Toronto Maple Leafs: What Do You Think? – Injuries

The Toronto Maple Leafs will begin the 2019-20 season shorthanded.

No, not because of Mitch Marner and his continued contract negotiation saga that literally will never reach an end. Rather, injuries to Travis Dermott and Zach Hyman will keep the Maple Leafs’ lineup at less than full strength for roughly the first month of the year, as both players recover from serious ailments that dogged them through last season.

This will naturally create some questions.

Hyman and Dermott are important pieces of the Maple Leafs in their current construction – the former has played with one of John Tavares or Auston Matthews for the entirety of his career, while the latter is expected to slot into the top-four upon return. There are significant spaces left open at the beginning of what is being looked at as a contention year.

What do the Leafs do? Who fills them? Well, let’s take a look at the options.

When it comes to Hyman’s vacant role, the most talked-about replacement as of late seems to be Ilya Mikheyev. The newly-signed KHL import has been touted as terrific offseason add by Mike Babcock himself and, given his size and physical style of game, will likely be handed every opportunity to carve out a role for himself in Toronto’s lineup.

Then there’s Trevor Moore, the under-sized yet speedy winger who endeared himself to fans and media alike thanks to a terrific playoff run versus the Bruins. Can the Leafs trust Moore in a top-six role after he played only a handful of games the year prior? That remains to be seen.

On the back end, though, is where things get far dicier.

After Calle Rosen was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in the Tyson Barrie trade, the left side of the Maple Leafs’ blueline is actually much thinner than previously thought. Martin Marincin is a candidate to handle spot duty on the third pairing while playing a predominantly PK-centric role, but the 27-year-old has consistently proven to be a step behind the NHL game and yet another audition may be one too many.

What about Andreas Borgman? The Swede fared relatively well in his 50-or-so games with the Maple Leafs back in 2017-18, and after a year and a half marinating on the Marlies, could be in for another look at hockey’s highest level.

Regardless of which way the cookie crumbles here, both options are gambles.

But it doesn’t matter what I think. What Do You Think? 

Give me your take in the comment section below to possibly have it featured in the follow-up piece later this coming week. Who knows? It could make you famous! (It probably won’t make you famous).

Thanks for reading!