Toronto Maple Leafs: Where Will Ondrej Kase Play?
Of all the players the Toronto Maple Leafs signed this offseason, there is no bigger question mark than the one around Ondřej Kaše.
I have so many questions about this play, and about what he might contribute to the Toronto Maple Leafs, that I barely know where to begin.
What line will he play on? Will he be healthy? Will he be on the LTIR? Will he make the opening night roster? Could he start with the Marlies? Would he clear waivers? He really is a mystery.
Ondřej Kaše is a right-winger known for his offensive skill who has been plagued by injuries. If he’s healthy, he’s be a decent middle six forward with top-line upside.
Where Does Ondrej Kase Fit on the Toronto Maple Leafs?
It seems obvious that Ondřej Kaše won’t be taking a right-wing spot away from Mitch Marner or William Nylander, and there so many players fighting for the top two jobs on the left wing that I don’t see Ondřej Kaše playing the left side on his off wing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to ice a third line that concentrates on defensive skill and the ability to start in the defensive zone and push play forward. These aren’t really the skills that Ondřej Kaše brings to the table.
Jason Spezza was the star of the fourth line for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. He’s spent the majority of his career playing centre, but has been much more effective as a right winger at this point in his career.
Ondřej Kaše seems like the type of player that would pair well with Spezza though, so perhaps Spezza will take the faceoffs and switch positions with Kaše after the draw, or maybe Spezza will play centre more than usual this season.
The health of Ondřej Kaše is also in question. Kaše suffered a concussion in January during his second game of the season for the Boston Bruins. He played one more game in May, but it appears as though he wasn’t ready for a return. Kaše sat out the rest of the season and playoffs.
I assume the Toronto Maple Leafs did their due diligence in investigating his health prior to signing him. I wonder if this could be a move similar to the Riley Nash acquisition at the trade deadline where the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to accumulate cap relief by taking on an injured player.
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In any case, Ondřej Kaše seems like a great player to take a chance on for only a one year $1.25 million contract. Worst case, he doesn’t make the team, plays for the Marlies and the majority of his contract gets buried. Best case, he has chemistry with Jason Spezza and could be great insurance if there’s an injury in the top six. We’ll have to wait and see.