The Toronto Maple Leafs will have some interesting roster battles to watch at training camp this fall. No, the roster battles won’t be in the top-six forward group. The competition will be in the bottom six.
That’s actually not a bad thing to see. Last season, the bottom-six forward group didn’t really seem committed to providing any meaningful depth scoring or strong supporting shifts.
That’s why this fall, the plan is to have between four and six spots open at training camp. And that situation puts three Maple Leafs players at risk of losing their jobs when the season opens in late September.
3 Maple Leafs Players on the Bubble This Fall
Steven Lorentz Could Lose Depth Role
As it stands, one of the players Leafs fans won’t be seeing much of Steven Lorentz. The 30-year-old is entering the second year of a three-year deal paying him $1.35 million against the cap. He’s been a real marine, especially during some of the leaner periods over the last couple of seasons.
Lorentz isn’t going to light up the scoreboard, but he does deliver some scoring from a predominantly fourth-line role. His seven goals and 18 points in 71 games last season were good. But they may not be enough to keep him in the lineup.
The former Florida Panthers forward could see his fourth-line role scooped up by the likes of Nick Paul and Brandon Duhaime.
Perhaps Lorentz sticks around as the 13th forward. But it will be interesting to see just how much playing time he could actually get.
Dakota Joshua Likely Getting Last Chance with Maple Leafs
Perhaps the player most at risk of seeing his time with the Maple Leafs come to an end is Dakota Joshua. He was a disappointment last season. The Leafs acquired the 30-year-old from the Vancouver Canucks, hoping that he could be a strong middle-six forward, while providing some solid depth scoring.
That wasn’t really the case. Joshua spent a couple of stints on the shelf, scoring 10 goals and 18 points in just 55 games. What puts him on the bubble is his $3.25 million cap hit. If Joshua falls out of a spot, he’ll likely hit waivers. It’s unclear if anyone would want to pick up his contract, but there’s a chance a desperate team could do the Maple Leafs a solid.
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Max Domi Likely on Outside Looking In
Max Domi is the likeliest candidate to lose his job this fall. Yes, he’s currently out while recovering from offseason surgery. But the fact is that even if he returns fully healthy. There may not be a lineup spot for him.
Unless Domi is willing to take on a fourth-line role, it’s tough to envision him landing a regular lineup spot this upcoming season.
If Domi is indeed healthy, he could hit waivers. Given his $3.75 million cap hit, he could clear. At that point, who knows if Domi would be willing to head down to the AHL. Perhaps a contract termination might be the best way out.
Maple Leafs Have 3 Players Fighting for Their Jobs at Camp