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Maple Leafs Training Camp 2024-25 Thread

cw said:
The Hockey News: 'It's Not Serious': Auston Matthews Leaves Maple Leafs Practice Early With Upper-Body Issue, Calle Jarnkrok Day-to-Day with Lower-Body Injury
Auston Matthews did not take part in the second of the Toronto Maple Leafs' non-playing group practice on Tuesday.

"Just an upper-body thing. It's not serious. He should be fine," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said.

Matthews skated on a line with Mitch Marner and Steven Lorentz, who returned to the ice after missing the last few days with an upper-body injury. After Matthews departed Marner had to spot-fill for the rest of the session while defenseman William Villeneuve flipped to forward to join the line. The exact issue Matthews is dealing with is unknown.
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https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1838609127494344781
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https://x.com/puckdrop/status/1838670660295672257
 
https://x.com/joshuakloke/status/1838939687110496263

David Alter has group 3, but it's at a poor reading angle and size.
https://x.com/dalter/status/1838939285170405500
 
Not really any surprises there. Very strong signal that Cowan is heading back to the OHL, which had a high likelihood anyway with the Robertson re-signing and Pacioretty probably-signing.

Rifai still in the main group is probably a big boost for him.
 
The odd/unusual feeling this year is that it seems just so obvious or clear cut after two preseason games.

Even Robertson seems unlikely to survive (ignoring injuries that could keep him around). McMann, Jarnkrok & Holmberg are versatile - can play center or wing on any line and PK. McMann & Jarnkrok are capable of roughly scoring as many goals (I'm not sure about Holmberg for that). Robertson is more like a one trick pony in comparison with not that much more offensive upside and is not a good candidate for the 4th line.

Timmins might survive for a while as depth if Hakanpaa starts on LTIR.
Ditto for Lorentz if Dewar starts on LTIR (unlikely as Dewar is supposedly close)
Maybe Lorentz can beat out Dewar ... or Reaves ...

There do not seem to be as many roster decisions to make.
Their focus seems to be turning to who will play with McCabe and the 5-6 pairing along with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines.

With all the system changes from the new coaching that will take 20 games to shake out along with the trial of Nylander at center, it is probably the best path for them to settle the roster quickly. There are likely to be some bumps ahead while they make adjustments, learn the system and develop chemistry.
 
Matthews in for Domi, Domi in for Robertson, Jarnkrok in for Holmberg. Opening night roster?

Kampf traded out for Dewar once he's closer to healthy. Gives enough room to sign Pacioretty and Lorentz and have a healthy full 23-man roster without needing to trade and/or waive Robertson+Holmberg.
 
cw said:
The odd/unusual feeling this year is that it seems just so obvious or clear cut after two preseason games.

Even Robertson seems unlikely to survive (ignoring injuries that could keep him around). McMann, Jarnkrok & Holmberg are versatile - can play center or wing on any line and PK. McMann & Jarnkrok are capable of roughly scoring as many goals (I'm not sure about Holmberg for that). Robertson is more like a one trick pony in comparison with not that much more offensive upside and is not a good candidate for the 4th line.

Timmins might survive for a while as depth if Hakanpaa starts on LTIR.
Ditto for Lorentz if Dewar starts on LTIR (unlikely as Dewar is supposedly close)
Maybe Lorentz can beat out Dewar ... or Reaves ...

There do not seem to be as many roster decisions to make.
Their focus seems to be turning to who will play with McCabe and the 5-6 pairing along with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines.

With all the system changes from the new coaching that will take 20 games to shake out along with the trial of Nylander at center, it is probably the best path for them to settle the roster quickly. There are likely to be some bumps ahead while they make adjustments, learn the system and develop chemistry.
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I was literally thinking the same thing about Robertson. He can't be a Jason Blake clone and cut it on this team. I get that goal scoring is important but does it matter if he gives up more? Probably not.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Matthews in for Domi, Domi in for Robertson, Jarnkrok in for Holmberg. Opening night roster?

Kampf traded out for Dewar once he's closer to healthy. Gives enough room to sign Pacioretty and Lorentz and have a healthy full 23-man roster without needing to trade and/or waive Robertson+Holmberg.
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Kampf really is a sore spot considering what he brings and how much he regressed last year.
 
Bender said:
cw said:
The odd/unusual feeling this year is that it seems just so obvious or clear cut after two preseason games.

Even Robertson seems unlikely to survive (ignoring injuries that could keep him around). McMann, Jarnkrok & Holmberg are versatile - can play center or wing on any line and PK. McMann & Jarnkrok are capable of roughly scoring as many goals (I'm not sure about Holmberg for that). Robertson is more like a one trick pony in comparison with not that much more offensive upside and is not a good candidate for the 4th line.

Timmins might survive for a while as depth if Hakanpaa starts on LTIR.
Ditto for Lorentz if Dewar starts on LTIR (unlikely as Dewar is supposedly close)
Maybe Lorentz can beat out Dewar ... or Reaves ...

There do not seem to be as many roster decisions to make.
Their focus seems to be turning to who will play with McCabe and the 5-6 pairing along with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines.

With all the system changes from the new coaching that will take 20 games to shake out along with the trial of Nylander at center, it is probably the best path for them to settle the roster quickly. There are likely to be some bumps ahead while they make adjustments, learn the system and develop chemistry.
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I was literally thinking the same thing about Robertson. He can't be a Jason Blake clone and cut it on this team. I get that goal scoring is important but does it matter if he gives up more? Probably not.
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I guess for me, I've liked what Robertson has done so far in preseason.  As much as I like McMann and he absolutely does things that Robertson can't/hasn't, I'm still wary that we are banking on him being a producer at the NHL level based off a really hot week.  I believe in him but I'm not sure I want to throw Robertson's production out with the bath water until we know that we have scoring depth on the wings.  Robertson is still only 23 and I feel like his being around the team since 2020 is being held against him for not being further along in his development.

Lorentz-Kampf-Reaves seems like a terrible line to me.  It's not a shutdown line and that line isn't going to score at all.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Not really any surprises there. Very strong signal that Cowan is heading back to the OHL, which had a high likelihood anyway with the Robertson re-signing and Pacioretty probably-signing.

Rifai still in the main group is probably a big boost for him.
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There's no room for Cowan regardless of upside.
 
I'm pretty much with you, LK.  I am skeptical of McMann being able to reliably produce offensively.  I just think it's unlikely that a regular NHLer emerges at his age.  He certainly deserves the chance to prove me wrong, though. 
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Matthews in for Domi, Domi in for Robertson, Jarnkrok in for Holmberg. Opening night roster?

Kampf traded out for Dewar once he's closer to healthy. Gives enough room to sign Pacioretty and Lorentz and have a healthy full 23-man roster without needing to trade and/or waive Robertson+Holmberg.
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Robertson in. He looked good last night and Berube has spoken highly if him...No way I'm giving either him or Holmberg away while Jarnkrok and Kampf are getting over 4M. Both of those guys can be replaced for less.
 
We have some interchangeable parts and hopefully, we will be able to utilize whichever parts are working best at any point in time. Play well you're in, you don't, next guys up.
 
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
I'm pretty much with you, LK.  I am skeptical of McMann being able to reliably produce offensively.  I just think it's unlikely that a regular NHLer emerges at his age.  He certainly deserves the chance to prove me wrong, though. 
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I might not bet on McMann to score 20 goals like he was on pace to over 82 games last season, but he's arguably the best forechecker on the team right now so he should be able to carve out a reliable role on the team through that type of play.
 
https://x.com/LeafsNews/status/1839044455153762613
Even if we were to assume Nylander can capably move to center ? and I think he can, but it will take time ? the idea of pairing him with Max Domi doesn?t make much sense. When the two lined up together last season, they were thoroughly outplayed. In 190 5v5 minutes together, they controlled just 42.36 percent of shot attempts and 42.43 percent of expected goals. They were outscored 13-12 overall despite a near 65 percent offensive-zone faceoff percentage.

Numbers aside, it doesn?t take long to see that Nylander and Domi are far and away the two most passive defensive forwards on the team. Once the puck was in their own zone last season, they couldn?t get it out, and I don?t think moving Nylander to the middle is going to fix that problem, nor can Calle Jarnkrok drive them defensively on his own (although it would be worthy of a Selke nomination if he did).
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https://x.com/jtbourne/status/1838995139189932064
What I?m convinced won?t work, though, is pairing Domi with Nylander because they?re both inconsistent with the game?s details and are better playing with a couple players who do it the right way. That pair would give back too many freebies to the opposition to justify whatever they might create.
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Keep Willy in the middle and move Domi somewhere else, please.
 
Rob said:
***SWOONS***



[youtube]uaqOIqQ_rbU[/youtube]
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I'd take that dude at 3C...fine fine...4C.  He certainly knows how to handle TML media, and he looks great!

Love to see him come back in some capacity like Wendel and Dougie.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
I'm pretty much with you, LK.  I am skeptical of McMann being able to reliably produce offensively.  I just think it's unlikely that a regular NHLer emerges at his age.  He certainly deserves the chance to prove me wrong, though. 
Click to expand...

I might not bet on McMann to score 20 goals like he was on pace to over 82 games last season, but he's arguably the best forechecker on the team right now so he should be able to carve out a reliable role on the team through that type of play.
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And he hasn't asked for a trade.
 
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