2022-23 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[CarltonTheBear]

I think a somewhat understated plus that this seasons team has going for them is potentially having both Giordano and Muzzin in the line-up basically every game. Last year we only had Giordano for 20 games of course. Muzzin only played 47 games and let's be honest only a fraction of that was played with him at 100%. Obviously injuries are a part of the game and maybe it's even a little bit of wishful thinking that Muzzin won't have some of those same issues again but potentially having those two guys on the backend all season would be a big advantage compared to our defence group from last season.

 

[princedpw]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

 

[bustaheims]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

It's a loss for the PK, but, his offensive production (at least, in terms of goal scoring rate) is likely to decline. His shooting percentage this past season was basically double what he put up the previous two seasons. That's likely to drop off. He was also really a very opportunistic scorer - most of his goals came off breakaways or odd man rushes. He didn't provide a ton of value when the Leafs had possession in the zone. He's a loss, but not one that can't be compensated for by improving in other areas.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

It's a loss for the PK, but, his offensive production (at least, in terms of goal scoring rate) is likely to decline. His shooting percentage this past season was basically double what he put up the previous two seasons. That's likely to drop off. He was also really a very opportunistic scorer - most of his goals came off breakaways or odd man rushes. He didn't provide a ton of value when the Leafs had possession in the zone. He's a loss, but not one that can't be compensated for by improving in other areas.

The Leafs also played very well with him out of the line-up in the first 2 months of the season. Even the PK, which he is certainly very good at, had roughly the same numbers with him healthy vs not.

Him and Kase will still both need to be replaced on the PK units though, although they were ranked 4th and 5th in average ice-time there. Potentially losing Kerfoot if that happens, who was 3rd, would make that an even bigger problem.

Aube-Kubel has never killed penalties at the NHL level at least, but I suspect the Leafs will try him out. His skillset certainly seems like someone who can play there, I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't really done it so far.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

It's a loss for the PK, but, his offensive production (at least, in terms of goal scoring rate) is likely to decline. His shooting percentage this past season was basically double what he put up the previous two seasons. That's likely to drop off. He was also really a very opportunistic scorer - most of his goals came off breakaways or odd man rushes. He didn't provide a ton of value when the Leafs had possession in the zone. He's a loss, but not one that can't be compensated for by improving in other areas.

The Leafs also played very well with him out of the line-up in the first 2 months of the season. Even the PK, which he is certainly very good at, had roughly the same numbers with him healthy vs not.

Him and Kase will still both need to be replaced on the PK units though, although they were ranked 4th and 5th in average ice-time there. Potentially losing Kerfoot if that happens, who was 3rd, would make that an even bigger problem.

Aube-Kubel has never killed penalties at the NHL level at least, but I suspect the Leafs will try him out. His skillset certainly seems like someone who can play there, I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't really done it so far.

Expect Nylander to get more time in the role.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Expect Nylander to get more time in the role.

Oh well yeah I'd be down for that. His PK numbers, in an admittedly small sample, were pretty good. And I seem to remember my good ol' eyeballs thinking he was playing pretty good there too when he got the minutes.

 

[Joe S.]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

He always seemed like Kulemin in fast forward. Honestly I feel absolutely nothing about him leaving.

 

[Bender]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

It's a loss for the PK, but, his offensive production (at least, in terms of goal scoring rate) is likely to decline. His shooting percentage this past season was basically double what he put up the previous two seasons. That's likely to drop off. He was also really a very opportunistic scorer - most of his goals came off breakaways or odd man rushes. He didn't provide a ton of value when the Leafs had possession in the zone. He's a loss, but not one that can't be compensated for by improving in other areas.

The Leafs also played very well with him out of the line-up in the first 2 months of the season. Even the PK, which he is certainly very good at, had roughly the same numbers with him healthy vs not.

Him and Kase will still both need to be replaced on the PK units though, although they were ranked 4th and 5th in average ice-time there. Potentially losing Kerfoot if that happens, who was 3rd, would make that an even bigger problem.

Aube-Kubel has never killed penalties at the NHL level at least, but I suspect the Leafs will try him out. His skillset certainly seems like someone who can play there, I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't really done it so far.

Kase hardly played. At this point I'm 100% fine with both leaving. I think the bigger issue is Bunting and the fact that we're gonna have a major cap reckoning in the next year or two.

 

[princedpw]

I think losing Mikheyev is a significant loss but we could bring someone in at the deadline that will bump up the forward depth.

It's a loss for the PK, but, his offensive production (at least, in terms of goal scoring rate) is likely to decline. His shooting percentage this past season was basically double what he put up the previous two seasons. That's likely to drop off. He was also really a very opportunistic scorer - most of his goals came off breakaways or odd man rushes. He didn't provide a ton of value when the Leafs had possession in the zone. He's a loss, but not one that can't be compensated for by improving in other areas.

The Leafs also played very well with him out of the line-up in the first 2 months of the season. Even the PK, which he is certainly very good at, had roughly the same numbers with him healthy vs not.

Him and Kase will still both need to be replaced on the PK units though, although they were ranked 4th and 5th in average ice-time there. Potentially losing Kerfoot if that happens, who was 3rd, would make that an even bigger problem.

Aube-Kubel has never killed penalties at the NHL level at least, but I suspect the Leafs will try him out. His skillset certainly seems like someone who can play there, I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't really done it so far.

All these things may be true and yet he scored 20 goals in 50 games last year.  In addition, he helped with shot suppression and lugging the puck from the D zone up the ice with speed, even if he couldn?t do much of interest with it once he got there.  I think the leafs are going to be losing a couple more games this year that they won last year due to Mikheyev?s contribution. 

Mikheyev and Kase scored 35 goals last year.  If their replacements score 20 and are significantly worse defensely, we?ll be pretty upset about the bottom 6 and it will cost us a bunch of games.

That isn?t a problem in the regular season as we can perhaps still hope for 105 points or so.  So what matters is how we beef up the lineup for the playoffs.  Ideally, we can hold on to some cap space and let it accrue so we can take on extra salary at the deadline.

 

[princedpw]

But goaltending is going to have a much bigger impact.  If our save percentage is just league average, we will need a lot less offense.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think splitting up Tavares and Nylander and bumping Kampf down a line on a more permanent basis would go a long way to helping offset the losses to Mikheyev and Kase. Ideally in this case you're still looking for one more cheap buy-low guy to take a chance on, and hoping that a prospect like Robertson is able to take the next step. But you go from something like this last season:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Engvall/Kase
some-useless-players

to something like:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-_____
Engvall-Kerfoot/other3CthatIwon'tshutupaboutifKerfootgetsdealtbutifhedoesn'tthatsfinetoo-Nylander
_____-Kampf-NAK

This way you go from having 1 uber top line, a 2nd line that was good but maybe didn't quite reach expectations, a pretty solid checking line that probably exceeded expectations, and a 4th line that really didn't provide much value at all throughout the entire season to... 1 uber top line, a middle 6 forward group that's a little more balanced, and a 4th line checking unit that will still certainly provide value but won't need to be counted on as much as the 21/22 Kampf line did. So the replacements for Mikheyev and Kase won't need to be quite as high calibre players (and you've already got one in Aube-Kubel).

 

[rdowdall]

I think splitting up Tavares and Nylander and bumping Kampf down a line on a more permanent basis would go a long way to helping offset the losses to Mikheyev and Kase. Ideally in this case you're still looking for one more cheap buy-low guy to take a chance on, and hoping that a prospect like Robertson is able to take the next step. But you go from something like this last season:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Engvall/Kase
some-useless-players

to something like:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-_____
Engvall-Kerfoot/other3CthatIwon'tshutupaboutifKerfootgetsdealtbutifhedoesn'tthatsfinetoo-Nylander
_____-Kampf-NAK

This way you go from having 1 uber top line, a 2nd line that was good but maybe didn't quite reach expectations, a pretty solid checking line that probably exceeded expectations, and a 4th line that really didn't provide much value at all throughout the entire season to... 1 uber top line, a middle 6 forward group that's a little more balanced, and a 4th line checking unit that will still certainly provide value but won't need to be counted on as much as the 21/22 Kampf line did. So the replacements for Mikheyev and Kase won't need to be quite as high calibre players (and you've already got one in Aube-Kubel).

I think a player that will be on this team in some capacity throughout the year is Curtis Douglas.  He's 6'8", 250 lbs.  He skates well for a big man and he showed well in the AHL last year.  I don't think it's a coincidence that he signed a contract that allows him to play in the NHL for the next two years recently. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Guys like Tyler Motte or Zach Aston-Reese would probably be the ideal fit for the 4LW spot, although they both might come at a higher cap hit than the Leafs could afford. Internally that could be a spot for Pontus Holmberg, who might be able to skip the AHL, or someone like Steeves. Joey Anderson could be a candidate too but with him and NAK both being righties one of them would need to switch sides and it's tough to say if that's something that would be best for either of them.

The opening higher in the line-up is a little trickier. Danton Heinen and Sonny Milano probably top my list now of guys to try and get on show-me deals but they're both lefties. Evan Rodrigues could be another option if they can't find a way to make those two work, or even a candidate to take the 3C spot if that opens up.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I think splitting up Tavares and Nylander and bumping Kampf down a line on a more permanent basis would go a long way to helping offset the losses to Mikheyev and Kase. Ideally in this case you're still looking for one more cheap buy-low guy to take a chance on, and hoping that a prospect like Robertson is able to take the next step. But you go from something like this last season:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kampf-Engvall/Kase
some-useless-players

to something like:

Bunting-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-Tavares-_____
Engvall-Kerfoot/other3CthatIwon'tshutupaboutifKerfootgetsdealtbutifhedoesn'tthatsfinetoo-Nylander
_____-Kampf-NAK

This way you go from having 1 uber top line, a 2nd line that was good but maybe didn't quite reach expectations, a pretty solid checking line that probably exceeded expectations, and a 4th line that really didn't provide much value at all throughout the entire season to... 1 uber top line, a middle 6 forward group that's a little more balanced, and a 4th line checking unit that will still certainly provide value but won't need to be counted on as much as the 21/22 Kampf line did. So the replacements for Mikheyev and Kase won't need to be quite as high calibre players (and you've already got one in Aube-Kubel).

I think a player that will be on this team in some capacity throughout the year is Curtis Douglas.  He's 6'8", 250 lbs.  He skates well for a big man and he showed well in the AHL last year.  I don't think it's a coincidence that he signed a contract that allows him to play in the NHL for the next two years recently. 

I think we're seeing Holmberg, McMann, Steeves up with the big club at some point too.

 

[ZBBM]

Guys like Tyler Motte or Zach Aston-Reese would probably be the ideal fit for the 4LW spot, although they both might come at a higher cap hit than the Leafs could afford. Internally that could be a spot for Pontus Holmberg, who might be able to skip the AHL, or someone like Steeves. Joey Anderson could be a candidate too but with him and NAK both being righties one of them would need to switch sides and it's tough to say if that's something that would be best for either of them.

The opening higher in the line-up is a little trickier. Danton Heinen and Sonny Milano probably top my list now of guys to try and get on show-me deals but they're both lefties. Evan Rodrigues could be another option if they can't find a way to make those two work, or even a candidate to take the 3C spot if that opens up.

To me, the biggest thing that needs to happen with the top 2 lines is get Tavares to the wing.  Some kind of trade involving Kerfoot + assets to get a reasonable 2C?  Ooof, this is where our lack of center depth is a killer.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/rinkratreport/status/1547703031570976772
https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1547717514645319680
Waiver bait

 

[bustaheims]

Reasonable depth signing for Vegas or Vancouver. Also, will make a great future Oiler.

 

[bustaheims]

https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1547722591682449408

 

[L K]

Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal got better.  Tampa, Florida, Toronto got worse.  Buffalo and Boston stagnate although Boston is probably worse due to injury.

I don?t love the moves we made but this is salary cap hockey.  Good teams get worse while bad teams benefit.

 

[Bill_Berg]

One day every team will ice the same 20 players and we'll all be equally happy.