I don’t put a lot of stock into preseason games. If you’re a fan of a rebuilding team there are certainly more storylines to follow, as young players attempt to stake claim to roster spots and get a foothold in the NHL. If you’re a fan of a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are very competitive in the regular season each year, then you’ll know that the roster is mostly set by mid-July, with just a spot or two truly being up for grabs. This year, much like last year, it appears that one of those spots will go to a new player and the Leafs are trying to find a way to make the dollars work. In order to do that it’s possible that they will move on from Calle Jarnkrok.
While I’ve been a supporter of Jarnkrok as a Leaf, due to his PK ability, versatility and cheap contract, one point that is being bandied around that can’t be ignored is the fact that through 18 playoff games with Toronto over the past 2 seasons he has just 1 goal and 3pts. For a team that continuously struggles to score goals in the playoffs it would be great to have some players in the bottom 6 that can help in that regard. I’m not convinced that the players they are looking to sign will do better, but we know that Jarnkrok has come up empty for the most part, so a different look makes some sense.
Along with Jarkrok, it appears that Nicholas Robertson is still involved in trade rumours.
While I don’t put a lot of weight into the things being said online, it might make sense to move on from Robertson at the moment if he doesn’t push for a top 6 spot in the lineup. He doesn’t appear to fit into the lineup cleanly and he hasn’t exactly run with the opportunity that’s been presented to him. While I think that makes sense, I still expect to see him in the lineup on opening night, while also expecting him to be in the rumour mill all season long.
My hope is that the Leafs can find a cheap 3rd line centre in any trade, as their centre position is clearly not a strong point. We’ve been saying this for a long time, but they’re top heavy down the middle and lack depth. Now that John Tavares has begun regressing people are starting to realize just how thin the Leafs are there.
It’s possible that this is the reason they want to try William Nylander at centre once again. If he can succeed in that spot it solves their long term 2C issues. I don’t have confidence in the experiment, but I can at least understand it. At the end of the day it’s easier to find capable wingers to play with Nylander, rather than a true 2C. Also, at $11.5M, Nylander proving that he has that versatility gives him a better chance at living up to a contract that overpays him by quite a lot and has a ton of term left.
One player that I was hoping would show more, which would also have made it easier to move on from Robertson if he did, is Easton Cowan. He hasn’t been terrible, but at this point he simply hasn’t elevated his play to a point where they have to give him a roster spot. Cowan is exactly the player that you’d like to make an exception for to allow him to play in the AHL. He doesn’t have anything left to prove at the CHL level, he isn’t ready for the NHL, but isn’t eligible to play for the Toronto Marlies. It would be an easy decision to have him play with Fraser Minten in the AHL this year, as it would benefit both the players and the organization.
No defenders have stepped up to make the blueline conversation interesting. Marshall Rifai has done a good job and may have earned himself a spot as the 7th defender when the season opens, but if that happens it will be because Jani Hakanpaa is still working his way back into game shape. While some others have looked okay, I can’t say anybody has done anything to change the defense that was assembled in July.
Anthony Stolarz, on the other hand, was penciled in as the backup a couple of months ago and has been excellent. He’s huge, positionally sound and has made it look easy when he’s playing. If he can keep it up the goaltenders won’t be an issue this season.