Alex Kerfoot
Age: 25
Role: Though nothing is set in stone, it would be a surprise if he was not the Toronto Maple Leafs third line centre. He can also play the wing. He will take over for Nazem Kadri and while he isn’t expected to provide Kadri’s offense, he should be a massive upgrade on Kadri’s defense.
Last Season: Kerfoot racked up an impressive 42 points for the Colorado Avalanche while establishing himself as one of the premier defensive forwards in the NHL.
Expectations: The expectations for Kerfoot are that he lock down the third line centre position, kill some penalties and provide the Leafs with the defensive presence they’ve been missing from their lineup since Leo Komarov was in his prime.
In a best case scenario, Kerfoot would become the Leafs version of Marian Hossa. Of course, he’s the best all-time defensive forward in the modern NHL, so let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here.
What He Needs to Meet Expectations: If Kerfoot wins his expected 3C role, and gets himself some solid wingers – perhaps Mikheyov and Kapanen – then he should excel on the Leafs.
Mike Babcock is a guy who tends to be set in his ways, so in order to meet his full potential, Kerfoot will have to win over the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach.