deal we should keep him.

The market value is what the market will pay for AJ. He isn't very good.

 

[Buds17]

I'm expecting any bigger adds to be on the blueline or in goal. Any new forward might be more of a third or fourth liner.

 

[aingefan]

Loved the way Dillon played in the playoffs...exactly what we need in Toronto

Like a Muzzin-lite.
Can’t have enough of that.
If Lehtonen is indeed penciled onto the right side, it wouldn’t be the worst idea.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Hallander is also a high-hustle/effort kind of player, though not physical / sandpaper-y from what I've heard.

More turnover required.

 

[All Mod Cons]

I think it's a lot to ask/expect Robertson to be effective over 82 games.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

The market value is what the market will pay for AJ. He isn't very good.

He’s a 40 point player that works hard. Health, thats another matter. He is a good player. Needs to stay healthy

 

[Stephen]

I don't really like the idea of force feeding Robertson into an 82 game schedule when he wasn't ready to play in Game 5 of a play-in round. He's so young.

 

[Dreakmur]

I don't really like the idea of force feeding Robertson into an 82 game schedule when he wasn't ready to play in Game 5 of a play-in round. He's so young.

It depends on next year’s landscape. In normal circumstances, it’s NHL or back to junior. Is he ready for full time NHL? Is the OHL a waste of his time? If the AHL was an option, that’s an easy choice.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I don't really like the idea of force feeding Robertson into an 82 game schedule when he wasn't ready to play in Game 5 of a play-in round. He's so young.

I don't understand the correlation. Not to mention that's still months away

 

[Nylander88]

Dillon is a nasty piece of work and 20 minute guy thats defense first approach really works for his style. Would definitely work for us. I like him more than Gudas knowing full well he’s a LHD. Would really like his character and solid play in our lineup

Edit: he doesn’t cost us the first round pick we have either. I like that pick

Love Dillon but don't see the fit as a LHD. I don't think he's played much RD. He would need to be a top 4 guy to be worth the $$$ and don't see us moving Rielly or Muzzin to their off sides as we have already tried that and clearly not fans of it.

 

[Stephen]

I don't understand the correlation. Not to mention that's still months away

If he can't string together 5 straight games in the lineup now, there's no way he's going to be in the lineup and effective for a full 82 games. What is it that the Leafs need out of him at this stage in his development?

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

If he can't string together 5 straight games in the lineup now, there's no way he's going to be in the lineup and effective for a full 82 games. What is it that the Leafs need out of him at this stage in his development?

Well he did string together 5 straight games. The reason he didn't play in 6 is because Johnsson came back, not because they don't think he could have handled playing in it. It's also months away from now

 

[81Leafs50]

Hallander is also a high-hustle/effort kind of player, though not physical / sandpaper-y from what I've heard.

More turnover required.

Neither is Hyman really, but grit can be measured in different ways. I like Hyman, his compete and forecheck creates havoc. If Robertson, Barabanov, Hallander, or Korshkov can be that type then the Leafs are going to be harder to play against.

 

[The Iceman]

The market value is what the market will pay for AJ. He isn't very good.

Overpaid perhaps.
Not very good...incorrect
20 goal guys with good wheels are good players. He was not right last year.
BUT with this team and with the salary cap as it is and a league wide flat cap if we could move him for a solid prospect or a high 3rd I do that all day.

 

[81Leafs50]

If he can't string together 5 straight games in the lineup now, there's no way he's going to be in the lineup and effective for a full 82 games. What is it that the Leafs need out of him at this stage in his development?

Robertson should have played. Johnson coming back is the reason he was out. Robertson made that 3rd line so much better.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I don't really like the idea of force feeding Robertson into an 82 game schedule when he wasn't ready to play in Game 5 of a play-in round. He's so young.

He was ready and didn’t cause us grief at all i thought. Johnsson came in. No big deal there I don’t think