Maple Leafs Have Big Expectations For These Four Newcomers At Forward

With their 2022-23 regular season set to begin Wednesday in Montreal, the Toronto Maple Leafs look like one of the NHL’s deeper, more experienced groups. Veteran observers know the Leafs are only going to go as far as their core group of forwards and No. 1 netminder – either one of newcomers Matt Murray or Ilya Samsonov – carry them this year, and their defense corps has no crucial changes (other than a full season from former Norris Trophy winner Mark Giordano).

That leaves a handful of first-year Leafs forwards who will provide support for big guns Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. Let’s break down their four most important and notable new faces up front and familiarize Buds fans with what they bring to Toronto’s table:

1. Denis Malgin, RW.

The 25-year-old Malgin had a terrific training camp and pre-season, finishing tied for third among all pre-season goal-scorers, with four, and finishing second-overall in points, with eight. What Malgin lacks in size, he makes up for with instincts and finishing skills, and he’ll likely start the regular season on Toronto’s second line, with Tavares and Nylander. Malign essentially pushed young sniper Nick Robertson out of an NHL job to begin the season, and he’ll be given every opportunity to prove Leafs brass right for choosing him over Robertson at this point.

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2. Calle Jarnkrok, RW.

One of the Leafs’ biggest off-season unrestricted free agent signings, Jarnkrok demonstrated his versatility during camp, playing up and down the forward group, and even skating on defense out of necessity during one game. The 31-year-old Swede will start the season on Toronto’s third line, along with veteran center Alex Kerfoot and winger Pierre Engvall, but if, as many believe, Kerfoot is dealt during the regular season for salary cap relief, Jarnkrok can slide over to center and give the Buds high-quality minutes down the middle. Regardless of where Jarnkrok plays, he’s an integral part of the Leafs’ bottom-six forward unit, and Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe will rely on his knowhow and expertise to keep the puck safe in and out of his own zone.

3. Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW.

He was a depth player on the 2021-22 Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche, but the 26-year-old Aube-Kubel signed a one-year, $1-million contract as an unrestricted free agent this summer to give himself a larger portion of the spotlight in Toronto, and hopefully earn a longer-term, more lucrative payday starting with the 2023-24 season. If he plays beyond expectations, Aube-Kubel may price himself out of the cap-challenged Leafs’ long-term plans, but that’s a problem Toronto GM Kyle Dubas would welcome. So long as he gives the Buds a physical force on the fourth line and chips in 10-15 goals, Aube-Kubel will be a worthwhile short-span investment, and make the Leafs more taxing to play against.

4. Zach Aston-Reese, LW.

Aston-Reese wasn’t and still isn’t a long-term part of Toronto’s plans, but he did come into camp on a professional tryout and made the most of it with smart defensive positional play, earning a one-year, $840,000 deal and finding a home on the fourth line’s wing, alongside Aube-Kubel and center David Kampf. Aston-Reese generated only a combined five goals and 15 points in 69 games with Pittsburgh and Anaheim and last season, but the Leafs aren’t relying on him for offense; rather, they need him to limit the opposition’s offensive opportunities and support the defense, and the 28-year-old should be able to deliver on what is expected of him. He’s a cap-friendly asset who can play 12 or 13 minutes a game, and that is all Keefe wants out of him.