The Leafs and the second line; assuming there is no trade coming, who should play with Willy and JT?
With just over five weeks remaining until opening night for the Leafs against the Habs in Montreal, fans still wonder what will be done with the second line.
Last season, the Leafs' second line primarily consisted of William Nylander (RW), John Tavares (C) and Alexander Kerfoot (LW). But, the trio didn't produce as much as expected, with their collective 207 points across an average of 81GP. Come opening night on October 12th, one can assume that Sheldon Keefe will keep half of the core four on that line in Tavares and Nylander, but there are options on who could fill that LW position alongside them.
First off, there's Kerfoot - who, again, played most of last season in that slot. The Vancouver native generated 51P in 82GP and was one of only four Leafs to play in every game of the 2021-2022 season. However, only 13 of those points were goals, which was significantly lower than his other two line mates.
Last season, Pierre Engvall showed promise to take over the second LW spot. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Swede generated 15G in 78GP, a career year that only has room for improvement. Engvall has yet to utilize his size to his advantage through physicality, but were he to adopt a more physical brand of hockey this season, he could be a potential fit to create some time and space for both Tavares and Nylander. His affinity for strong two-way play may even cover up some of the defensive inefficiencies exhibited by Nylander at times, while his speed should help push defenders back (Nylander has that same ability) and offset the slower-moving Tavares.
And, of course, there is rookie Nick Roberston who has produced impressive numbers during his time with the OHL's Peterborough Petes and his recent stint in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, showcasing his top-six-worthy capabilities. Robertson has struggled to stick with the big club due to multiple injury setbacks. Placing him in the second-line LW slot could be risky given past circumstances, but it is a position the 20-year-old could prove himself worthy of if he can stay healthy. The main question is, should the Leafs push him into an immediate top-six role if he's not fully ready?
Training camp and the preseason provides the opportunity to try something new. If the second line didn't produce as expected last season, now is the time to switch it up and see if a different combination works. Tavares has been shown to produce alongside Mitch Marner. So has Nylander when paired with Auston Matthews. But, with the chance of the top line remaining unchanged being very strong and both Tavares and Nylander continuing to make up the second line, Engvall may show the most promise for that top six position and makes the most sense to fill the second LW spot on October 12th. Whether he can remain there until Matthew Knies signs his ELC in the spring is another discussion entirely.
| POLL | ||
6 SEPTEMBRE | 325 ANSWERS The Leafs and the second line; assuming there is no trade coming, who should play with Willy and JT? Who do you think should close out the Leafs top six? | ||
| Kerfoot | 50 | 15.4 % |
| Engvall | 44 | 13.5 % |
| Robertson | 124 | 38.2 % |
| Other - trade | 107 | 32.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
