Line Combos: Leafs 3rd Line Centre 2020-21Season??

[cgc83]

I'm not sold on Alex Kerfoot being the choice for this important role .
This position needs to be filled by a bigger and mainly more of a penalty killing C . Kerfoot was barely on the pk all season even between both of the 2 head coaches , with Hyman or Marner taking a lot of draws?? He played pretty decent in clb series and was centering on the pk . His faceoff % was pretty bad though . Considering his contract which is not that friendly to the leafs current cap situation paying the 3+ m to wait for him to maybe become a more rounded centre seems like not a great option.

Do they need an upgrade ? Who should the leafs target ? Or stay the course and keep Kerfoot in that current spot ?

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[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Johan Larsson would be an interesting target. he's not as good offensively, but he is a good defensive player and can kill penalties

 

[ToneDog]

Dubas has enough work replacing Ceci, Barrie, Cliffy, Kappy (Andy, AJ ??) and adding some much needed grit. Kerfoot looks like he can be a very useful #3C. You can only turn a roster over so much in one offseason.

 

[kb]

Johan Larsson would be an interesting target. he's not as good offensively, but he is a good defensive player and can kill penalties

I'd love him @ #4C.

 

[Menzinger]

I won't be surprised if there's a trade to fill this.

If teams do look to shed salary there could be plenty of lower lineup guys availabile.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I'd love him @ #4C.

Same, but I'd also love him at 3C. I think he would be a little too expensive to a 4C but we'll see

 

[kb]

Same, but I'd also love him at 3C. I think he would be a little too expensive to a 4C but we'll see

Not enough production for a third liner. A career high this season....18 points. Can't rely on the top-2 lines to do all the scoring.

 

[ToneDog]

I'd love him @ #4C.

You would have to find a pretty good #3C making Goat money.

 

[kb]

You would have to find a pretty good #3C making Goat money.

He doesn't produce enough for the third liner. A career high of 18 points.

 

[ToneDog]

He doesn't produce enough for the third liner. A career high of 18 points.

Sorry I am implying that with Kerfoot as your #4C, it means you must have found a better #3C (not Goat) making peanuts because we do not have much more the minimum to pay our other bottom 5.

 

[Shak19]

nazem kadri

 

[Notsince67]

I'm not sold on Alex Kerfoot being the choice for this important role .
This position needs to be filled by a bigger and mainly more of a penalty killing C . Kerfoot was barely on the pk all season even between both of the 2 head coaches , with Hyman or Marner taking a lot of draws?? He played pretty decent in clb series and was centering on the pk . His faceoff % was pretty bad though . Considering his contract which is not that friendly to the leafs current cap situation paying the 3+ m to wait for him to maybe become a more rounded centre seems like not a great option.

Do they need an upgrade ? Who should the leafs target ? Or stay the course and keep Kerfoot in that current spot ?

Kerfoot is under rated

 

[Notsince67]

He doesn't produce enough for the third liner. A career high of 18 points.

Good defensively though

 

[cgc83]

nazem kadri

Surprisingly Kadri didnt c on the pk , he was on the pp . Weird is does feel like the perfect guy to fill that role . Perhaps rightfully Babcock couldn't trust him out there to do something dumb and putting the team down to 5 on 3 .

 

[kb]

Sorry I am implying that with Kerfoot as your #4C, it means you must have found a better #3C (not Goat) making peanuts because we do not have much more the minimum to pay our other bottom 5.

If the Leafs signed a #3C, I'd have to assume there would be a corresponding move for Kerfoot.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Keep Kerfoot, at least for this year. More options next year.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Kerfoot wouldn’t be my choice as our 3rd line Center. But he’s the guy our GM chose to trade for and give a multi year contract to so that’s the guy we’re going with.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Not enough production for a third liner. A career high this season....18 points. Can't rely on the top-2 lines to do all the scoring.

Definitely fair, but I think his defense makes up for any offensive shortcomings. I like the idea of having Kerfoot and Larsson, so the Leafs can rotate their 3C depending on if they want more offense or more defense on a given night. In general the Leafs bottom 6 lacked a lot of things this year, but a reliable defensive player is probably what they're missing the most

 

[Gabriel426]

The fact that he can be use in PK is good enough for me.
He is what he is, a solid 3C.
Someone who could provide depth scoring and is not out of place when play against opposing top line.

 

[kb]

I would get rid of Kerfoot last - AJ first. Kerfoot plays C and is now on the PK, where his speed and hockey IQ play up.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Dubas is looking to gain cap space as specifically saying after the Kapanen trade. The Rangers are looking for center depth. Anahiem is looking for scoring wingers. Maybe they want a scoring winger and center depth in New York. Lots of teams need scoring depth. Kerfoot should be moved seeing Dubas wants to get cheaper in the bottom 6.
Cap space and picks and possibly roster players that are cheap seems the course we will see.

 

[Buds17]

I guess there's an opportunity to cut cap from that spot, particularly if they'd like to become more of a top six, bottom six team at forward. Would also depend on what happens at wing on that third line. If someone like a Johnsson is moved, it might be a good idea to have an experienced option there at centre if the wingers end up being Barabanov and Robertson. I could see Kerfoot moving. I could just as easily see him staying.

 

[Mickey Marner]

We do need an upgrade, but we're unlikely to get one until at least next offseason.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I'm not sold on Alex Kerfoot being the choice for this important role .
This position needs to be filled by a bigger and mainly more of a penalty killing C . Kerfoot was barely on the pk all season even between both of the 2 head coaches , with Hyman or Marner taking a lot of draws?? He played pretty decent in clb series and was centering on the pk . His faceoff % was pretty bad though . Considering his contract which is not that friendly to the leafs current cap situation paying the 3+ m to wait for him to maybe become a more rounded centre seems like not a great option.

Do they need an upgrade ? Who should the leafs target ? Or stay the course and keep Kerfoot in that current spot ?

Just ask do we need a $10,000,000 third line or do we need gritty defensive shutdown forwards with dome scoring from the bottom six and money moved to defense.
Kappy is gone and Kerfoot and Johnsson will find interest i believe. Hopefully both are moved.

 

[cgc83]

Dubas is looking to gain cap space as specifically saying after the Kapanen trade. The Rangers are looking for center depth. Anahiem is looking for scoring wingers. Maybe they want a scoring winger and center depth in New York. Lots of teams need scoring depth. Kerfoot should be moved seeing Dubas wants to get cheaper in the bottom 6.
Cap space and picks and possibly roster players that are cheap seems the course we will see.

I agree with the cheap cheap cheap bottom 6 approach. Its a pretty obvious move , assuming the big 4 are all sticking around (which I do)
But Dubas better find a 1.5- 2m good pk centre replacement . Having Marner or Hyman taking those face offs is asinine imo