Steve Dangle previews the 2024 Toronto Maple Leafs roster. He breaks down the forward lines, d-pairs and even gets into some of the cap shenanigans they could pull off to officially fill out the roster.
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23 Comments
for Defence, remember we also signed Myers ( big hulking guy) and Mermis so there are a couple cheap, depth guys to slot in and out of the bottom pairings..
Two things if marners back have him earn his next contract see if he can hold together a line put him on the third line …I dont care at this point see what he's worth
2. see what u got in Robertson give him a chance see if u can improve his two way game
KNIES MATTHEWS DOMI
MCMANN TAVARES NYLANDER
ROBERTSON JANCROK MARNER
Literally 4th line can be decided from camp preseason maybe minten makes it maybe Cowan makes it maybe theres additions maybe those two guys move up in the lineup I dont know
Defence
REILLY TANEV
MCCABE BENOIT
LILIGREN OEL
IF HAKA IS AVAILABLE SLOT HIM WITH MCCABE BENOIT MOVES DOWN TO PLAY WITH OEL
Goalies are evident although I think MURRAY makes a case
👍🏻
I know it's a total waste of time to root for any franchises outside of warm weather cities unless your owner is due a push for ripping off its municipality as long as Gary Bettman is in charge. A Canadian team will NEVER win with Bettman. Never fucking ever.
this will be different come march 8
if Hakanpaa does sign, Benoit-Hakanpaa INSTANTLY. Such a car crash D-pair
I don't mind that line up.. I don't love it or even really like it but I don't mind it.. So, let's say leafs trade Kampf which clears up decent space.. you slide Dewar into that 4th line C spot ( if they sign him or artibration isn't out of this world for that player).. Robertson doesn't get signed ( really hope they do sign him and he gets a regular spot and he can stay healthy) then you can spend a decent money on a 3rd line center which moves Domi back to the wing.. With just over $3 million you should be able to sign a decent 3rd line center or a winger that can play center.??
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result! This is a team without a top flight goalie. How the hell can you say you are optimistic?
Running it back was bad enough for 6 years but this year we are running it back with even worse forward lines and Shanahan still thinks this is the answer?
The Leafs changed the amount of detergent they use to wash the jerseys. That’s about it. So they are a bit older, spent more money and should not get past the 1st round if they even make the playoffs. They are saying 2029 may be different.
The problem with sending players down to the minors is those players have to clear waivers which means any team can pick them up. So you should only do that if you are sure you don't want that player. I actually think that Conor Timmins has some potential. More so than Liljegren. I think Lily has hit his peak but Timmins has great offensive potential. I don't think Robertson has great NHL potential. Leafs should trade away the rights to him. I love your Line 3 Steve. That would work very well.
I hope we get past the first round fingers crossed
Quillan might have a better chance to make team then any of the prospects you mentioned.
How many years is this now with the current 4?
Yikes
Robertson not signing for less then 2m ngl
So, predictions. The easy one: Robertson will be traded for a prospect, Marner will be lights out this year as it’s a contract year. He’ll walk into free agency and we’ll get the same returns we got for Sundin. I believe both Mathew’s and Tavares will be injured for part of the year. We’ll squeak into the playoffs. Here’s hoping that’s not the case.
A WORD doc Steve? Not even Excel?? C’mon man!
I think the lines need to be
Knies-Matthews-Domi
McMann-Tavares-Nylander
Robertson-Holmberg-Marner
Jarnkrok-Kampf-Reeves
Robertson can have a breakout season with Marner, and Holmberg and Marner have some chemistry. Three even offensive lines. This is how it has to be. Matty needs Knies to be like Bertuzzi and Domi needs to be up there with him. McMann, JT and Willie has looked good historically. This obsession to put Marner with Matty or JT is stupid and it always has been. He needs to drive his own line.
Trades take two (or more) teams. "Everything is on the table" doesn't mean today.
Move Domi up to 1LW. Knies down to 2LW. McMann down to 3LW.
Free agent signings… Nick Cousins? Filip Zadina? Michael McLeod? Wouldn't hurt to take Wheeler at 850k also
Dewar is getting more than 1 mil. His arb rights pretty much guarantee that. Robinson is going to want more than 1 mil as well. That's just wishful thinking.
DOMI – MATTHEWS – NYLANDER
KNIES – TAVARES – MARNER
ROBERTSON – JARNKROK – MCMANN
DEWAR – KAMPF – REAVES
EXTRA HOLMBERG
RIELLY – TANEV
BENIOT – MCCABE
OEL – LILJEGREN
EXTRA TIMMINS OR HAKANPAA (if healthy/signed)
WOLL
STOLARZ
Domi was not a great center for us but played well in the top 6 and made some great plays. I dont think you can justify taking him that far down the lineup where his playmaking skills. Nylander and Marner could swap places, but Matthews actually played better with Nylander than Marner the past couple of years, while Tavares excels with Marner but tends to struggle a bit with Nylander. Knies rounds out the top 6.
Before coming to Toronto, Jarnkrok had been a pretty good defensive center, but for whatever reason Keefe never used him there. Jarnkrok teamed with Robertson and McMann adds a third line with some offensive upside and a defense first center ti anchor it. Finally, Dewar – Kampf – Reaves makes a strong defensive unit with absolutely NO offence, but with a bunch of hitting and toughness. For softer opponents you can swap Reaves for Holmberg.
Defensively, Rielly – Tanev makes too much sense and should unlock a more confidently offensive Rielly while Tanev cleans up the mistakes. Beniot – McCabe creates a tough shutdown second pairing that we know works. Finally, OEL – Liljegren shelters our physically weakest defenders while also allowing OEL to mentor Liljegren. Plus having the two swedish defenders playing together might help with communication. If Hakanpaa is signed (and is not too injured to play), I feel like he slots in at Beniot's spot and he and McCabe switch sides to match handedness. Timmins on probably sees reps this year if Hakanpaa is not able to play. Even then, there are some Marlies who could pass him like Niemela, Kokkonen, Villeneuve, Rifai or Chadwick.
Woll Starts, Stolarz is the 1B, Hildeby and Murray pick up the injury starts. Peksa and Akhtyamov hopefully develop with some North American starts in the AHL and ECHL.
No idea how this team will do as there are more variables than normal, but this could be a very good team