Toronto Maple Leafs: What Each Forward Line in Camp can Provide

Training camp is underway for every team in the NHL including the Toronto Maple Leafs and we can’t wait for the first puck drop of the brand new season.

Training camp has begun for the Toronto Maple Leafs and we have gotten the chance to get a glimpse at the new faces in the blue and white that were brought in this past off-season.

From signings that bolstered the team’s defense to signings that helped the team’s depth, it’s safe to say this coming season is going to be an exciting one for fans to watch.

During training camp, we got the opportunity to look at both group one and group two’s forward and defense pairings during practice. Group one is the group that will be in the NHL and group two that will be fighting for roster spots on the taxi squad. With that being said let’s take a look at all four forward lines in training camp and see what they provide the team.

Forward Line One

The first line for the Toronto Maple Leafs shouldn’t really be a surprise to anyone because you know it’ll have Auston Matthews on it and one of either Mitch Marner or William Nylander, however, there is one surprise to this line as Joe Thornton will be Matthews’ and Marner’s left-winger to start the season.

Forward line one: Thornton – Matthews – Marner

The 41-year-old who is entering his 23rd season in the NHL, yes I said 23rd season you read that right, is looking to find some playoff success with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. As the oldest guy on the team, he’ll provide the group more than just veteran presence on and off the ice, he’ll provide leadership, and despite being in his forties he can still provide some skill on the ice.

This line provides a mixture of a little bit of everything and I cant wait to see it take the ice on January 13th against the Canadiens. Thornton, who despite being 41 years old can still pass a puck and will provide a nice playmaking ability alongside an elite goal scorer in Auston Matthews. He can also provide that grit if need be given he is 6’4 and 220lbs he isn’t afraid to show some physicality when the team needs some.

Matthews on the other hand doesn’t need that much explaining to do as we know what he’s capable of doing. He is one of the best goal scorers in the entire league and is statistically the best five-on-five goal scorer in the league ever since entering the NHL in the 2016-17 season. He has also been improving his two-hundred-foot game every year since he’s been in the league and it will definitely go a long way in his career as he continues playing.

You can say the same thing about Marner as well, he’s a terrific skater and has a very, very high hockey IQ, it’s like he knows where his linemates are at all the time and can feed them the puck and make plays almost perfectly. Don’t believe me just look and his and Tavares’ numbers from the 2018-19 season, those two were almost unstoppable when together. Marner also hopes to add a scoring component to his game this season, and with Thornton on this line, he might get the opportunity to score more goals.

Forward Line Two

Forward line two: Jimmy Vesey – John Tavares – William Nylander

Just like the first line on the Toronto Maple Leafs, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you who would be on the second line because if Matthews and Marner are on the first line, then you know line two will have John Tavares and William Nylander. Well, that’s what line two exactly has, plus another little surprise on the left-wing, this time it’s Jimmy Vesey entering the team’s top six and will be on the wing with Tavares and Nylander.

Vesey brings that Hyman type to this line in my opinion, simply because he has a nose for the net and isn’t afraid to bang bodies or get physical in corners. Vesey who is entering his fifth year in the league has three seasons where he notched at least 16 goals with the Rangers and had a down year with nine last season with the Sabres, is looking to do the same here in Toronto alongside guys like Tavares and Nylander five-on-five.

Tavares brings that leadership role to this team, but more importantly, he brings his goal-scoring ability to a team that already has an elite goal scorer so that just adds another dangerous goal scorer on the ice for teams to try and handle. He has good hands as well and can pass the puck if he’s feeling like a playmaker instead of a goal scorer. Tavares alongside Nylander last season was good and with the addition of Vesey this season it may be just as good, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Nylander on the other hand had a career year last season scoring 31 goals and was on pace to finish the season with 36 goals and 69 points. Nylander brings an ability to score goals just like Tavares, but more importantly, he can pass the puck as he’s been a pass-first winger in seasons past but now has added a nice scoring touch to his game and becomes another threat on the ice for the Maple Leafs. (Stats from Hockey-Reference.com)

Forward Line Three

Forward line three: Mikheyev – Kerfoot – Hyman

The third line may be one of my favourite lines on the Toronto Maple Leafs next season if Sheldon Keefe decides to keep the lines how they are. This line may be the third line but this line could act as a second-line simply because of how all three players play the game of hockey. The line consists of three hard-working players who all play a similar style of game, which is heavy on the forecheck, play responsible defensive game, and also can put the puck in the back of the net when needed.

Ilya Mikheyev who is now entering his second year in the NHL plays a style of game that is similar to Hyman and it is very enjoyable to watch, to say the least. He responsible defensively, not afraid to go into the corners with his size, has some speed to him, and can pot some goals home too. He’s a perfect linemate for anyone in my opinion.

Alex Kerfoot has been a great third-line centre for this Toronto Maple Leafs team and will look to continue that role heading into next season on a line with Mikheyev and Hyman. Kerfoot who just like Mikheyev plays a  responsible defensive game isn’t afraid to rough things up on the ice, he’s not a fighter but he’s the type to get under your skin to annoy you and make it difficult to go up against him despite his size.

Zach Hyman, we all know what he can do, I shouldn’t have to be explaining myself here but I will either way just to refresh some memories just in case you forgot. He’s a good two-way player who can kill penalties, heavy on the forecheck just like Mikheyev, isn’t afraid to get physical either, and has recently added a goal-scoring touch to his game as he’s had some insane goal-scoring paces in the last couple of seasons.