The big story right now is Fraser Minten. GM Brad Treliving had this to say after being asked where Minten was on the depth chart during the summer:
There was the ghost roster, Marlies, and “other.” He was in “other.”
How this young man progresses is of particular interest to me, as I’ve been begging the team to trade for a 3C for years now. Minten’s defensive play throughout camp has me wondering if he can develop into exactly what the doctor ordered, which is a 2-way centre that can take some of the pressure off of the top 2 lines. His chemistry with power forward Matthew Knies is encouraging as well.
Here is your projected lineup tonight, based on yesterday’s practice:
Bertuzzi-Matthews-Marner
Domi-Tavares-Nylander
Knies-Minten-Jarnkrok
Gregor-Kampf-Reaves
Rielly-Brodie
McCabe-Klingberg
Giordano-Liljegren
Samsonov
Woll
Simon Benoit was recalled from the Toronto Marlies today and will serve as the teams 7th defender to start the season.
Lastly, and I don’t know why, but I’m more excited about the start of this season than I have been the past few years. Maybe it’s the fact that this team actually won a round before getting the absolute piss knocked out of them in round 2, or that they have a couple of rookies on the team that gives me some hope, I don’t know, but I feel better about the Leafs right now than I have in forever and it’s nice to have that feeling.
All I have to do now is ignore their blueline and try not to take it too bad when they lose to the Habs tonight. Either way, I’m here for it.
GO LEAFS GO!!