“It was a total team effort.”
I’m sure you’ve heard that saying before.
“There’s no ‘I’ in team”
Probably a less popular hockey quote but still very relatable, nonetheless.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of those rare ‘good’ problems on their team where they seem to have too many NHL-caliber players for all to fit into one lineup on any given night.
These players have the capability to perform on both sides of the ice and make noticeable contributions to team play and effort across the board. This results in the Leafs simply having too many useful players and not enough spots in the lineup.
Now, it’s important to note the Leafs’ untouchables made of the players who have solidified and deserved their place in the starting lineup. The usual suspects include: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, John Tavares and William Nylander. This ‘Big 5’ for the Leafs have all earned a permanent spot in the lineup based on how well their game fits team strategy and their ability to execute. Rightfully so, they make up the team’s Top 2 lines whose main purpose is to contribute offensively.
Then you have your second-tier starters.
These are the players who (for the most part) have enough NHL experience to be a mainstay in the lineup from lines 2 down to 4, unless of course, a drastic fall-off occurs in their respective play. This list includes the following: Alex Kerfoot, Wayne Simmonds, Ilya Mikheyev, Jimmy Vesey and Jason Spezza.
(Note: I thought of including Spezza in the group of players fighting for a spot as he routinely cycled in and out of the lineup for what I can only assume is ‘Load Management’ a la ‘The Kawhi Leonard Rule’. But honestly, he literally just scored a Hat Trick. I don’t think the Leafs are going to be sitting Jason Spezza. He’s still got it).
Let it be known that the players listed above are simply chosen as a result of their consistency to find themselves in the starting lineup night in and night out REGARDLESS if we as fans or ‘analysts’ think they should be there or not.
That leaves you with 10 forward spots out of a possible 12 spoken for, meaning your remaining 4th liners fighting for TWO spots in this extremely crowded (and talented) starting lineup.
Before we dive into the ‘Battle for 4th’ it’s important to outline what kind of players an NHL team looks for on their bottom two forward lines.
These players must understand the game’s offensive and defensive fundamentals. The player’s role in the defensive zone coupled with basic stickhandling capabilities to control the puck for a proper breakout or utilize the cycle game within the offensive zone are the basic tools required to keep you in the lineup.
The 4th line is NOT meant to score goals but keep your opponent from scoring or gaining any sort of momentum, shutting down your opponent’s top offensive players while giving your team’s top players the time to regroup and re energize. However, it would be useful to your team to generate some scoring chances and maintain pressure by means of outworking the opponent.
With that, let’s take a closer look at each of the Maple Leafs forwards competing for those last two spots in the lineup.
PIERRE ENGVALL
I’m starting with Pierre because I can be a bit biased with who I think should be in the lineup. My article, my rules. After playing overseas for 4 years, Engvall joined the Toronto Marlies in March 2018 through a second PTO (professional try-out) attempt and quickly found himself in the Leafs lineup in November 2018. His combination of size, speed and work ethic won him an occasional spot in the lineup and the opportunity to contribute on the penalty kill where he truly showcased his talent and abilities. While Pierre has shown why he belongs on a nightly basis, he still hasn’t fully earned the confidence of the coaching staff. He has a knack for being on the wrong end of too many turnovers even though he is expected to create them on the other side of the puck. The last thing this Leaf team needs is another player who causes more havoc for his team than for its opponent. If Engvall can continue to display the work ethic and utilize his size while limiting the mistakes and turnovers, he is a worthy candidate to crack the 4th line as an everyday player for this team.
TRAVIS BOYD
Arguably the most seasoned vet of this group, Travis Boyd is a Stanley Cup champion, winning with the Washington Capitals in 2018 as a 25-year-old. Now 27, he is beginning to accept his role as an experienced player who still embodies the skill and speed of an NHL rookie or sophomore. After capturing a ton of awards and accolades at the AHL and College level, Boyd entered the league on a consistent basis in the 2018-19 season after impressing coaches with his playmaking and forechecking ability as a bottom-6 forward on a championship team. His time with the Maple Leafs didn’t begin until a few games into the season and since he’s been inserted into the lineup, he’s made a strong case for staying. Recording 4 points in just 3 games, his offensive output on the 4th line is enhanced by his ability to move the puck quickly and maintain control in the offensive zone without sacrificing his defensive assignments. Boyd has also been building chemistry with mainstay, Jason Spezza, which can only increase his chances of staying in the lineup for the foreseeable future. He’s my personal choice of the group to win a permanent spot in the lineup especially if he continues to play the way that he does.
JOEY ANDERSON
Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Anderson went on to have a successful college career, winning the NCAA championship for the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs while also capturing a Gold and Bronze medal with Team USA at the 2017 and 2018 World Junior Hockey Championships. The future looked bright for the young winger as part of the New Jersey Devils core of young talent. However, the Leafs needed to dump some salary and with an already crowded unit of offensively talented forwards, they exchanged Andreas Johnsson for Anderson before the 2021 season. The Leafs brought in Anderson hoping to re-spark his stellar two-way play where he can use his speed and vision to not only frustrate the opposing team but generate offense and scoring chances through his aggressive cycling game in the offensive zone. At the tender age of 22, Anderson appears to be a long-term plan for the Leafs even though he is set to become a restricted free at the end of the season. It seems the Maple Leafs have planned to create some internal competition with their bottom six forwards with the hope of motivating this group of players to excel beyond their expectations. The Leafs hope this makes the management and coaching staff’s job easier when it comes to determining whose style of play fits best within the Toronto Maple Leafs team culture. If Anderson becomes the efficient player he was at the college level, he can excel on this team as a dominant two-way, bottom-six winger with some penalty killing upside as well.
ALEXANDER BARABANOV
Another Russian research project (see failed experiment defenseman Igor Ozhiganov), Barabanov was signed to a one-year contract in the off-season after reportedly choosing Toronto over a list of 20 other NHL teams. The 25-year-old is known for his strong play with the puck and the ability to create plays in tight spaces although I’ve honestly yet to see it from him at the NHL level. My theory on bringing over KHL players (or any other league overseas) remains unchanged. While the KHL isn’t a push-over league, the style of play compared to the NHL is different simply because of the larger ice surface. In European hockey, there is more room for players to move and create space for themselves whereas in the NHL, the smaller ice surface requires players to make quicker decisions with limited room to maneuver in and around defenders. Outside of a few players (like Artemi Panarin & Nikita Gusev to name a few), I’m always skeptical of bringing professional hockey players over from Europe as the transition to the North American game does not always accommodate the skills and play of that player. Barabanov was not an offensive force (137 points in 262 KHL games) but that’s not why he was brought over. According to Kyle Dubas, he was signed for “his ability to make plays under pressure and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks, when people come after him and use his strength to be able to do that.” Still waiting to see that consistency from him but it is still early in the season and overseas/European players take time to adjust to the NHL.
NICHOLAS ROBERTSON
Quite easily the player with the most potential on this list, Nicholas Robertson is only 19 years old, making his NHL-debut with the Leafs during the play-in ‘playoff’ round vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020. He impressed fans and coaching staff with his blazing speed and tremendous shot, scoring a goal while creating a bunch of chances in his first few games of NHL action. The only downside to Robertson is the lack of experience. Sure, he played during a pressure-packed playoff ‘mini-series’ but his durability is already in question after injuring his knee in his first game of the season, keeping him out for at least a month. However, the upside is great for this young, speedy winger who can add to Toronto’s already potent offense. While it is unlikely Robertson becomes a 4th line mainstay once he becomes a regular in the lineup, his mere presence can boost the offense, allowing for a 2nd tier player to drop down to the bottom 6 and support the Leafs’ already effective shut-down lines. Bottom line for Robertson: he is going to get his chance as Dubas and the coaching staff believe they’ve found a winner with a player of his caliber. The only question is: Will Robertson be able to take advantage of the opportunity or will his experience and injury woes hurt his chances of being a regular in the Leafs lineup? Time will tell and luckily for Nic, time is on his side.
ADAM BROOKS
Little is known about Adam Brooks who has been involved with the Toronto Marlies organization since 2017. An integral part of the 2018 Calder Cup championship team, Brooks’ combination of skill and speed earned him a spot on the taxi squad out of training camp with the hopes of cracking the bottom of the lineup. However, Brooks’ inexperience with only 7 total games at the pro level prevents him from being a likely candidate as a regular in the lineup and still has a lot to prove to stay with the big club. Although, scoring his first NHL goal in his only appearance in the lineup this season, Brooks’ remains the odd man out and least probable contender for the final two spots on the 4th line, but crazier things have happened with this team. Just take a look at the final entry below…
NIC PETAN
I’ve got to be honest. I didn’t even realize Nic Petan was still on this team. I mean, neither did you. So, I don’t feel so bad. The truth is Petan was not even part of this season’s Taxi Squad that allows for players to be cycled in and out of the lineup without having to go through the league’s ever-changing COVID protocols that can delay those quick-turnaround lineup changes as there are more games played in bunches thanks to this condensed schedule. Petan is a speedy forward with great stickhandling ability who had the potential to crack the starting lineup on a consistent basis when drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. For whatever reason, he couldn’t maintain that consistency as his diminished role resulted in a trade with the Leafs in 2018. With an already crowded lineup of young players (he is now 25), it seemed like Petan’s chance to crack the Leafs starting lineup had all but faded away. Or so I thought. As I write this, Petan was spontaneously slotted into the Leafs lineup vs. Vancouver last Thursday, flying all over the ice and helping that 4th line look like a 2nd scoring line against the lowly Canucks. He even sent a nifty saucer pass across the ice perfectly to Jason Spezza who potted one of his three (!) goals on the night. Say what you want about his play in the past, Nic Petan is a speedy player with great puck-handling ability who just entered himself into the conversation of locking down one of the final two spots in the starting lineup. But for the number of chances he’s already had, it’ll be interesting to see if Petan can finally win over his coaches and GM.
Only TWO of those players at any given night will find their way into the Toronto Maple Leafs starting lineup for the foreseeable future. The question is how long will Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff have to keep up with this 4th line carousel of players before he finds the perfect match he’s been looking for?
My guess is this is a season-long tryout for these players to see who is worthy enough to remain in the starting lineup when the Leafs make their run at that all-elusive Stanley Cup championship.
-Dave Celebre
Co-Host: Battle of Ontario Podcast
Twitter: @D_RhythmSlave