Who To Expect as the First Cut from the Toronto Maple Leafs Camp

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - OCTOBER 4: Forwards Auston Matthews #34 and forward Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs congratulate goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 after defeating the Winnipeg Jets during NHL action on October 4, 2017 at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Photo by Jason Halstead /Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - OCTOBER 4: Forwards Auston Matthews #34 and forward Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs congratulate goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 after defeating the Winnipeg Jets during NHL action on October 4, 2017 at the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Photo by Jason Halstead /Getty Images)
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WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – OCTOBER 4: Forwards Auston Matthews #34 . (Photo by Jason Halstead /Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – OCTOBER 4: Forwards Auston Matthews #34 . (Photo by Jason Halstead /Getty Images)

There were 34 players included on the Toronto Maple Leafs summer training camp roster.

The maximum the Toronto Maple Leafs can bring is 31, but they plan to save a spot for the eventual return of Andreas Johnsson.

This news brings us to the question, which players should be cut from camp going moving forward?

Kyle Dubas had mentioned that the Leafs plan to bring 15-16 forwards, 9-10 defensemen, and 3-4 goalies into the bubble, and the organization doesn’t plan on bringing any players who don’t have a clear role.

Toronto Maple Leafs Roster

The first step is to assess who is guaranteed to be among these 28-29 players.

Beginning with the goaltending position, Frederik Andersen and Jack Campbell are without a doubt going to be the 1-2 goaltender duo.

With the 9-10 defensemen, you can expect Jake Muzzin, Morgan Rielly, Travis Dermott, Tyson Barrie, Justin Holl, Rasmus Sandin, Martin Marincin, and Cody Ceci to be in the bubble.

With the organization’s praise for these players, it would be an absolute shock if any of them didn’t make it, taking a look at the games played for each player this season should be enough to display this.

For forwards, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, Kasperi Kapanen, Alexander Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev, Zach Hyman, Kyle Clifford, Jason Spezza, Pierre Engvall, and Frederik Gauthier are for sure making it.  All of these players are either touted by the organization very highly (Ilya Mikheyev) or have played enough NHL games to be a no brainer depth piece.

Totaling up the guaranteed players, we have a total of 22 players who are fully expected to make it into the bubble, with 2 goalies, 8 defensemen and 12 forwards.

To make it clearer, let’s break it down into 3 categories, goalies, forwards, and defensemen.