Who Faces off as our fourth line centre?
During the next three weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs will pursue all options to upgrade the line-up. Furthermore, those changes will happen through player acquisition, the draft and prospect development. Shanahan’s goal is to set up the Leafs as a perennial Stanley Cup contender.
Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are a few of the options available. Whoever management zeros in on, will sign post expansion forgoing the need for protection in the expansion draft.
The Leafs have internal options as well. William Nylander played his first 20 NHL games at centre. Lining up for the 2017/18 season between Marner and JVR will make for an extremely dangerous threesome.
"As a rookie (first 20 or so games, the year before last) he (Nylander) was a playing centre in the NHL and posting positive possession numbers on a last place team. 53% is good for anyone. For a rookie playing on a last place team, it’s down-right amazing. James Tanner"