Editor In Leaf
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A Profile of Every New Toronto Maple Leafs Player Part 1 – Centres

ByJarrett Noakes|
SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 08: Alexander Kerfoot #13 of the Colorado Avalanche falls to the ice attempting to gain control of the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on May 8, 2019 in San Jose, California. The Sharks won the game 3-2. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 08: Alexander Kerfoot #13 of the Colorado Avalanche falls to the ice attempting to gain control of the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on May 8, 2019 in San Jose, California. The Sharks won the game 3-2. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
DENVER, CO – APRIL 17: Alexander Kerfoot #13 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Calgary Flames in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 17, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Alexander Kerfoot

Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche via trade

Age: 24

A creative playmaker with great hands, Alexander Kerfoot has serious upside. Kyle Dubas was quick to mention the organization’s excitement about acquiring Alexander Kerfoot, despite public perception that Tyson Barrie was the centrepiece of the trade with the Colorado Avalanche.

Kerfoot scored 44 points/82 games in his first two seasons, despite only playing 14 minutes/game with the Avalanche. According to NHL.com, only one other player (Thomas Vanek) who plays 14 minutes or less per game over the past two seasons has matched Kerfoot’s point production.

While there is no guarantee that Kerfoot will play more minutes on a talent-saturated Leafs squad, his history is a strong indicator that he will be able to replicate his previous production even without top-6 minutes.

Kerfoot also dramatically improved his face-off percentage to 56.0% last season in just under 500 attempts, suggesting that he could effectively slot in as the 3rd line centre behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares. His skill also makes him a suitable candidate to play up the lineup in the event of injuries, where his scoring rates could soar.

There are very few things to dislike about Kerfoot’s game, but he is undersized at 5’10” and 175 pounds and lacks a physical element to his game, something the Leafs struggle with as a whole.

All things considered, Kerfoot provides a lot of positive value, especially considering his newly signed contract value of $3.5M/year for four years. With only two years of NHL experience under his belt, Kerfoot’s game should continue to grow.

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