There is no question that the Toronto Maple Leafs roster will look very different this season. With the additions made in the offseason, and the significant growth of top prospects like Easton Cowan, it could make the battles for roster spots very interesting. As a result, some of the names that may be listed are not really a guarantee as nothing is set in stone yet.
The competition will be more intense when the training camp starts and some players have to step up. Here are three players in danger of losing their roster spot for the 2024-25 season.
Nick Robertson
One of the biggest stories of the off-season is the Maple Leafs’ roster decisions. After sending a qualifying offer to several free agents, including Nick Robertson, it was reported that he would not sign after that and asked for a trade. Coming into this season it was going to be a game or break for Robertson. Giving him a well-deserved gift shows the club’s confidence and faith in the 22-year-old, who is a dynamic shot-stopper. General manager Brad Treliving even said there was a “big opportunity” for him. (from, ‘After busy signing day, Leafs GM addresses Robertson trade request, Tavares and Marner extensions’, The Toronto Star 07/01/24)
Last season, Robertson started to show what he can do when given regular minutes on the roster and not scratched for many games. His 27 points in 56 games is a good start as he has made an impact every time he has played. Although he didn’t register a point in the postseason, his energetic style of play continued into the regular season. In the postseason at 5-on-5, Robertson had the best field goal percentage at 58.82% and the second-best field goal percentage at 57.14%. He’s shown that he can kill and do some damage with his lightning quick takedowns and agility to attack dangerous spots on the ice.
You don’t want to give up on a young talent like Robertson as he can be a key piece. However, time is running out as he needs to step up his game to stay on the roster. With Matthew Knies passing him on the depth chart and Max Domi targeting the top left tackle, Robertson may be in a battle for a third-line spot once again. It will be difficult as the emergence of Bobby McMann could disrupt things. If Robertson is released in camp, then the Maple Leafs have no choice but to move on from him and give him a chance elsewhere.
Timothy Liljegren
Another player in a make-or-break season, Timothy Liljegren needs to show that he can break out in a big way for the Maple Leafs. It seems that the third pairing on the right is his for now. The addition of Jani Hakanpää looks set to spark a fight, but his contract is not official as there are concerns over his knee.
For now, Liljegren is on the right side, but he needs to show that he can take another big step forward. Every season he seemed to take small steps to stay in the NHL. The 2024-25 season is one where he could have a bigger impact than ever before. Liljegren is an excellent host. He had 23 points in 55 games last season despite missing time with an injury. At times last season, you could see the power in his moves and exit plays. At other times, the timing and inaccuracies in certain situations were so noticeable that it ended up costing him and the team.
Liljegren is definitely preparing for this season as make or break as he has trained hard. At 25 years old, time is not on his side to show that he can make his presence felt consistently at the NHL level. The signing of Hakanpää is in limbo, making Liljegren safe. Although they were able to bring in another defender on the right side to ensure that they will put him in the list that can be faster than Lilejgren.
David Kampf
From players who might fight to stay on the roster, to those who might be on the move, David Kämpf’s name was starting to make headlines. The Maple Leafs defense and penalty kill specialist is an important part of this team, but his $2.4 million total as a fourth lineman over the next three seasons isn’t fair. (from, ‘This offseason is off to a great start for the Maple Leafs. Still a long way to go to win the Atlantic’, The Toronto Star 07/04/24)
Kämpf had his least productive season with 19 points last season, as he scored 25 points the previous two seasons. The offense was starting to show despite starting on defense over 81.7% of the time with the Maple Leafs. His takeaways were consistently higher than his giveaways, showing that he is smart with his puck handling and ability to steal pucks from his opponents. Despite having some positives in his game, the cap hit is still too high and he may be on his way out.
Even if Kämpf is not moved, the chances of a player stealing his spot are still there. Fraser Minten earned a roster spot out of camp and even though he only played four games, he adjusted very well and having that professional experience under his belt is a huge bonus. Minten will be playing in the bottom six at the start of his career and given his two-man game, physicality and high attack, he could be the one to steal Kämpf’s fourth place.
The trio of Robertson, Liljegren and Kämpf will all struggle to keep their roster spot this season. From wanting to show their value or maintain their level of play and not be swayed from a possible contract, these players need to raise their performance and show that they can still have an impact with a new look system.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Hockey Reference.
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