Now that the Toronto Maple Leafs have a preseason game in the books, it is clear that there are a few notable position battles that.
Whether it is Easton Cowan, Nikita Grebenkin, Max Pacioretty, and Alex Nylander fighting for a spot to make the team, or players like Ryan Reaves, David Kampf, or Calle Jarnkrok who are trying to keep their spots on the team. There are tons of positional battles to watch, with very limited spots open for grabs.
It is clear that the Maple Leafs will need to move someone to become cap compliant at the beginning of the NHL season. Which will make the preseason position battles even harder if you are someone who has a higher AAV.
Battle of the Youth
The first battle to watch is a good entertaining one, which only makes it even more exciting to be a Maple Leafs fan. The battle of the youth essentially comes down to three players after Fraser Minten was sidelined with an ankle injury. Jacob Quillan, Cowan, and Grebenkin are all playing for one spot—not a necessary position on the team, but one spot. In all likelihood, the Maple Leafs can only carry one of these three youngsters, and depending on how they play, they be used up and down the lineup. The hardest decision would probably be between Grebenkin and Cowan; both are very talented, skilled forwards who play hard and heavy.
If the Maple Leafs chose Grebenkin over Cowan, it would require them to send him back to the OHL. Unfortunately, he is not eligible to go to the AHL and play for the Toronto Marlies. Which could factor into the decision; however, if Grebenkin simply plays better, they should send Cowan back to the OHL to the London Knights as they try to win the Memorial Cup. Needless to say, it’s a good problem to have, but it’s a problem that will likely take the entire preseason to decide. As for Quillan, it’s more than likely he will be sent down to the AHL unless the Maple Leafs opt to trade David Kampf out of camp to clear his cap space off the books. He could be a viable replacement at the fourth-line center spot. At that point, the battle would come down to him or Steven Lorentz to see who Craig Berube liked more for that role.
Battle for the 3rd Pairing
The next battle is for the third pairing; there are four defenceman fighting for a spot on the last pairing. The top two pairings are already locked up with Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, and Jack McCabe, Simon Benoit. Which leaves Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Timothy Liljegren, Jani Hakanpaa, and Conor Timmins left in the mix for two spots. Depending on who makes the opening night roster, it may impact what GM Brad Treliving does to comply with the salary cap. It seems very unlikely that Ekman-Larsson is not on the opening night roster because of the contract that the Maple Leafs signed him to. He signed a four-year deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $3.5 million, the third highest on the blue line. Not only does this essentially make him a lock for a spot on the third pairing, it also makes him harder to trade because the deal is so big.
Related: Will a Healthy Max Pacioretty Make the Maple Leafs’ Opening Night Roster?
As for Timmins, unless he has an outstanding preseason, he won’t make the roster. Which means he will be either traded or placed on waivers to be sent down to the roster. This leaves Hakanpaa and Liljegren, who both have a strong chance at that last defence spot on the third pairing. There could be a chance that both make the opening night roster, and a decision will come later in the season. That will be depending on how they perform but also how Hakanpaa plays coming off of his knee injury. Only time will tell, but this battle could also force a trade.
There are a few other positional questions that need answers at the Maple Leafs training camp, like where Pacioretty will fit in and will William Nylander play the entire preseason at center? These are questions that will get answers over the next few weeks. However, the more intriguing thing to keep an eye on over that time is the battle for spots on the team.
