Toronto Maple Leafs: Changes in the Playoff Roster From 2019 to 2020

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 19: Cody Glass #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights reacts as Ilya Mikheyev #65 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a third-period power-play goal. The Golden Knights defeated the Leafs 4-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Forwards

2018-19: Andreas Johnsson, Nazem Kadri, Trevor Moore, Tyler Ennis, Patrick Marleau, Connor Brown

2019-20: Ilya Mikheyev, Alex Kerfoot, Pierre Engvall, Jason Spezza, Kyle Clifford and either Nick Robertson, Adam Brooks or Denis Malgin

In terms of star-power, Johnsson, Kadri and Marleau are three recognizable names that have been 20-plus goal scorers in the NHL.

Johnsson would have been on this roster but he’s injured so it’s unfair to criticize this year-over-year, so we’ll look more at Kadri and Marleau, essentially getting replaced by Mikheyev and Kerfoot.

Prior to his injury, Mikheyev had 23 points in 39 games and was becoming a great second-line winger. As we’ve seen this year, and especially at the salary he was making before he was bought-out, Marleau is past his prime and wouldn’t have been a serviceable player on this Leafs roster, so Mikheyev is a great replacement.

Although Leafs fans have great memories from Kadri (despite being suspended two years in a row), Kerfoot is actually a fine replacement as the two of them have similar point totals and a similar corsi rating.

The bottom half of Moore, Ennis and Brown aren’t really different in Clifford, Spezza, Engvall and one of either Robertson, Brooks or Malgin.

I think the current roster has the advantage because Clifford has two Stanley Cups and wants to win his hometown, Spezza also will do anything to win a Cup in Toronto and Engvall and either Robertson, Brooks or Malgin would give the same result as either Moore, Ennis and Brown.

Overall, I think this current roster has a slight advantage.

Grade: B

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