Three Pressing Questions For The Maple Leafs As Training Camp Looms

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing pre-season hockey very shortly, and although they haven’t hit the ice yet, there are already questions about them. Here are three important questions facing the Leafs as training camp looms:

1. How is the goalie position going to shake out?

As it stands, the Leafs have three NHL-caliber goalies: the returning tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll, and new acquisition Martin Jones. Woll and Jones would have to clear waivers to be sent to the American League Toronto Marlies, and you can bet your house that Buds GM Brad Treliving is acutely aware of this predicament. There’s no chance they’re waiving Holl, a 25-year-old who showed much promise in limited action – seven regular-season appearances and four playoff appearances – last season.

That means, unless Treliving plans on keeping all three goalies on the NHL roster, it will almost assuredly be Jones who gets waived. There are more than a few teams out there looking for goalie depth, and Jones is coming off a season with Seattle in which he made 48 appearances and posted a 2.99 goals-against average. Not ideal, but not too shabby, either. This is why we wouldn’t be surprised at all to see another team – the Sabres, maybe? or the Blues? – take a flier on Jones and cut into Toronto’s depth in net. You can be sure Treliving has a plan in his pocket that will deal with the potential goaltending conundrum, but for now, the Leafs have above-average netminding depth, and having options between the pipes will please head coach Sheldon Keefe.

Making sure Samsonov is confident and healthy as the starter is Keefe’s job, but at the same time, if Woll or Jones has the hot hand, we can see Keefe giving Samsonov a break from the grind and going with one of two understudies. But it’s a delicate situation, to be sure.

2. What’s going to happen to Nick Robertson?

It wasn’t that long ago that the 21-year-old Robertson was at or near the top of the Leafs’ prospect pipeline. However, Robertson has struggled to stay healthy in three years as a pro, managing to play just 31 regular-season NHL games and posting only three goals and seven points in that span. Consequently, he’s slid down Toronto’s depth chart at wing – free-agent acquisitions Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi, as well as youngster Matthew Knies, all rank higher on the depth chart than Robertson, and Robertson is not the type of player to be stuck on the third or fourth line as an energy player; instead, he’ll be best if Keefe figures out a way to give him meaningful minutes, but that’s easier said than done.

The bottom line for Robertson is (a) he needs to be healthy and at his best; (b) he has to give Keefe reason to believe in him at the NHL level; and (c) he has to bide his time and be patient to wait for an injury situation that gives him an extended look on one of the top two lines. If he fails in any of those areas, Treliving will have to find a place for him in the organization or trade him for help, preferably on defense. It’s put-up or shut-up time for Robertson, and he’s under considerable pressure to establish himself as a clear-cut NHLer.

Around Full Press Hockey

NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators

NHL:  Matthews’ Contract Extension Ought To Make Leafs Fans Overjoyed

NHL Draft: 2023 NHL Draft: Every First-Round Selection

Full Press Hockey Weekly:  Ep 67: Karlsson Trade, Matt Dumba Signs, NHL News and Notes

PODCAST: Ep 64: Hockey Hall Of Fame, Free Agency, and More

WANT MORE PODCASTS? Check Out Some Of The Latest From Around The FPC Network

3. What will the Leaf’ defense corps pairings look like?

As noted, Keefe loves to have options throughout the lineup, and he certainly has options with his defense corps. Morgan Rielly will again lead the Leafs in ice time, and although he didn’t have a great post-season, fellow veteran T.J. Brodie will likely be Rielly’s regular partner. Brodie is now 33 and in the final season of his contract, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see Keefe give Brodie a bit of a rest – not by sitting him out for games, but by cutting down his average ice time per game, and keeping him fresher for the playoffs.

Toronto’s second pairing probably will be rugged Jake McCabe and offense-minded new acquisition John Klingberg. As we’ve said before, Klingberg’s value around the league has plummeted somewhat, but he’s still capable of giving Toronto at least as much offense as the departed blueliner Justin Holl gave them last season. Keefe utilized Holl as a penalty-killer as well, but McCabe will probably eat up some of that time on penalty kills.

That leaves youngster Timothy Liljegren and greybeard Mark Giordano as the Leafs’ third defense pairing. Waiting in the wings will be Connor Timmins in case anyone is injured, but it’s pretty clear which D-men will be playing with each other. If Treliving makes an in-season trade to bolster the Leafs’ defense, all bets are off in terms of pairings. But we don’t see Keefe making major experiments with his blueliners just yet.