Maple Leafs Roundtable: Forward Combinations, Who Will be Traded First?
With the regular season right around the corner, we discuss possible forward combinations for the Toronto Maple Leafs and which player could be traded first.
The Toronto Maple Leafs preseason is in full swing now, as the Blue and White are 1-2 through three preseason games. While players like Mitch Marner have looked great, there are still a number of question marks surrounding this roster, particularly with the forwards.
To help answer those questions and preview the upcoming season, we brought in a few of our own writers from Tip of the Tower.
Sitting at the Table:
Chris Okrainetz (@chrisokrainetz)
Jake Middleton (@JakeMiddleton12)
David Morassutti (@d_morassutti)
Larry Faulkner
What would your forward combinations be?
Jake Middleton: For me it would be:
Leo Komarov – Nazem Kadri – William Nylander
Connor Brown – Tyler Bozak – Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk – Auston Matthews – Nikita Soshnikov
Matt Martin – Brooks Laich – Zach Hyman
Milan Michalek, Peter Holland, Kerby Rychel and Colin Greening would rotate in.
Chris Okrainetz: Although I think the lines will be fluid to start the season, here’s what I think so far:
Leo Komarov – Nazem Kadri – Nikita Soshnikov
Connor Brown – Tyler Bozak – Mitch Marner
James van Riemsdyk – Auston Matthews – William Nylander
Matt Martin – Brooks Laich – Zach Hyman
Milan Michalek, Peter Holland and Colin Greening would rotate in.
David Morassutti: For me it would be:
Milan Michalek – Nazem Kadri – Leo Komarov
Josh Leivo – Tyler Bozak – Connor Brown
James van Riemsdyk – Auston Matthews – William Nylander
Matt Martin – Brooks Laich – Zach Hyman
Mitch Marner and Peter Holland would rotate in.
Larry Faulkner: For me it would be:
Josh Leivo – Nazem Kadri – Nikita Soshnikov
James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Connor Brown
Milan Michalek – Auston Matthews – William Nylander
Matt Martin – Peter Holland – Zach Hyman
Leo Komarov and Mitch Marner would rotate in
Given their crowded roster, the Maple Leafs are likely to make a trade at some point. Who will be the first player traded?
David Morassutti: Depending on the situation with Jacob Trouba, or Hampus Lindholm, the Leafs could be in a situation to kick the tires on one of them. If that is the case a player like Jake Gardiner could be on the move in order to make the deal work.
Larry Faulkner: Byron Froese. He’s a versatile depth player earning the league minimum on a one-year term and he represents a valid player asset that could easily be lost to the waiver wire if he were re-assigned to the Marlies.
Jake Middleton: When you look at the Maple Leafs current 53-man training camp roster, the team has far too many wingers. Soshnikov, Brown, Hyman, Rychel, Leivo and Leipsic are all guys who I would contemplate moving for the right return.
More from Toronto Maple Leafs
- Maple Leafs Rumours: Half of NHL teams interested in Ilya Mikheyev
- Toronto Maple Leafs: How to address the goaltender position
- Leafs reward Timothy Liljegren with extension after breakout season
- Maple Leafs: Jack Campbell situation becoming increasingly uncertain
- Jason Spezza retires, joins Toronto Maple Leafs front office
While I value highly skilled smooth skating wingers like Brown, Hyman and Soshnikov, if it means moving any of them in a deal for Cam Fowler, Jacob Trouba or Hampus Lindholm, I will buy their plane tickets.
While many have argued that you should try to play as many young players as possible, I just don’t see anyway they can all play because there is simply too many wingers (13 wingers for eight wing spots). If you plug in the veterans/top prospects that are guaranteed to play (Martin, JVR, Komarov, Nylander, Hyman and Soshnikov), that leaves the remaining seven wingers to fight for only two spots.
A move simply has to be made with a team, whether it be for picks or a defenseman. My guess would be Michalek, Leivo, Leipsic and Holland are on the block, but it wouldn’t shock me if a talented winger gets moved out first.
Chris Okrainetz: Given the Leafs roster construction, they will likely make a trade soon. A three-for-one deal, like what we saw them do to acquire Michael Grabner last season, would be ideal. A trade like that would free up a few roster spots, but, of course, is easier said than done.
Given the fact that they would have to clear waivers in order to be sent down to the Marlies, I would say Leivo, Froese and Holland are the likeliest trade candidates. I’ll say Leivo will be the first player to be traded because of the Leafs surplus of talented wingers.
Bit of a “fantasy question,” but does the trio of Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander ever play together during this preseason?
David Morassutti: I could see them play together on the powerplay where Nylander would play the point. It would be tough to see Babcock putting all three on a line together at even strength because I think he would want a veteran to play with these players upfront.
Chris Okrainetz: I think this would be a lot of fun to watch, and fans would be overwhelmed with excitement, but I don’t think it will happen for more than a shift or two. Marner and Nylander are both right-handed and play right wing, which immediately puts a damper on this idea.
However, I could see these three playing together on the power play. Together this trio would provide a ton of excitement and creativity on the man advantage.
Larry Faulkner: Possibly, but only as an experiment, as both Marner and Nylander are right-handed shooters who play right wing when they are not playing center.
Jake Middleton: Boy, would that be fun to watch. In reality, though, I can’t see them ever playing on the same line, for the reason that Nylander and Marner are both right wingers.
Now, with that being said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Babcock play with his power play lines and let the three kids player together there, with Marner or Nylander possibly quarterbacking the power play.
Next: Maple Leafs Top 5 Draft Picks of All-Time
I’m sure the idea of this would have fans buzzing with excitement, and I think we could see this during the preseason, but I doubt this could ever be a long-term combination.