Top 3 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster Concerns for 2021-2022

       3rd-Line Centre

Getting suspended in consecutive opening-round playoff series’ combined with the free agent signing of star-centre John Tavares sealed Nazem Kadri’s fate in Toronto and, unfortunately, created a void down the middle that has yet to be properly filled. Alexander Kerfoot was supposed to be the heir apparent (I’ll get into this more in the next slide) but he has failed to impress at the centre position, has been rotated all around the roster on various left wing spots and might not be with the club for much longer.

That leaves recently signed David Kampf (2 years, $1.5 million per) and Pierre Engvall as the other 3C candidates. Kampf, 26, was an undrafted signing by Chicago out of the Czech league who is never going to be confused for an offensive stalwart. He played four years with the Blackhawks, never once hitting double-digits in goals or the 20-point plateau. Kampf is a big centre who plays the position well  but he is probably best suited for a 4C role.

As for Pierre Engvall I keep going back and forth on him. He has size, he skates well, possesses a nice shot and occasionally impresses with a dazzling shift. But he only scored seven goals last year and eight the year before that. Okay, he averaged just under 12 minutes of ice-time, was changed to the centre position only recently and has only 90 NHL games to his name.  

Ultimately I think there is some nice potential there and Engvall could be something but I‘d rather see him work his way up from the fourth line.

Adam Brooks is fine as a cheap, young depth option who can fill in when the injury bug inevitably hits. Jason Spezza will still take draws but he is most effective on the RW and, at 38, shouldn’t be seeing too much time playing the centre position.