Forward Line Four
Forward line four: Barabanov – Spezza – Simmonds
The last of the four forward lines on this Toronto Maple Leafs team in training camp is also a line that has a little bit of everything and could potentially shock some people with their production this year. It consists of veterans Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds, but it also has a new addition to the Maple Leafs organization that they signed out of the KHL in Alexander Barabanov.
Spezza who has been in the league for quite a long time like current teammate Joe Thornton is trying to get another shot at a Stanley Cup before he calls it a career. He provides this somewhat young Leafs team multiple abilities that will help this team succeed during the season and hopefully into the playoffs.
He’s a proven goal scorer and a great passer as well, as he has almost 350 career goals and over 900 career points during his long career so far. He provides a leadership role as a veteran that has played the game for many years and he can also play on the team’s power-play if need be.
Simmonds on the other hand is a very interesting addition and I can’t wait to see him hit the ice next week. It’s interesting to me because he said this is the healthiest and best he’s ever felt in a couple of years and he thinks he can help provide some scoring and some physicality on the ice too, so I wonder if we’re going to get to see a healthy Wayne Simmonds, will he somehow go back to his Flyer days, or close to it at least?
He can give a team some goal scoring from in front of the net, especially if he’s slotted on the power-play that would give a goalie nightmares, he can also obviously provide physicality and won’t ever shy away from dropping the gloves with someone either.
Lastly, Barabanov coming over to North America from the KHL is looking to be a hard worker on the ice and continue his style of game from overseas as he doesn’t mind playing a physical game and likes to beat guys one-on-one. He can defiantly provide some goal-scoring on that fourth line as he had 11 goals in 43 games last season and potted home 17 goals two seasons ago.