Guru Tugginmypuddah
Well-known member
SHOTS FIRED.
2025-26 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
SHOTS FIRED.
Craig Berube on evaluating Matias Maccelli's fit on Matthews' line: "Is he getting Matthews the puck enough for opportunities? That line plays against good lines, so he needs to be solid defensively, too"
After the first practice of training camp, head coach Craig Berube discussed his opening line combinations, Matias Maccelli starting on Auston Matthews’ line in Max Domi’s absence, Bobby McMann’s fit on the Tavares-Nylander line, and more. Training Camp Lines – Day 1 Lines at first practice of...mapleleafshotstove.com
This is why I don't think it's likely we see the Domi/Robertson/Cowan/Maccelli type guys on the Tavares LW; it's a waste to make Nylander the primary forechecker (which he can do pretty good) when he is the team's best F3 with his puck handling, distribution, and shooting abilities.
The Leafs, in the latter chunk of Keefe's tenure and for Berube's start, play a 2-3 OZ structure. The high forward helps the D stifle counter rush attempts, and also gives them attack options when the mess-makers down low dig out pucks and get open.
This is why I think the Leafs are really looking for forechecky RWs to unlock their plethora of zippy leftshot distributors. In the meantime, most of them will play off-wing to complement their glut of forechecky LWs.
I think they have to watch Tavares-Nylander defensively.
Domi & Nylander are probably the two worst forwards defensively. I doubt having them together is a good idea.
Tavares probably isn't what he once was. Career -15 with the Leafs in the playoffs.
McMann has some defensive conscience and abilities and played well with Tavares in the past but that won't last long if he doesn't produce. He said he worked on puck distribution over the summer.
dappleganger
Well-known member
OEL is better on the left side, play him there. Benoit wasn't great last season. Leafs needed an upgrade at 3rd pair RD. Maybe a door is open for Myers at that slot and Benoit is 7th D.
I think Reilly taking a big step could have the biggest impact on this team this year. We need a reliable puck mover back there, and I am hopeful that in his second year under Berube, he can better utilize his strengths in a more calculated manner. An established partner will help as well.
If there is a bounceback from Rielly after reviews of how he's looked, if Carlo picks up where he left off, if McCabe & Tanev carry on like last season, if OEL does well on the left side as he did to start last year and if Benoit makes the adjustment to the right side or some else steps up ... that is a bunch of ifs but there is a fair chance the D could be moderately improved over last season. Their biggest vulnerability might be injuries due to their age.
Owen Conrad still around too.
I feel like this group of forwards seems likely when the regular season rolls around (I’m assuming Cowan is waivers-exempt and no matter how he plays, will get sent down and then brought up when injuries hit).
Knies - Matthews - Domi
McMann - Tavares - W. Nylander
Maccelli - Roy - Joshua
Lorentz - Laughton - Robertson
And then I’d pick Kampf for a 13th forward. His defense, penalty killing, and ability to fill in at center makes him a valuable guy to have around. I like Jarnkrok but there doesn’t look like there is space. Someone should pick him up on waivers.
I’d also be a fan of starting Matthews in the OZone as often as possible. He may be good at defense but he must surely tilt the needle kore on offense.
Of course, if the Roslovic rumors are true, I have no idea how it shakes out
Knies - Matthews - Domi
McMann - Tavares - W. Nylander
Maccelli - Roy - Joshua
Lorentz - Laughton - Robertson
And then I’d pick Kampf for a 13th forward. His defense, penalty killing, and ability to fill in at center makes him a valuable guy to have around. I like Jarnkrok but there doesn’t look like there is space. Someone should pick him up on waivers.
I’d also be a fan of starting Matthews in the OZone as often as possible. He may be good at defense but he must surely tilt the needle kore on offense.
Of course, if the Roslovic rumors are true, I have no idea how it shakes out
herman
Well-known member
I agree with what you've laid out as the likely roster. If I had my druthers, I'd prefer to move Domi and gain more flexibility that way, but it's unlikely as he has huge fans in management, the fanbase, and with teammates. It's unfortunate that he is only effective in an offensive top 6 line that has a Selke-level centre.
I also think Jarnkrok might get the nod over Kampf, just simply because of the rest of the roster. We already have PK centres in Matthews, Roy, Laughton, and to a degree Lorentz. The team has been actively weaning off Kampf reliance, and also have cheaper Marlie fill-ins to cover that niche in Boyd, Lettieri, Quillan. Jarnkrok, on the other hand, has a pretty big fan in the GM and is a low-maintenance, high-effort right-shot winger who can forecheck diligently on a team riddled with left shot playmakers.
herman
Well-known member
The Leafs' unchanged defense, Jarnkrok & Kampf's futures, and the first preseason performances - Leafs Notebook
Preseason is finally here, and before you know it, the regular season will be underway. We’ve spent a lot of time setting up preseason battles over the past few weeks, and the forward group is currently receiving the lion’s share of attention because that’s where changes were made. On defense...
mapleleafshotstove.com
Petrielli also weighs in on the Kampf vs Jarnkrok situation.
I can't claim to know Roslovic's abilities well. I haven't seen him that much nor followed him. I did look at him some in the past couple of years. Leafs have been rumoured all summer to have some interest. I'm not sure how much I believe it.
Career 44% faceoff win% takes a bunch of the fun out of him playing center
He's ok offensively but his defensive stats don't look great.
But why would you sign a guy to a $3.x/yr contract when the Canes only dressed him in half their playoff games?
If he was truly regarded as a good 3rd line center or forward, wouldn't he have been scooped up long before now for $3.x/yr?
His 22 goals helps make up for the loss of Marner's pts (except he allows goals against ..) ??
I think the Leafs are wiser to look over what they already have - which appears to be what they're doing.
Career 44% faceoff win% takes a bunch of the fun out of him playing center
He's ok offensively but his defensive stats don't look great.
But why would you sign a guy to a $3.x/yr contract when the Canes only dressed him in half their playoff games?
If he was truly regarded as a good 3rd line center or forward, wouldn't he have been scooped up long before now for $3.x/yr?
His 22 goals helps make up for the loss of Marner's pts (except he allows goals against ..) ??
I think the Leafs are wiser to look over what they already have - which appears to be what they're doing.
herman
Well-known member
He has two years left, at 3.475M real dollars to pay out if they trade him before the season starts (are players paid for preseason days?).
Even if a team has cap space, do they want to pay more than the 800k x 2 or whatever they're already paying for their 4C?
Best bet might be returning him to Chicago as their centre depth is Jason Dickinson + a bunch of kids, or Detroit where a safe veteran 3C is more worthwhile. Hard to market him as such if the Leafs don't play Kampf to show off some offensive potential though.
It was never a good contract
Buyout:
They would save $0.717 mil/yr from the cap - which doesn't even cover the NHL minimum salary towards a replacement.
Kampf would still cost $1.68m/yr against the cap.
Seems like the worst option and is not available at this time.
Waivers:
They would save $1.15 mil/yr from the cap (max allowed)
They would continue to pay him his full salary in the AHL
Kampf would still cost $1.25m/yr against the cap.
Can they find a better player for $1.15 mil? Probably not. But they could use the $1.15 mil towards landing a better player.
Trade:
He has a 10 team no trade list.
Next year, (last year of his deal), after his signing bonus is paid, he would only cost a team $1.025 mil and they would get $2.4 mil towards their cap. They might get a low pick back.
This year, maybe they could construct a win-win by retaining some of his salary in a trade ($600k ?) - which might free up ~$1.8 mil of his $2.4 mil cap hit for example.
His physical fitness is reputed to be excellent. He's respectable at faceoffs. Decent defensively and can PK.
I think they need to get a better handle on the newcomers and players like Laughton and Jarnkrok before making that decision.
OldTimeHockey
Well-known member
I was going to ask about Laughton. I mean, if we are simply freeing up a line up spot/salary space, is he not the more tradeable, more valuable asset? He's in the final year of his deal. For a rebuilding team he could easily be moved at the deadline for draft picks. For a contender he could also be attractive. Do we lose a lot with Kampf on the fourth line at centre over Laughton? If it's the Laughton we saw for the two months with the team, I don't think we do.
His history is that he's been a better player than he showed last spring. I expect that he and they hope he returns to form. Part of the premium they paid was for Philly to eat half his contract. He's 900k less of a cap hit than Kampf. Laughton historically scores more. Both PK and are ok defensively (rough guess there on my part). Kampf is marginally better at faceoffs. They lost a two way 100 point player and haven't replaced him. I suspect they're looking for scoring wherever they can get it to help. So rolling the dice on Laughton recovering probably appeals more. We'll soon see what they'll show us in preseason.