Monday, October 10th, at 5:00 pm EST, all teams in the NHL were required to submit a cap-compliant roster. Throughout the Leafs’ training camp, many were curious on how the team would be able to field a team that is cap compliant. The Leafs made their final cuts on Monday afternoon at 3:30 and shortly after submitted their cap-compliant roster, largely thanks to Assistant GM and salary cap expert Brandon Pridham.
First, let’s start by looking at the final cuts to the roster before we break down the current roster.
The Leafs chose to pass Clifford, Gaudette, Mete, and Simmonds through waivers on Sunday, and to many’s surprise, when 2:00 pm came on Monday, none of them were claimed by other NHL teams. The Leafs assigned the four to the Marlies, along with Holmberg, Král, Villeveuve, and to many’s surprise, Robertson. Additionally, the team placed Liljegren and Benn on LTIR, while placing Dahlström on SOIR(season opening injured reserve). This is a key factor in how the Leafs were able to become cap compliant. With all of that said, let’s take a look at the players who did make the team:
Season Opening Roster
Forwards:
ASTON-REESE, Zach
AUBÉ-KUBEL, Nicolas
BUNTING, Michael
ENGVALL, Pierre
JÄRNKROK, Calle
KÄMPF, David
KERFOOT, Alexander
MALGIN, Denis
MARNER, Mitch
MATTHEWS, Auston
NYLANDER, William
TAVARES, John
Defense:
BRODIE, TJ
GIORDANO, Mark
HOLL, Justin
MUZZIN, Jake
RIELLY, Morgan
SANDIN, Rasmus
Goalies:
MURRAY, Matt
SAMSONOV, Ilya
Looking at this roster, there may be a few things that you notice. For starters, the listed roster only has 20 players on it. You may also notice that Tavares has been injured but is yet on this list. While it may seem like they should just recall another player to have an extra in case Tavares isn’t ready to go for the first game of the season, due to the salary cap, that isn’t an option for the first game of the season. While Tavares is trending towards a return, in the event of him not being ready for the first game, the Leafs would have to dress 19 players, which would leave them one player short of a full lineup. While Keefe has stated how confusing the salary cap can be at times, he has since confirmed this to be the scenario if Tavares can’t play Wednesday night. However, if he isn’t ready for the first two games, the Leafs should be able to call up a player on an emergency recall basis after playing a game down one player.
What to Look Out For
Denis Malgin
Many people wrote off Malgin after his brief stint with the Leafs in the 2019-2020 season, but Malgin is doing his best to silence the doubters. After two successful seasons overseas, Malgin is looking to make an immediate impact, starting the Leafs’ season in the top 6 alongside Tavares and Nylander. Throughout the preseason, Malgin battled hard, using his speed and skill to create opportunities not only for himself but for his teammates as well. Malgin has looked solid both playing with and away from Nylander, but he is most likely to stay in the top 6 as long as he keeps playing well. Malgin had an impressive preseason while having some spectacular moments like the one below.
Rasmus Sandin
Fresh off of signing a new two-year contract with the Leafs, Sandin wasted no time getting up to speed. After missing out on playing time in the playoffs, Sandin is set on further proving that he is an everyday NHL player. One thing that can set players above others, is versatility, and Sandin looks to prove that as he starts the season on the right side. Sandin has a great eye for the game and plays with confidence. Starting the season paired with Giordano will be sure to improve his game and help take Sandin to the next level. Keep your eye on Sandin as he continues to develop and add versatility to the team.
Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov
There are many differing opinions on the Leafs’ goaltending, but at the end of the day, the results will show whether the pivot to Murray and Samsonov proves to be a worthwhile one.
Starting with Murray, who came off of a forgettable tenure with the Ottawa Senators, he is looking to return to his form that helped the Penguins win 2 Stanley Cups in a row. Murray still has the potential to be a solid starter in the NHL and has a good chance to prove it this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now onto Ilya Samsonov. Similarly to Murray, Samsonov has a lot to prove, as he didn’t live up to his expectations in Washington, ending with them electing not to qualify him this past offseason. The Leafs, however, are making a bet on him just as much as he is betting on himself by signing a one-year deal with the squad. Samsonov had impressive numbers in the KHL, but that hasn’t fully translated to the NHL yet. Samsonov is projected to start as the 1B for the Leafs, but keep an eye on him as the new Leafs’ goaltending coach, Curtis Sanford, continues to work with him.
The Fourth Line
I’m still accepting nicknames for this line, but the fourth line for the Leafs this year is looking like it will be a new signee, Aston-Reese, paired with Kämpf and Aubé-Kubel. This line will be a heavy-hitting, forechecking line that plays a strong defensive game. Kämpf showed this past year that while his defensive game is strong, he can still contribute more offensively than people previously thought, so it will be interesting to see if this is also the case with his linemates. Look for this line to bring lots of energy to the game and play a key role in closing out games.
Biggest Snub
Nick Robertson
I imagine that most people you talk to are at least somewhat surprised that Nick Robertson won’t be on the opening roster to start the season. Robertson had an impressive preseason and looked to improve continually throughout the preseason, landing 8 points in 4 games. Ultimately, as per Keefe, the biggest reason he didn’t make the team is that Denis Malgin, another camp standout, required waivers, while Robertson didn’t. While he will be starting the season once again with the Toronto Marlies, he is more than likely to be the first name called up in case of forward injuries. Robertson is looking like he is ready to play in the NHL, and when he gets the chance, I’m sure he will capitalize on it.
On the Cusp
Pontus Holmberg
Pontus Holmberg also had a strong camp and was one of the last players to be cut from the team. Holmberg has had continual development since entering the Leafs’ system and is looking like he will be a future contributor for the Leafs. I expect him to be on the shortlist for callups.
Adam Gaudette
While Adam Gaudette looked solid in his first preseason game, an injury made him miss a large portion of training camp. Ultimately, Gaudette never looked the same after returning from injury and ended up being cut from the Leafs’ team. Gaudette has a lot to prove, and I believe that he can contribute in the NHL, but with the current forward depth of the Leafs, he may not even be the first or second option for a call-up to the Leafs. If you watch the Toronto Marlies, keep your eye out for Gaudette to shine and earn himself a call-up to the main squad. Gaudette reminds me a lot of 2020-2021 Marlies forward Kenny Agostino. I expect him to look good in the AHL, but it is yet to be seen if he will prove he belongs in the NHL.
Erik Källgren
Källgren was a pleasant surprise for the Leafs last year as he seemed to be further along than many expected him to be in his development process. Even throughout training camp, Källgren played a composed game, looking decent in his game time too. I expect Källgren to get some runway while Woll is injured, but if Dylan Ferguson lands a contract, I expect there to be some healthy competition in the Marlies net. Källgren’s goal this year should be to stand out in the AHL and cement himself as the #3 goalie for the Maple Leafs. The future is bright for Källgren, but I expect a jump in his stats this year.
Victor Mete
Mete was brought to the Leafs to be a depth piece, and him passing through waivers is sure to bring much relief to the Leafs’ management. Mete played well throughout training camp and ultimately was cut due to Toronto only being able to field a 20-man roster. I expect Mete to be the first call-up should there be more injuries to the Leafs’ blueline.
Additional Storylines
Wayne Simmonds
At this point, it’s no surprise that Simmonds’ days in the Leafs’ organization may be coming to an end. Simmonds likely can still compete at an NHL level, and even though he slowed down and got passed on by the Leafs, there are sure to be other teams interested, as Simmonds only carries a cap hit of $900,000. Dubas wants to do right by his players, and I’m sure he is having continual discussions with Simmonds to get him set up in the best situation possible. I expect Simmonds to be traded soon, but if not, he will play with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL to start the season.
Contract Limit
Every team has a limit of 50 NHL-level contracts, and the Leafs currently have 50 NHL-level contracts. This means that should the Leafs want to claim someone from waivers, sign a player, or trade for a player that there needs to be a player going out of the Leafs’ organization. This will be something to keep your eyes on throughout the year, as the Leafs are likely to make moves throughout the season, especially leading up to the NHL trade deadline.
Liljegren’s Return
While there is no timeline on Liljegren’s return, when he is back to health, it will be interesting for the Leafs. The first thing, assuming everyone is healthy, who will come out of the lineup? Many believe Justin Holl will be the one to come out, but there will be other factors considered, like how Giordano is doing playing every night, how is Muzzin’s health and how do you catch Liljegren up to speed? The other factor at play, assuming no injuries are in effect, is how things will work salary cap-wise. The Leafs are sitting tight against the salary cap, currently just $4 under the cap. Due to the flat cap era, many teams are operating right under the cap, so as the year progresses, it will be interesting to see how the Leafs’ organization manage their cap.
Well that’s it! We are back for another season of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey! The action starts tomorrow as they take on the Montreal Canadiens at 7:00pm! You can watch the game on Sportsnet.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to follow me on Twitter @nathan_bondy.
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