Line Combos: Time to Vote the Last Man on the Island

[zeke]

Choices listed in Alphabetical Order.

It sure is looking like the lines are close to set.

It's looking a lot like this:

Bunting --- Matthews --- Marner
xxx/Engvall --- Tavares --- Nylander
Engvall/xxx --- Kerfoot --- Jarnkrok
ZAR --- Kampf --- NAK

​

So that leaves one middle-6 spot up for grabs, with a whole lot of good candidates fighting for it.

So who do you want to and/or think will win the spot?

Click to read more...

 

[Budz]

To start the year.

Malgin on line 2
Engvall when healthy on line 3

Robertson is just not ready.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I am hoping it's Malgin or Holmberg, but Holmberg is very unlikely due to his waiver status.

Robertson needs more time, and Anderson...just not sure he's an NHL player. Abru definitely not (yet). Gaudette is tough to cut, but I think we lose him.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Malgin or Anderson.

The rest are waiver exempt and do not look head and shoulders above the rest, or they are Gaudette who still only looked like a AAAA player.

Between Malgin and Anderson, it depends on if you need skill and speed or more two-way ability and grit. I think Anderson is a better fit for Tavares and Nylander, but Malgin brings some very nice offensive ability in top 9 himself.

 

[Gamble9]

With that setup it gotta be malgin robertson or Steves it's too early to tell

 

[horner]

Malgin or Anderson.

The rest are waiver exempt and do not look head and shoulders above the rest, or they are Gaudette who still only looked like a AAAA player.

Between Malgin and Anderson, it depends on if you need skill and speed or more two-way ability and grit. I think Anderson is a better fit for Tavares and Nylander, but Malgin brings some very nice offensive ability in top 9 himself.

What do you see in Anderson, when I watch him he does nothing.
We have better players.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Malgin or Anderson.

The rest are waiver exempt and do not look head and shoulders above the rest, or they are Gaudette who still only looked like a AAAA player.

Between Malgin and Anderson, it depends on if you need skill and speed or more two-way ability and grit. I think Anderson is a better fit for Tavares and Nylander, but Malgin brings some very nice offensive ability in top 9 himself.

I don't think Gauddette is exempt?

 

[paulhiggins]

Gaudette is injured now anyway.

Maple Leafs’ Adam Gaudette Out ‘Day-to-Day’ with Shoulder Injury

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Adam Gaudette did not practice with the club on Monday.

www.si.com

 

[Fogelhund]

Malgin or Anderson.

The rest are waiver exempt and do not look head and shoulders above the rest, or they are Gaudette who still only looked like a AAAA player.

Between Malgin and Anderson, it depends on if you need skill and speed or more two-way ability and grit. I think Anderson is a better fit for Tavares and Nylander, but Malgin brings some very nice offensive ability in top 9 himself.

Pretty much this exactly. Unless someone really shines well above Malgin or Anderson, it's going to be one of these two. So far, nobody is WELL ahead of these two, so from an organizational point of view, unless someone forces their way in, it's going to be them. Agree on Gaudette. I voted Malgin, at least to start the season.

 

[SprDaVE]

Whoever is on waivers will likely get claimed. So the Leafs will have to chose carefully.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Went with Gaudette. I've seen what he can do and it far surpasses anything i've seen from the others. Of course as with any of them the opportunity must be a limited one. Keep the competition for the final spot alive until somebody cements himself onto the roster via strong play rather than being the lesser of 7 evils.

 

[Advanced stats]

Should be a vote for 2, I think we'll have room to carry a spare forward.

Gaudette probably has a spot
H
Anderson and Malgin are fighting for the other one

 

[ACC1224]

Premature thread, lots can still happen.

I imagine Malgin and Gaudette both make the team.

 

[The Management]

I just realized Malgin's page the NHL website has, as background, a picture of Malgin and Malkin.

To answer the question, I'm not sure. I was hoping for Robertson, so in the the vein of a young skilled player, I'd probably give Malgin an extended look.

 

[tmlfan98]

Went with Malgin but I could also see it being either Gaudette, Holmberg, Anderson or McMann.

 

[Buds17]

I'd expect the spot to be Malgin's to lose under this specific scenario.

 

[zeke]

Note that you can change your vote as camp progresses.

 

[zeke]

I gotta say I'm surprised so many are going with malgin based on one preseason game. He was good, but still looks like a bad combo of small and slow to me. Hopefully he keeps it up the rest of the way but i'm not sure how likely that is.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

I gotta say I'm surprised so many are going with malgin based on one preseason game. He was good, but still looks like a bad combo of small and slow to me. Hopefully he keeps it up the rest of the way but i'm not sure how likely that is.

Who do you have winning that spot?

 

[zeke]

Who do you have winning that spot?

that's why i started the poll!

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

that's why i started the poll!

Well hey you can't knock our votes than not share yours!

I would guess you have Gaudette or Anderson based on your comment? Gaudette could be a huge add but we need to see more or his Tampa days impact. Anderson I just struggle to see.

I've liked everything I've seen and heard about Holmberg but he can be waived without consequence so I don't see him winning the spot out of camp if it's close.

 

[zeke]

Well hey you can't knock our votes than not share yours!

I would guess you have Gaudette or Anderson based on your comment? Gaudette could be a huge add but we need to see more or his Tampa days impact. Anderson I just struggle to see.

I've liked everything I've seen and heard about Holmberg but he can be waived without consequence so I don't see him winning the spot out of camp if it's close.

tbh i'm hoping for one of the kids to take it. Robertson or Holmberg or Steeves are my favorites in terms of upside.

I'm not sure Malgin or Gaudette can do anything in preseason to convince me they're even clearcut better short term solutions let alone longterm ones.

BUT, if Malgin or Gaudette really play great and none of the kids do then I won't complain.

But one decent game from Malgin (beside a dominant Willy) isn't close to enough to make me think Malgin should suddenly be the favorite, considering I don't think anyone thought that a week ago.

 

[LeafChief]

I really like Holmberg but I think it will be Malgin to start. Holmberg doesn't require waivers.

 

[tmlfan98]

If Keefe once again doesn't end up trusting Kerfoot to play 3C full time (Kerfoot was playing C for most of last preseason too), considering how poised Holmberg has looked at C so far I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up taking the 4C job.

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Nylander
Kerfoot-Kampf-Engvall
ZAR-Holmberg-NAK

 

[deprw]

I gotta say I'm surprised so many are going with malgin based on one preseason game. He was good, but still looks like a bad combo of small and slow to me. Hopefully he keeps it up the rest of the way but i'm not sure how likely that is.

There are players in the Europe that stand out and can carve career in the NHL. I see Malgin as very potential candidate to being productive middle six players for 5-8 seasons. He was stand out in WHC, Olympics and in the NL.

He knows what it takes, is experienced and tier above European competition. We'll see, but I'm hopeful. Occasionally we see players like MZA coming from Europe and taking the spot straight away.

I really like Holmberg but I think it will be Malgin to start. Holmberg doesn't require waivers.

I think Holmberg is a player that can benefit from playing in the AHL. More minutes and bigger role playing in NA sized rink. Players like Malgin or Gaudette have paid their dues there, if they can't make it in the NHL they should head in to Europe. I think Gaudette is on the brink of that if he don't make it. Though when KHL isn't real option anymore there isn't too many places for cast outs from the AHL.