One Leafs hopeful may have already made the team
The Toronto Maple Leafs have quite the battle going on for the final spot or two on the 4th line. We know that Fraser Minten has been the story of training camp and is giving the coaching staff a lot to think about. We know that Pontus Holmberg is making a late push. We know that Nick Robertson has one last chance tonight to make the team, and then there's Noah Gregor, whom some believe has already made the team.
Gregor had joined the Leafs on a PTO a couple of weeks before the start of training camp and has maintained from the very beginning that it is his intention to win a spot on the team. He had also revealed that the Leafs have been interested in bringing him in since the start of free agency, which means that he has likely had the inside track to a roster spot all along.
A photo has emerged, showing William Nylander, Max Domi, Mitch Marner, Tie Domi, Auston Matthews, Timothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano and Noah Gregor hanging out together at the Drake concert this week. This isn't something that would typically happen with a camp invitee joining the team on a PTO. Obviously, the guys know something that the rest of us don't.
Gregor's blend of physicality, penalty killing ability and blazing speed would be a welcome addition to the Leafs' 4th line. During limited action together, the Gregor-Kampf-Reaves line has surprisingly looked very solid, with Gregor's speed helping him to create quite a few chances.
The fact that Gregor has more NHL experience than the rest of the players he's competing against likely gives him the edge here. It wouldn't be a surprise in the least to see him on the opening night roster and not just because the Leafs were linked to him since July 1st. It's because he has had an excellent camp and has earned his roster spot.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 7 | 118 ANSWERS One Leafs hopeful may have already made the team Do you think Noah Gregor has done enough to earn a roster spot with the Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 102 | 86.4 % |
| No | 16 | 13.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
